(Drum roll please...) WE HAVE TRAVEL APPROVAL!!

Boy, has this week seemed like the longest week EVER!  I made the mistake of predicting that our travel approval--the last step in our waiting game--might possibly come last Friday, and I have been waiting for the phone to ring ever since.  And checking my email more times per day than.... well, anyone should!  My mom always used to say "a watched pot never boils," (she's so wise!) so I started in on cleaning up the school room this afternoon and wasn't anywhere near my computer when the email came in!  Got to love the timing... I hear you, Lord!  Waiting around the computer is so NOT a good use of my time.

So, yes... we finally have TA (travel approval) and should know our travel dates early next week once we have our consulate appointment scheduled.  The whole trip hinges on when that is, and it's usually the last full day there.   From the choices our agency gave us, we will most likely be leaving around August 10 or 17. 

We are so excited!  As Kyle said, we are now counting down DAYS until we meet our girl!

Here's another new picture to hold you over for a few more weeks :) 

NVC Letter... check!

First, we are one piece of paper closer to Lorelei today.  Can I get a woohoo?!  If you check out the timeline to the right, you will notice that there are just a few more steps to go.  Next we await the "Article 5" that is issued from the US Consulate in Guangzhou.  This should take about 2 1/2 weeks. 

Is it really July already?  We've had a busy month, what with Kyle going to two weeks of camp, then VBS at church.  Kyle learned how to make dumplings and speak a little Mandarin at a Chinese cultural camp held by our local school district.  Now he needs to teach his mom and dad!

We've been working on Lorelei's room too.... still needs a few more homey touches, but it's a beginning!

Hope you all enjoy a wonderful 4th of July!