making a "grab this button" ???

Boy, if nothing else, this adoption has made me a little more computer savvy! (and my teenagers and I a little closer as they've helped ... and laughed at me.... while I've made this blog!) Now, be patient please. I'm trying to make a "grab this button" for Lilly so she can move around on other people's blogs. Angela Belle Gamble wanted to put her on their blog, and I wanted to put Grace on mine, but we're still trying to make the buttons. (if you don't see a button show up within the next couple of days, you'll know I've failed! sigh... and will have to resort to waiting for one of the kids to come home and fix it for me!)

<a href="http://www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorhyman.htm"><img src="http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/elizabethsmom_album/cropforfundraiser-2.jpg" alt="Lilly" width="160" height="140" /></a><br/> <a href="http://weneedonemore.blogspot.com/2009/04/making-grab-this-button.html">Grab This Button</a>


Sheryl

Yay, gotta love the middle of the month! That's when we get new pictures and an update from Taiwan about Lilly. From her update, it sounds like she is almost the exact same size as Elizabeth (great, I don't have to get TONS of new clothes! Just ask Tia and Amber what THAT'S like as twins!). Not a lot of new information, but still reassuring and still something tangible that says I'm her mommy!

Nothing else new. Just waiting for the news that we can fly to pick her up, and trying to raise the money to do just that! We had a bake-sale over the weekend that didn't help a great deal, but it was a lot of fun and people were interested and generous and we want them to know we appreciated it! So, we'll just keep plugging away and know that it was meant to be and we WILL find a way!

Sheryl

Fundraisers...

If anyone is nearby (or close enough we can fake it and call it nearby) here is the fundraiser information:

On Sunday, May 17th, the Mount Pleasant Buffalo Wild Wings will be donating 20% of all purchases made that are accompanied by a certificate (which, by the way, I can provide thru email!!) to Reeces Rainbow, who will in turn tag it to Lilly to help pay for our adoption! Yay!

On Saturday, May 30, there will be an all day scrapbooking event at the Beal City High School from 9 am until 9 pm. The cost will include lunch and dinner and tons of fun!

If anyone is interested, please contact me for more information!!!!

Sheryl

I-171H

Wow! Imagine our surprise when we opened the mail on Friday and we had our I-171H! Our immigration approval! They said it would take 3 months and ours took under a month! We were so shocked!

One more hurdle under our belt! Keep praying! Keep praying!!

Sheryl

Fundraisers....

Well, like most adopting families, the costs are getting ahead of us. So, we are planning 2 fundraisers locally. Buffalo Wild Wings is having a Reeces Rainbow Day, where everybody who presents their flyer upon paying their tab will be donating 20 percent of their tab to Reeces Rainbow, and to Lilly's fund. BW's requires nothing from us, but we need to get people in there!! Yikes, how do we do that?

Then, a friend of mine is a Creative Memories Consultant (scrapbooking) and is helping with an "all day crop". A day of scrapbooking from 9am until 9pm with the fee going toward our adoption fund! I hope EVERYONE in the area wants to scrap!!!

So, that's where we are. Waiting and wondering... praying and waiting. Please say a prayer that it all works out the way God intends! (and that I don't somehow put a wrench in his plans!)

God Bless
Sheryl

More pictures and updates...

We received more pictures today. One of them included another little girl, Grace, that a the Gambles will be picking up when we're picking up Lilly. We're really hoping we all get to go together and think that will be very nice for the girls. So, new pics, new updates; helps with the waiting.

Sheryl

Everything we can do....

Well, everything WE can do here in the States has been done! We have our INS paperwork applied for with fingerprints done, our passports have arrived, and our court papers have been sent back to Taiwan as of yesterday! Julie said it will take 4 days for them to get them, and then approximately 4 months for our travel date (hopefully). So, there is nothing for us to do at this point but wait (and try to raise the money to go get her, of course).

It seems like that is a LONG way away! But I know that it will happen when God says it should, so I'm trying to not think about it and just stay busy. With Elizabeth, Amber and Tia, Joby's new work, and Kelli constant changes, staying busy isn't usually difficult, so..... :-)

Say a prayer that it will go quickly, smoothly, and we'll find a way to finish financing the adoption. Lilly certainly deserves a home!

Sheryl

More milestones passed!

Yesterday we both got our passports! yeah! 10 days. I was so excited. AND we got our fingerprint appointments. We're scheduled for next Wednesday, March 10th at 8:00am.

Not really big news! But more steps crossed off the list.

Yeah!

Sheryl

New pics

And more pics...

Our daughter!!!

We just received new pictures! OMG! She's so darn cute I want to hold her and squish her cheeks! Alright, I know I'm a bit biased, but come on, you have to admit she's a little doll baby! I just can't wait to go get her!

O.k., must go fix dinner for the kids already here and depending on me. haha Just couldn't wait to share these.

Sheryl

Good News!!!

We just received the call from Julie stating she has received our court documents from Cathwel!!!!!!! She is overnighting (sp?) them to me as we speak. So, starting tomorrow, we have to rush around and get them all signed, notarized, authenticated, and overnighted to TECO (Taiwan's agency in Chicago) so they can also authenticate them. Then... more waiting. It will take approximately 4 months (fast judge: a little sooner; slow judge: a little longer) before we can bring Lilly home! But, we ARE one step closer!

I'll post more later (after I get some pics!!!! yeah!)

Sheryl