Flyboy and LID, etc.

Please ignore the dates on the pictures - our camera battery has a habit of dying and we forget to reset it.

Johnny is in Pueblo for 4 weeks of flight training and he says it's intense! Eight hours of grueling class each day and he says they're only retaining about 20%, so after class, they go study. Says they must pass or else, but he's got some good buds with him and they're all planning to make sure they all pass. Last Friday was the end of just the first week, but to make it more bearable, he got to FLY on Friday!!! Said he did a take off and a landing, and somewhere in between there, he did a touch-and-go. Flying after a week of class (retaining 20%) - that's scary, but he was so psyched! He was also excited that he didn't get airsick, cuz that would've been trouble, and besides, the airsick bags are tiny. ;o} Haven't talked to him this week yet - tho I tried - I do plan to call tonight... can't wait to hear what's next.

After this training, he'll be back in TX for a week or so, then head north to let some girl steal him away from me. No kidding, he's just gonna willingly give his heart away (well, that's already done, I suppose)... let her steal it right out from under me. :o) Tamra and her Mom are traveling this week with a van-load of stuff from her house to the apt. in TX so that after the wedding, they won't have to leave the reception in a U-Haul. So excited that they're gonna guss it up a bit and make it more like home - more than the bed, bar stools, desk and office chair that he had - while he's at school (and SO wish I could go too). It's a lonnnnng drive, so please pray for them. Maybe it'll be good for some mother-daughter time too... before she up and gives her heart away too. :o)

Wedding plans are going well, tho I'm feeling like it's been too easy to be the parent's of the groom. Tamra was beautifully showered with love and gifts last weekend (see picture) and everything seems to be rolling right along in other departments. TL&A's dresses are simply beautiful (see pictures). Faith and I are still deciding which way to go on her dress and Alex has the cutest little tux you've ever seen (since Moe's wedding, that is... tho I've been teasing that Alex will be cuter than the groom:). Ya'll pray for me and the cake, ok? Faith's got a job ahead of her making bows for the pews and we got to help with the table toppers during the shower.

The Girls have finished their first 2 weeks of school and all seems to be going well. Faith had a rough start, wishing she had more friends who "speak" her languange (sign language), but after a few days, she's doing very well. In a perfect world, I know she'd prefer to go to deaf school, but I think/hope she's beginning to understand why we feel it's best for her to be where she is. This doesn't stop her from harping on it daily, but we'll get there, I know. She's a great kid. Theresa Lin and Abby have done great - loving school and excited every day. Alex and Daddy finally have some peace around the house (relatively speaking for Daddy, since Alex is only peaceful when he's sleeping) and are getting back into the groove of life with the girls in school. Alex of course, can't wait till he's in school too.

Annnnnnd... we got our official Log-In-Date (LID) of 8/6/2009!! So after our dossier arrived in Beijing, it was logged in on 8/6. It typically happens fairly quickly, but you don't find out what the date was until a few weeks later. So this means our clock is now officially ticking... and has been for almost a month! From LID, it's 3-4 months of waiting till we get our next official thing from China, and then 1-2 more months after that, we should get travel approval... and then travel!! We're still praying for Christmas travel so the kid(s) don't miss too much school - and you're welcome to join us in praying as well.

All for now - enjoy the pictures.

Let's Roll!!

Just a few verses... (bolding mine)

"Enlarge the site of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left, and your descendants will possess the nations and will settle the desolate towns." Isaiah 54: 2-3
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"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 24:3-4

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“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31

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“Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.” -Genesis 18:14

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"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

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"If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who guards your life know it? Will He not repay each person according to what he has done?" Proverbs 24:12

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"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me." Matthew 18:5

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"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Romans 8:15-17

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"You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed..." Psalm 10:17-18a
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"Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — His name is the LORD— and rejoice before Him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families..." Psalm 68:4-6a

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"But now, this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth- everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made.' Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of them foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, 'It is true.' 'You are My witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from Me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are My witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He. No one can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?'" Isaiah 43:1-13

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“You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done." Psalms 92:4
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"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

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And of course: "For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him." 1 Samuel 1:27

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Thanks for listening and for praying.

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Let's Roll!!