CRAZY WOMAN!

Good news from our agency...they are trying to find out the status of our TA and I'm hoping for news tomorrow....pray friends, pray! I have defiently gotten on the train to crazyville! Distraction is the key! I stayed home yesterday and found myself pacing and anxious and checking the computer for news every 15m and jumping out my skin every time the phone rang hoping it was the agency...today..haircuts, lunch with the kids at Burger King and a play date with the Halls at the Children's Museum and my mind is defiently calmer...plus God sent me a HUGE piece of humble pie..

A dear friend of our who is only 41 and otherwise healthy had a heart attack last night..He and Mike have been friends since they were five and he was best man in our wedding...He is doing very well, and is expected to continue to do so. But to say the least I'm praying for bigger and more important things today and I'm feeling very humbled and very grateful everyone I love the most is healthy....If you would, please remember him in your prayers too.

and last night I started thinking about the tough transition all my children are in for. Will is about to leave his birth country and have everything he's ever known taken away. Even though the love of a family is oh so worth the pain of this transition, I know he will grief and be afraid , and there is nothing I can do to help or alieviate it for him. and my other children are also about to have their lives all shook up for awhile. Again, the long term gains and rewards are so worth the short term pain...but still growing pains are hard...lift them up in your prayers for and easy transisition and patience with one another...

Fingers crossed for good news tomorrow!
my favorite China adoption chat group has been a positive place..all the families with our paperwork date except us! has received notification that their TA is on the way Monday...it think that's good...let's just hope this leaves enough appt's for January for us all!!!!

So, will having the boys room ready get our TA to come faster??

I didn't think so either...but Mike did finish assembing Will's bed today. It looks ready for another little boy now. It's not completely the way I'd hoped though. I'd purchased this CUTE wall adhesive that was a road with cars, trees ect..the darn thing didn't stick :( I think I'll be painting againg!!!

Yesterday 2 TA's came in for families who had our original paperwork date before the mistake..of course that doesn't guarantee ours would have been one of them, but I sure would have enjoyed the possibility. Trying to focus on the present, and not the past. Praying HARD! we will be on that plane January 13th. I don't really care how or when it happens, I just want my son this month and don't want him in the orphanage until February. My husband has a retreat he's suppose to speak at with our church he'll likely have to miss, and two of our daughters have birthdays we'd also miss...is that selfish to want to get Will now so we can be home and start our lives together and not have to miss things that feel really important right now??? **sigh, I hope not**

What a Very Merry Christmas indeed....

The beloved American Girl!
Very happy with out new Ipod!

gathering at the top of the stairs Christmas morning anxious to check out the Santa loot..check out Brynn's face..she's about the burst!

Reindeer food!! (yes, it snowed on Christmas night!)



Tom and Terry
Gary and Debbie


Brynn and Uncle Joe
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Our night with the Halls - the kids anxious to open gift!

Jessa and Hannah before Cottoniltion






So much fun, so much family, so many friends, so much food, and just enough drink...then Sam slept through Christmas Mass, the others behaved perfectly, and I actually enjoyed it....and SNOW!!!! are you kidding me!! does it get any better! not really...except Will was in the back of mind all day. Luckily he doesn't realize what he's missing..next year he will be in the midst of all the crazy chaos...and this mama's heart will be even happier...

Hope your Christmas was also filled with more FUN FAMILY FRIENDS and FAITH than you could stand!

Better Today

Life goes on and you better keep up...

a travel delay IS NOT the end of the world. I'm very sad to be seperated from our son any longer than necessary...but I suppose there is a reason, and I'm sure it will eventually be clear. Today we volunteered at our local Community Faith Christmas Store which is a yearly "store" where those who otherwise can't afford toys for their kids come and shop for free amoung donated gently used and new toys...it was good for the spirit.

and I want to thank all my wonderful friends and family who gave me cyber hugs emails and phone calls when they became aware of our bad news and my bad mood. Especially my father in law who literally talked me out from under my bed covers and convinced me that coming over to spend time with the family (swollen face, red eyed, pajama clad and all) to get a little love and support would be much better for me than lying in my dark bedroom alone....I ADIMENTLY disagreed, but I have a hard time telling him no...and I had to drive Jessa to a dance anyway...so I DID stop by for about 45 minutes and dispite myself...a few big hugs, kisses, a glass of wine, and a few of Denises homemade creme horns DID seem to brighten my spirits. (Plus, my father-in-law did seem genuniely thrilled I came) Thanks for caring Pappy!

