Bunnies, Ponies & Kittens Oh My!

In addition to all the fun we had at Hershey Park, we were also able to visit a church carnival. The animals were a big hit!

Chocolate & Rides...a winning combination!

Just a few weeks before my sister, C, is expecting the arrival of baby #3 the girls and I and my mom took a trip to visit my sister's family in PA. We had a BLAST at Hershey Park!!

If you are able to zoom in you will notice my face of sheer panic over a kiddy ride.  The following picture is of me laughing realizing that my sister and mom saw and captured it on their phone. :)

Mother's Day Celebration at A's Preschool

Mother's Day

                                                            Happy Mother's Day!

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

We are chugging along this adoption process pretty seamlessly thus far.  Praise God!  We've received two updates in the past week or so both indicating that our paperwork is going at record speed.  They tell us that cautiously preparing us that anything could change.  We are still many many months away from meeting our little boy, but there is always great excitement in every update we get!

The day after our first update we were contacted again to let us be aware of a hold that has been placed on giving adopted children paperwork to leave DRC.  The governement is investigating one specific adoption case.  Once that case has been handled, they plan to reopen adoptions with possible delays and additional steps.  We see this as a blessing that all the papers and hurdles we go through to bring U home are working to prevent unethical practices.  

It's hard to believe that if we were in the stage of the adoption that we are in now this past Fall we would have been packing our bags to meet our little U.  The wait is hard but the benefits overpower all the waiting.  Oh how I long to snuggle with our baby boy!

A few days after the hold was implemented we received an email with U's birth certificate and news that the Congolese courts have officially added to his full name our last name.  YAY!!!  I know that our little guy has no idea but we are thrilled beyond words to know he is recognized in the courts as we already know him to be....part of our family!

Day at the Zoo

A fun family day at the zoo to welcome the beautiful Spring weather. It was A LOT of fun for all!!

A is quite the navigator with the zoo map.

On family days like today my heart was longing more than usual to have all five of us together at the zoo.  Can't wait for U to come with us next year!!

The day wouldn't be complete without some dancing.