Another Update

We heard today that Valencia's file is out of MOI and they are now working on getting her passport! All we have left is for her to be approved by US Immigration to receive her passort, and to then get her visa. They may request DNA testing for Valencia and her birth mom which would add a little bit of time, but we're almost there. It could be 3-4 weeks.

Valencia update -- FINALLY

I'm posting this because I always get asked if we've heard anything about Valencia, and 99% of the time we haven't. I figure this is a good way to let people know. I got the best email today and I can't even describe how excited I am about it:

Teresa,

Finally some good news, Valencia is in MOI!! So it is taking about 4 – 6 weeks in MOI, then passports and then on to USICS for approval, then Visa appointment and travel home!! I think there is finally a bright light at the end of the tunnel!

September Update

Tallie's 4th birthday -- she requested a pink pony cake (I think I've found a hidden talent):


I made Tallie a dress for her birthday -- feeling a bit ambitious I guess but it was a fun project. I was terrified to wash it and for good reason -- it came out with several holes where the stitching pulled through that I had to fix.
Going for a cold morning walk:

Beckett is sooooo cudly - he's so fun to hold.
You know those days when you're in a time crunch and the kids are just not cooperating? I had such a day and I was trying to get dinner ready but Beckett was starving and needed to eat right then, so I decided to try and let Tallie feed him. It ended up being the cutest thing ever so I had to take a break from fixing dinner and film them:

Summer Update - August

In August we took a family trip to Lake George, NY. We had planned to do a week of camping on the lake and just have a nice relaxing vacation with our kids. Check out this video - this is when we pulled up to our camping site:


We ended up with one good day, so we visited Ft William Henry (from Last of the Mohicans) and did some bike riding.


August has great weather so we spent a lot of time playing in the yard - both kids loved the kiddie pool:


Beckett's first time sitting in a shopping cart -- I thought this was soooo cute to have both my kids side by side and I just happened to have the camera so I took a picture.


We also went to see horses one day at a stable near a friend of ours. Tallie LOVED seeing the horses and feeding them. I loved it too!
Beckett playing with his big sister -- I can't believe how big he's getting:
Tallie loves her puppy:

Summer Update - July

Here is an update of our summer. My parents visited us over the 4th of July. During that week the "Tall Ships" came to Boston and we went to see them - you can see one of them in the background:

The following week we headed to Stowe, VT for the Hot Air Balloon Festival and some camping:

The primary had a pioneer activity to celebrate July 24th. I'm always looking for an excuse to sew something so I made this little outfit for Tallie. She's making butter in this picture:
Our cute kids:

Jared's parents came to visit in May and helped us plant some flowers from seed. It was really exciting to see them grow:

Videos

I've been taking some videos of the kiddos lately - here are a few to enjoy...

Beckett's learning to eat:




Tallie gave Jared a pinata for Father's Day. It was the toughest pinata - it took forever to break it open. Tallie loved hitting it and Beckett loved watching it get hit - I don't think he's ever laughed so hard. We caught a little bit of it on video:




On Saturday we went to a Strawberry Festival and had a great time. They had an area with hay where the kids could search for wooden strawberries. Tallie loved it and wanted to play there the whole time. We also went on a hay ride and sampled a bunch of strawberry foods.

Tallie searching for strawberries:
Jared and Beckett watching Tallie:
Us on the hayride:

funny things

I just wanted to post some funny pictures of my kids.


Beckett loves to feel cuddly. If I want him to go to sleep all I have to do is pop in the binky and put a blanket next to his face.


I took this picture today -- it was the first time Beckett sat in his highchair. Tallie of course wanted to be in the picture too... not sure what she's doing. It looks like Beckett is wondering the same thing.

I had to take this picture so we could remember what our dinner time is like. Tallie turned her end piece of bread into a "tent" and poked holes into it and then started dropping her peas (that she was supposed to be eating) into the holes. Jared and I finish eating usually around 40 min before Tallie finishes.


I walked past Tallie's room the other day and this is what I saw... she's really into the princess thing.

I just learned that the older kids at the orphanage have been going to the village school for preschool now. They have a preschool room right in the orphanage for the kids, but I guess once they reach a certain age they've moved up and now get to go to the village school. Every child wears this uniform which includes the bag over her shoulder. I think it's adorable and I bet she loves being able to leave the orphanage compound for a few hours.