So sad....

The rollercoaster of the adoption process is never easy. Sometimes it hits you harder than others. Yesterday wasn't a good day. There was yet another paperwork mistake/delay whatever you want to call it and our Article 5 wasn't sent to the CCAA on schedule as we'd been told. This changes our time frame for when to expect our TA and eliminates all hopes of traveling in time for his birthday, and with the Chinese New Years getting close and the time the American Consulate is closing for New Year's, it's is making me nervous for getting our of town in January. I feel so sad, disappointed and tierd of delays. I know everyone means well when they say "it will all work out"...."he'll be home when he's suppose to be"...and "God is in charge" and believe me deep in my heart I REALLY know and believe all those things...but sometimes you just can't handle hearing it...you just want to be sad and angry and disappointed. I took a half mental health day yesterday and crawled into bed and pulled the covers over my head for awhile. I got the news at work and it was a tough day to keep it together and see all my patience when all I really wanted to do was cry.... It's 4am now...today I put on my "big girl panties" and move on...

I really shouldn't be this hard...

Fun Christmas Party Pictures!

The holidays are fun known for parties, I think we are up to 6 now ;) here are some photo highlights...

We did get to go to the "Castle" (for those not from around here, yes a REAL Castle) for a special night, story to come later!

Does it EVER stop??

The good news...we THINK!?! all of our paperwork has officially made it to CCAA and we are now officially waiting for TA. Lately, TA's have been arriving quick anywhere from 11 days to 3 weeks after the paperwork is delivered...we are now on day #3. If the TA arrives timely our shot of traveling to China 1/6 and having Gotcha day on his birthday if pretty decent

The bad news....there were some families with my agency that emailed me and reported our China coordinator (who is usually very reliable I here) made a mistake with some of our paper work that was suppose to be sent to CCAA and/or dropped off at the Consulate on Thursday 12/16. Some didn't get sent, some where dropped off on the wrong day two weeks ago....(REALLY!!) I of course called the agency immediately who told me they'd already made a call and placed a request to follow up of the status of all the Article 5's from Thursday. But of course, it was Friday afternoon so it's been a long weekend....

The "more bad news" CA appoinments for early and mid January are starting to fill up. I'll be holding my breath and praying like a mad woman IF the TA comes in time that there's still room for us to get Will on the 10th....the other concern is they aren't allowing any more consulate appoinments after January 25th because they are shutting down for the Chinese New Year for about 10 days...So IF! our paperwork didn't get dropped off on Thursday, not only have our chances of traveling on early January gone...but depending on availability of CA appts, we MAY have to wait until the second week of February to go....in which case I will have chewed all the furniture in the house....(Consulate Appointment - this is when you go to the US Embassy and take an oathe that you will never harm or abandon your child and receive their official immigration papers in the "brown envelope" once you receive the brown envelope, you can leave the country and go home)

I really thought I'd just get to cruise for the the next week or so until it was close for our TA and not stress....HA!~ what was I thinking!!! With the adoption process, the obsticles don't ever stop!!!!

Please continue to pray! I truly believe God can do all things and is ultimately in control, but darn it I just can't help it....Mommy's a little tense.

Merry Christmas Will, Wish you could be here!!!!

PANIC!!!

I woke up and panicked this morning...Christmas is in less than 2 weeks, I'm hosting a party tomorrow, I have one to go to tonight, and manymany more in the next few weeks...I REALLY want to leave for China in less than 4 weeks, and my "to do list" despite all my hard work and best efforts the last month is bigger than Texas. The cherry on top? My almost 14 year old told me last night she has a boyfriend (faint) it's the first one in over a year, and I have a feeling this one is "different". I have a feeling we will want to "go places" "hold hands" and God help us...he might even kiss her (aaaahhhhhaaahhhh) He's a freshmen in high school and is 6ft tall and has facial hair....Please pray for all of us!!! I know it happens to the best of us...and I knew it was coming, it just...she's my baby....and I'M not ready!!!

