Rejected

We have been officially rejected by China for adoption, because Mike is one handed. We are not even allowed to adopt a child with a similar physical problem. That hurt, also made me quite blue. It is one of China's newest requirements for prospective parents. Our agency really tried. They petitioned the CCAA for us several times but the answer was still NO. Now, it means starting the process all over with another agency and another country. We are looking at Bethany Christian Services as a possibility. Anybody know anything about them??

Catching up a little!

Just a little late posting I know, but we did have a good Christmas. We were able to see both of our families. Now that's pretty good for living so far away from everyone!! It's hard to believe January is almost over. Where does the time go?? We've started pursuing our adoption a little harder only to have possibly run into a wall. With China's newest rules, we may not be eligible for adoption. We are still waiting to hear from our agency who was contacting China's Center for Adoption Affairs. We will be disappointed if we can't adopt from China for that means we will have to find a new agency to adopt from another country as our current agency does only China adoptions. I don't mind trying another country but we both really like the agency we're working with. They have a wonderful staff of caring people.
I read so many stories in the news about parents who have killed their children and it makes me want to cry. I love kids and would love to have a couple and can't, while so many parents are "throwing their children away." Sin has created many monsters in this world, sad to say.
Not trying to get morbid here, so on another note I will try to post some pics of our Christmas and the time that has elapsed since my last post almost two months ago! Wow! has it really been that long since I posted??? It has been busy. Hopefully my pictures will be up before the weekend is over.

Christmas Decorations!

After I decorated the victrola with my beautiful figurines (from Dixie - Thank you!) Smudge apparently thought it wasn't quite enough and decided she would add to it!

More Fall pictures

Fall was late. The leaves turned and fell quickly. When we got home from Thanksgiving, this is what we found in our yard! There are still some left to fall, but we went ahead and raked and blew leaves into piles and carted them off. Nine pickup truckloads in all!!

Putting up the Tree!

After we got home Friday night we put the tree up! It's the perfect size! Waited until Saturday to decorate it.

Our first REAL Christmas Tree!

We passed a tree farm on the way to Grandma's on Thanksgiving day and decided we would stop on the way home and see if we could cut down our Christmas tree. On the way home we stopped and the people there gave us a little cart, a kneeling pad, and a hand saw and sent us up into a field of trees and told us to pick and cut whichever one we wanted. I've always wanted to do this. We had a blast! Found the perfect Christmas tree, very full and beautiful! We cut it down, took it back to the lower section of the farm and they shook it and baled it for us. We were as excited as two little kids. We do have so much fun together!!

Thanksgiving at Grandma"s!

Went to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving. Hadn't been there for Thanksgiving in years. It was great to see everyone!