Just shy of 6 weeks and counting...

FINALLY, the beach pictures from our 4th of July week at the beach :) Better late than never....

Dad showing little Chris the art of eating crab

Brian and Kristen take swim

Jilly-Bean making breakfast for the troops

UM, Male bonding???????
Will, Brandon and Brian

Aren't we cute!! (Mom and Dad)

Jilly-Bean and Will-ster

Can you believe it took all of us to reel this one in??? (win-wink ;-)


A night out for seafood with the men

(Dad, Will, Brian and Brandon)

My CUTE, tan hubby lounging after a day at the beach


Brandon, Dad and Jilly enjoying a day at the pool

Hello everyone! I hope you all are continuing to enjoy your summer. We have been trying to enjoy every little bit of time we have together as we realize that soon there will be 3 of us and then not too long after, 4! Brandon's work continues to keep him busy as does mine. We are getting ready to take a trip back to Orlando again this coming Thursday night. I have my National Sales Meeting on the 11th and we are both flying in a few days early for a visit. We're looking forward to another visit with family!!!

On the adoption front...We continue to wait for "the call" and everyday that passes we feel like we are one day closer to Miss Hadley. The other night before we went to bed I said to Brandon; "Can you believe we've been waiting 39 days!??" He chuckled and said, "And 31 minutes" :) But who's counting??? ;-) Nightly we watch the adoption specials on Discovery Health called "Adoption Stories" (If you haven't seen them they are truly heart WARMING even if you are not an adoptive parent!). We tape them during the day and watch them as a break in the evening before we go to bed. I think there has been maybe one that I have not cried during. Even "B" get's a little glassy eyed while watching them. More and more everyday the conviction we have been given to adopt children grows and grow

RUSSIA UPDATE:

Not much new to share on the Russia front. We are approx #9-13 (ish) for our referral of Hadley. We know it could be any day but we also realize based on how things have slowed down in Russia that it could be up to 5 more months. We will definitely keep you all posted!!

VIETNAM UPDATE:
Vietnam continues to be ON FIRE with many-many referrals. Last week there were 6 referrals (3 boys and 3 girls). This week there were 3 more referrals (3 boys). I'm not sure if you all remember but we were in the 70's on the Vietnam list back in Dec/January 08 and we found out the other day that we are now #36 waiting for a girl!!!! The time is flying! The only potential issue is if the new MOU is not signed on or right around Sept 1st. There seems to be many positive things going on around the MOU but nothing truly solidified yet. We ask for your continued prayers for the children of Vietnam and for the MOU to be resigned in time for adoptions to continue between the U.S. and Vietnam. If the MOU is not signed it "appears" that may be where our process in Vietnam will be put on an indefinate hold (along with many other families).

Some days are tougher than others but we continue to rely on the strength and faith that the Lord gives us SO abundantly!!! How we could do this without HIM; I will never know.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles achieveing for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

HORSE SHOW PICTURES

Boomer and Kelsey taking a rest before entering the arena

Claudia doing some last minute grooming before show time! :)

I LOVE my boy...He's so handsome!!!