Yada, Yada

I have been trying to get more organized...more focused. I have found it extremely hard to concentrate on work when there are so many blogs and so many emails coming across all day long. So, I haven't been reading blogs or checking my email as much over the last few days. I haven't run in for one last check before bed since Thursday and therefore I didn't even find out about the court dates until SATURDAY! Humph!

Two AWAA families got court dates on Friday...mind you this was before "they" anticipated we would hear anything! God just doesn't care about our time tables:0) This is such awesome news! I mentioned before that there was the possibility of a second judge coming on in the new year. I still have not confirmed this to be the case but if it does happen, things should really begin to move. There are about 4-5 families within our agency and in our region that traveled before us and are all paper ready for court. I am anxiously waiting to hear that they have received court dates so I will know that we are coming up as well.

We got some disappointing news yesterday afternoon that the foreign fee is going up $2000 due to the dollar losing it's value in Russia. We are now shuffling finances trying to figure out how we can do this without having to charge anything and without robbing other savings that will needed at the end of the year to pay our taxes and insurance. It seems so wrong to talk about money when a child's life is on the line. The money means nothing to me other than I pray we have enough. We thought we had all the expenses covered and over the last two years and having to redo paperwork 2-3 times, mail, go to doctors more than the insurance will allow and now a fee increase, the final projection for total expenses puts us $8000 over what we thought we would pay when we began this journey. The Lord has put us on this path and I have faith that when the time comes, He will provide the funds.

I am preparing the docs needed for the US embassy...these are mainly just copies of tax returns, forms stating we will immunize the baby, copies of our immigration approval letter. These just have to be notarized. Thank goodness for the lovely ladies in Adam's office who notarize on the spot for us! (HI Darcie and Susan) I have also began to really start thinking about packing as this is such a major trip. Thirty days in a country that does not have Walmart is intimidating!

In other news:

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  The kids and I leave THursday for Vermont to ski this weekend away! I can't wait to see how they progress this year! Flip is moving out of the little day care ski camp and will be in full blown ski school and Ruthie is pretty much ready to ski with the big boys now.


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  I have decided that 2007 will be the year of the journal. As far as my scrap book goes for the year, everything will be mounted on black paper with photo corners and a journaling block. I am too far behind and I don't want to forget things before I journal. I have a life book to start as well as already being into 2008. So, with the exception of firsts: Kindergarten for Rusty, lost tooth, etc. this is how this scrapbook will be done. I am pleased with this decision:0)


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  We scrapped the carpeting. We will live with the ugly floor and the big concrete section will get covered with a rug. Too much $$$ right now. I had the area rugs cleaned and I am rearranging the furniture and finally hanging some of my stuff on the walls after living here for over 5 years.

And these are the days of our lives....