The Projects Move Along

When God made me I think he forgot the home improvement skills. I can do simple things like paint but nothing like the good man (my brother-in-law Tim) at Riley Contracting Inc. He owns a home improvement company and does a great job, so he is finishing up Sophie's room today and tomorrow with the chair rails and then he is going to do the paint while he is at it! THANKS TIM!!!! So we can scratch that of the list. Just pick-up the remainder of the furniture and presto! Room almost ready!

Also, yesterday I walk in from work and see this scene going on in the front hall. A cat in a box and my wife with tools putting together the high chair/toddler chair that the Hognon Clan (My oldest sister Diehnee and her family) got for Sophie! THANKS AUNT DIEHNEE, UNCLE CHRIS, SARAH, CAROLINE, PETER AND JACK!

Peaches, what's up my man?

Kind of a challenge eh?

Finished and ready for a little girl!

New clothes!

We are getting ready for miss Sophie to make her appearance and of course she needs clothes. So I'm buying a few outfits here and there. As Hank stated before I will post some pictures of her little outfits. Sunday is my baby shower in Tulsa so be prepared for more pictures on Tuesday!

Gotcha Day for 3 Families

A wonderful day for three fellow Holt Binh Duong families, who were united with their beautiful children today. Gotcha day is the day that all adoptive parents work towards. It is the day that you legally have your child. It is what Trish and I have been dreaming about for the past 4 years since we began our adoption journey. We want to extend a special congrats to Thomas and Cathy, Jack and Johanna and Eric and Joelle who now have their children! Below are pix from T&C site with their little girl Emma. They are from OKC which is 100 miles southwest of Tulsa were Tricia's Mom and Dad live. We hope to meet T&C and Emma this winter sometime when we head to Oklahoma so the two girls can be life-long buddies! Make sure to visit all three families sites over the next 2 or so weeks for the remainder of their beautiful trips!!!
Sophie was not at the orphanage, so no new pictures of videos at this point. We are at a very difficult part of our adoption. We are now on pins and needles waiting for the next approval e-mails to roll in from Holt regarding Sophie's dossier approval by the MOJ and People's Committee approval. We are expecting to have the first any day now to keep us on track with that late October or early November travel. Currently we are on business day number 16 of our I-600 approval process. We still religiously change the number on the ice box each day! We know that there is so much to do before we head across the Pacific, but we are ready to go on a moments notice! Hang on Sophie, Mom and Pop will be there soon!!!

Extreme Home Make Over - Belz Addition

Saws and other power tools ran into the late hours at the Belz house this past week installing the new floors. Four days and the downstairs is now almost back to normal. What a difference it makes. The animals and still trying to figure it out though!
Coming this week is the finishing of Sophie's room with the crown and chair rails and the paint. The rest of her furniture is in, and we will go get that as soon as painting is complete. We are headed to Tulsa this next weekend for Tricia's shower there with family and friends. Should be a good time! Tricia is busy getting clothes to take with us for our girl. Some really cute outfits. I know she will post pix as shopping is a passion of hers!
Make sure you start looking at the three family blogs that have IN VIET NAM by them. They will be doing their G&R tomorrow as they are safely in Saigon! We hope to see pix of little Sophie too! T&C, J&J and E&J we are waiting on pins and needles to see those first precious moments!!!

Living Room - can't wait to kick on the fireplace!

T and her morning cup o' Joe

Front hall of the Belz Centre!

Peaches still checking things out

From the kitchen

Our Weekend..........

This weekend we will be attending our parents in process (PIP) classes. These are required for all Holt adoptive families before they travel. Classes are all day long today and half day tomorrow.
The purpose of the classes is to educate us about being adoptive parents and some of the challenges that we may face. Certain issues like attachment and grieving are highlighted but it is more of a what to expect class for us.
Side note, we have another Binh Duong Holt family that has received travel approval and I-600 approval! They will be leaving for Viet Nam in the coming weeks for arrival on October 4 for their Giving and Receiving Ceremony on the 6th! CONGRATS JESS AND JOE!! We are excited for you all to go get Quinn!!!! From what we know (of those Holt Viet Nam families) we will be two of the last to travel in Viet Nam to complete our journey. Kind of scary and somber but it will be a VERY exciting trip!!!! Have a great weekend!