Luke turns 15 months old!!!

Yesterday on 1/26, Luke turned 15 months old! I was sad for a moment because we weren't with him to hug or kiss him however... each day that passes is a day closer to bringing him home! So, little boy, I am blowing kisses to you over the miles! I pray for you everynight and we can't wait to hold you in our arms!!! We're coming soon!!!

First snow in VA!!!

It snowed for the first time in VA last week and Jake was so ready to go out and play!!!

New pics of the kids.

Kiah and Jake

Katelyn at April's baby shower

On Saturday, Jan 20th we had a wonderful baby shower for April! She is due with her son on 2/6! She received a lot of great gifts and we are now just waiting for her son to make his grand appearance!!! GOOD LUCK April! We all can't wait to welcome Joshua into the world!!!

Interesting Information....

Today I was surfing the information highway and came across some interesting information.

The following famous individuals have cleft issues similar to Luke's.

Tom Brokaw
E. Charlton Fortune
Jürgen Habermas
Doc Holliday
Jesse Jackson
Stacy Keach
Thomas Malthus
Cheech Marin
Jason Robards
Eric Edgar Cooke
Mark Hamill
President Abraham Lincoln's son Thomas Lincoln

It is a popular belief Joaquin Phoenix has a cleft lip. The mark on his lip is a microform, an almost cleft that healed itself in utero. If the tissues joined up just enough to create correct bone and muscle tissues, no corrective surgery is required, as is the case with Joaquin Phoenix.

I bolded Mark Hamill's name as both Brandon and I found it very interesting that he had cleft issues. As everyone knows, Mark Hamill played Luke Skywalker. When we were deciding on Luke's name, Brandon and I had this conversation:

Nicole: "How about the name Luke?"
Brandon: "I like that."
Nicole (joking): "Would it be after Luke Skywalker or Luke in the Bible?"
Brandon: "I don't know.. whichever one you want."

Anyone who knows me knows that it would be after Luke in the Bible BUT it is certainly interesting that Mark Hamill turns out to have had cleft issues and that me and Brandon had this exact conversation. I think it is another God thing that connects us with this adoption and our little boy waiting for us in China. :-)

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Here is a funny comic that I saw posted. It REALLY reminded me of Kiah!!!



More pictures of the kids to come soon!!!

3 BEAUTIFUL LETTERS.... L I D!!!!

We received word on Monday from Karla at Lifeline that our dossier was officially logged in to the CCAA on January 8th!!! WOO HOO!!! This means the countdown to get Luke has begun!!! Travel Approvals are taking approximately 100 days from log-in so we hope to travel to China in May!!! LUKE BABY.... WE'RE MOVING CLOSER TO YOU EVERYDAY!!!




WE LOVE YOU BABY BOY!!!

napping with daddy

enjoying a cupcake

contemplating her next move

2 funny kids!!!

Very special presents!

Luke with his Half-the-Sky nanny. Dec 2006

Luke playing in the play room - Dec 28 2006

Luke.....who doesn't look TOO happy about having his picture taken!!! Dec 2006

Luke playing on the floor....boy do we love our new boy!!!

Nothing warms a mother's heart like seeing pictures of her son who is waiting on the other side of the world!!! December was a super month for this! Not only did we celebrate the season of Christmas and the birth of our Saviour, but this month we received 2 sets of pictures of Luke!!! The first set was taken by a Lifeline family who traveled to Nanjing. The pictures were passed to our social worker Karla at Lifeline and she forwarded them to me a couple days after Christmas. Luke doesn't look too happy to have his picture taken in these pics!!! (see pics with him in the blue jacket!!!)

Then a lady from the Nanjing-kids group traveled for her son Noah the week of Christmas. Noah and Luke were born just 20 days apart, their finding ads were published the same day in the same newspaper, they had their cleft lip surgeries on the same day and they lived in the same room for the last 14 months. Noah and Luke also have the same diagnosis: bi-lateral cleft lip and palate III degree. Noah's mom visited the orphanage on Dec 28 and her husband took tons of pictures. 6 of the pictures had Luke in them! I am posting the 2 best pictures from that visit (see pics with him in the orange jacket!!!)

I have to say.... the one with featuring Luke laying down in the orange jacket is one of my favorites! We praise the LORD that this orphanage is so willing to allow families inside the orphanage and they are happy to allow them to take pictures. We just PRAISE THE LORD in general.... GOD IS GOOD!!!

December was just a wonderful happy month!!! For all those that don't know.... we were DTC on 12/22 and we are anxiously waiting to hear our LID!!!

We wish many blessings in the new year for everyone!!!

after christmas fun.

Tinkerbelle Kiah

And the insanity continues....

Happy New Year!!!