Anywho, I need to quit blogging and go get to work!!!!

He always provides....

It's always scary to take that "leap of faith"...to say "OK God, I hear you...I hear you telling me to ignore logic and add another child to our family through adoption...I hear telling us to take on another adoption when we really don't have the finances to pay for it all...I hear you telling us to have faith" It's not been easy...we've gotten alot of support, and I've made wonderful new friends, and we've been met with doubt, indiffernce, and I've been brought to tears by those I love the most...I'm not going to sit here and that I just woke up and said "Sure, God I'm in why not"...it's been TOUGH..some days I feel 100% sure others just 51%..but I know it's right...but I still worry...I worry about how it will affect my family, how it will affect us financially...and I know right doesn't equal easy....but then God does REALLY cool stuff to restore our faith, to show us He's with us - like Wednesday! Here's the scoop........

I work for Lexington Clinic, and they have a policy if a patient sends a letter or makes a phone call to complement your patient care of service, you receive a "gold badge" to wear at work instead of the stardard issue purple and black. In addition, there are two end of the year "Exceptional Customer Service Banquets". You attend one and at each there is a drawing for $1000.00. Anyone want to guess where I'm going with this!!! Guess who won the drawing!?!?! and guess who's never won anything ever in her entire life?? and guess who could really use a little extra cash for a certain trip to China that should be JUST around the corner!?!?!

Is God Cool or What???

The good, the bad and the beautiful!!!

I think we will start with the beautiful, because let's be honest, isn't blogging really 75% about photos anyway?? All four of beautiful children walked down the isle at my neice Kristen's wedding..it's been a fun busy wonderful couple of weeks! We had a blast last night! She and Justin were truly STUNNING! and they had the best looking bridal party I've seen in forever (especially since Mike and I were responsible for about 1/3 of it) :) I told them I was a bit concerned about loosing my "status" in the DeLuca family now....the status of having the most beautiful kids.... hahahaha...of course this was not at all humble and was met by all kinds of jabs by my sister in laws!!!!

The good......we are FINALLY! approved and have completed all steps on the US side of the paperwork chase to TA! Everything is finally in China and was cabled and dropped off by our agency rep last week to the US consulate in Guangzhou...these last few steps are actually predictable...(gasp) the paperworks dropped on Thursday December 2nd and picked up exactly two weeks later on Thursday December 16th...while there they make something called an 'Article 5'...our agency coordinator overnights this to CCAA (the big wigs who run the Chinese side of the adoption process) and THEN finallyfinallyfinallyfinally will issue us our TA to go get Will!!! (insert Angles singing here) USUALLY! this takes 2-4 weeks to get a TA once they get your Art 5...as most of you know, we are working and praying HARD to get to China by Jan 10th for Will's 4th Bday...this means we HAVE to get a 2 week TA...I know that's asking alot of China...so we ask ALL of you to please pray for us.... we've talked to our agency already (and they are sooooo wonderful) and have offered to do their best to get us out of town fast if the TA comes in time...so it's possible. I'll be chewing the furniture until once 12/16 comes waiting on that TA.....

The bad...I guess it really doesn't matter anymore now that our paperwork is IN China..but getting there, IT WAS BAD! USCIS took their sweetsweet time approving us and getting us out the door...@24 days and most families are seeing approval times in about 1/2 that...as a result we up at NVC the week of Thanksgiving which resulted in less staff a shorter week ect.ect...again..on day 11 we still aren't registered in the system. This twice as long as most families take to get throught NVC....
This ment we wouldn't make Thursday drop in Guangzhou and because of all the two week time chunks, our dreams of 1/11 and Wills 4th bday were pretty shot...I was one sad frustrated and tearful mamma on Monday. I decided Tuesday to FIGHT for that cable...and after 17 hours of repeated calls, over a total of 5 hours on hold, and 3 supervisors, that cable was succesfully sent to China at 11:30 Tuesday night JUST making my agency's request to get it to our coordinator on Wednesday (China is 12h ahead of us..so midnight here was noon there) Soooo, our chances are still only marginal, but Mike and I are soooo happy with marginal and hangin on to all hope!!!...no one said riding this emotional rollercoaster called adoption was easy...but boy am I ready to get off this time...I just want my boy home!!!!