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!!