An Update!

Last week I ordered an update on Nola. 

I mostly wanted new measurements so I can get an idea what size clothes she needs.

And of course, I wanted pictures!

Here she is.....now 23 months old!

I knew she was small, but based on her new measurements, she is even smaller than I thought!

She is 30 inches tall and 19 pounds. 

This puts her in about 9-12 months clothes, and a size 5-6 shoe.

It mentions 3 different times in the update that she likes snacks. 

And that she likes to "follow her nurterer around".

Rylee said she will fit right in around here..."Just like Evan and I, always up Mommy's butt and eating non stop!"  So true, child. :)

It says that her favorite toy is a ball.

She is not potty trained yet and still takes a bottle. 

I am totally OK with both.

Today is Day 43 of our LOA wait.  All we know is that we are not out of translation yet.  No telling how long it's going to be.....

Waiting is hard, but updates make it a little easier!



6 Months

This week marks 6 months since we bought our new house.  We have been busy painting and trying to pump some color into this place!  We love our house, but nearly every wall in every room was either a neutral beige (think barely tinted drywall), or some other hideous color. 

So here's a little before & after tour!

Kitchen before

Kitchen after

We still need to have a new backsplash put in

Dining Room before

(the previous owners had the same table set and similar paint color)

Dining Room after--painted, new light fixture & window treatments

Evan's Room before

Evan's Room after

Formal Living Room before

Formal Living Room after

Kids Bathroom before

Rylee's Room before

Rylee's Room after

Rylee's room has a bonus room attached.  The previous owners just used it for storage, but we made it a fun hangout place for Rylee and her friends.

Both sides of the doorway are chalkboard paint

We have also finished the family room, but it's not clean enough for pics today! 

Yesterday I started tearing down wallpaper in the 1/2 bath and will repaint it. 

Next week I plan to start on Nola's room.

At some point before she comes home I want to redo the master bedroom & bathroom,

the basement and the basement bathroom, and the entryway and staircase. 

I know it sounds ambitous, but if we don't get our LOA soon, I may have it all done real soon!

(Trying to keep myself busy and distracted!)

30 Down

Today is Day 30 of our LOA wait. 

For those of you not in the adoption world, let me explain this to you a little.

This is the official Letter Of Approval China will issue, giving us permission to adopt Nola.

The wait can be anywhere from 30-130 days, and there is NO rhyme or reason to where you will fall.

There has recently been a huge slow-down in the process and LOTS of people are waiting on LOA.

It is depressing.

Obviously, the sooner your approval comes, the sooner you travel.

It's not my turn yet, there are far too many people ahead of me and I am trying not to get too ruffled about it yet.  I could potentially have a LONG wait ahead.

But it's hard.

Especially when we just aren't seeing a lot of movement.

So today, I am choosing to take a positive attitude, and we are going out to eat at our favorite

Chinese restaurant to celebrate 30 days of waiting accomplished!

(But if you happen to know the cleaning lady at the LOA department, could you ask her to move my file up in the stack?)