Where we are...

As of today, we have plane tickets and hotel reservations. We leave on July 25th, arrive in Taiwan on July 26th, and pick up Lily on July 27th! So, the countdown is on! We are trying to finish everything that we put off when we were trying not to focus on the wait. (Teach us!) It will be busy, but at least time will go by quicker.

Today we also received our latest updates on Lily. She is still almost exactly the same size as Elizabeth. However, it said she is walking a lot; falling down while doing so, but walking. I'm so happy that she is progressing... but as a mommy, I was sad also to realize I wouldn't see those first steps. So many things in this adoption have been like that. Happy and sad both. But I can tell you, happy more often than not... and definately happy now that we can go get her! Now Joby really better put that crib together that remains in the unopened box in our upstairs hallway. (I think we were afraid to put it together.. that it would somehow "jinx" something) So, we've moved Elizabeth's stuff around to accomodate her new sister. I really think it's going to be great for both of them!

I've posted the latest pics we received only today. She's so darn cute I can't stand it! 5 more weeks!!!

Sheryl

Our call came!!!!

It happened!!!! Yay! We received a call today from Julie (our caseworker) that said our civil ruling was yesterday and she got the news today that it was final! So, we have permission to fly end of July. We must fly out on July 25, arrive Taiwan July 26, and pick up Lily July 27th! Then a couple of days in Taiwan getting visa's etc., and we come home July 31st!

I am sooooooo excited I could pop! However, now we definately need your prayers! We must come up with the final part of our funds to travel. No longer is it, "coming up", or "in the near future"; now it's NOW!

So, please pray for us; that we find the funds in time, and that Lily has a reasonably easy transition and isn't scared to pieces for very long with us. I so hope she transitions well, for her sake. I can only try to imagine how scary it will seem to her when we take her from the orphanage; the only home she's ever known. So, if you can, I would definately appreciate those prayers now!

Joby and I appreciate EVERYONE who has helped along the way. Financially, emotionally, and prayerfully! We needed every piece to complete this. So, if you hang in there with us for the next 6 weeks, it will all be worth it. I can't wait for you'all to meet our youngest daughter!

GOD Bless, goodnight
Sheryl

And the winner is........

The winner of our quilt give-away is.... Julie Druen from Mandeville, LA!! Because I was mistaken and our meeting way NEXT week (geez, I need to look at the calendar more often!) we let little Elizabeth pick out the winning ticket. We figured, "who could be more impartial than someone who can't read the name anyway!". :-)

We want to thank Aunt Gretchen and Aunt Heidi for the quilt! It is so pretty and we appreciate it more than we can say. It was an extremely thoughtful thing to do and it was our most successful fundraiser! We want to thank EVERYONE who purchased a chance to win the quilt! The give-away would have not been such a success if we didn't have such support! And we would like to thank those friends of ours who helped advertise the give-away... Aunt Gretchen, Aunt Heidi, my sister-in-law, Loey Wilkerson, and Angela Belle Gamble. None of these people had to help us, but all did. Thank you so very much.

Joby and Sheryl Hyman