Today two of the couples that we will be traveling with, hopefully, received their Travel Approvals. We will be next! We are still looking at a July 31st Consulate appointment with us leaving on July 20th. If this works out, I will be in Nanning on July 22nd to have Julia placed in my arms and start signing all the paperwork. I continue to pray for a smooth transition for her and feel more confident of that with each day that we are waiting..patiently. This wait has been horrible and I cannot imagine the people who are having to wait 18 months from LID now. Maybe we will here something this week and breath a little easier knowing we have a definite date. One good thing is that this does keep me at home for Carson's 1st Birthday. He should be walking by the time Julia gets here so they can run a little foot race to Mommy's lap.:)

Today is Father's Day - Yesterday we went to celebrate Father's Day with Granddaddy. We had a nice visit and sneaked in some photographs. Still cannot wait to have Julia so that she can enjoy those visits with Meme and Granddaddy. We went to church this morning and then enjoyed a nice lunch with Papa Thomas and Grandpa Jim to celebrate. Tim and the boys ended the day with a paddle boat trip at the lake while visiting Grandpa Jim. The boys got Tim the infamous pink Polo shirt for Father's Day so we all dressed in pink for church. Should have had a group photo but didn't have a photographer at the time. Aunt Cindy and Uncle Tony just returned from Hawaii and did bring Julia back a pink Hawaiian dress. She would have matched perfectly.

This week has been a long and emotional one. We have yet to hear when we will receive our TA's. We should be receiving them this week but will believe that when we see it. We lost a dear friend this week to a car accident, Austin Sexton (9-years old). It is way too close to home to lose one of our kids from church - our son's friend - a child that we have taught in Sunday School. Although we know where Austin is right now, it is so painful to know that he will no longer be here with us. I just pray for his mother and father right now and they will find strength to get through this. We will miss Austin!

Well, our bags are packed and we are past ready to get Julia. The longer we have to wait the more over the weight limit my luggage becomes.


Picture #1 - Great Granddaddy, please don't stop rubbing my gums.
Picture #2 - Our Father's Day pose - Carson gave me one chance to get the picture.
Picture #3 - Meme resorted to a pretend tea party to get Carson content.

Alot has happened since our auction on May 6th but I guess this is better late than never. We hosted an adoption fundraiser to try to cover our travel and orphanage expenses for the last leg of our journey. God blessed us tremendously. We received over 165 items and every one of them sold. It was amazing to see how much Julia is loved before she has even arrived. The family support meant a lot and the support of our church family was awesome. Julia's Grandma Susan came up with the idea of the auction and it was unique in that we only asked for items that people specialized in making and services that they could provide. Good idea, Grandma Susan.

Picture #1 - Miss Nancy standing beside the Budbotham Monkey Family that she made for the auction. She will be traveling with us to get Julia.

Picture #2 - Chase and Matthew had their own table set up at the auction selling bolo ties and tumbled and carved rock keychains that they made. They did really well.

Picture #3 - Grandma Susan and Myself getting pictures in before the auction started.

Picture #4- Tim and Uncle Tony had control in the kitchen and serving the guests some Chinese Cuisine (Keith Carter, who is in the picture as well, cooked all day long with a friend of his to donate a cooler full of meat and a stack of homemade items. The gentleman that helped him and provided his professional grill and meat did not even know us but believes in the adoption process.)

Picture #5 - Aunt Cindy, Grandma Kay, Cousins Olivia and Stewart were there to help as well. Grandma Kay was assigned cooking the rice in the kitchen and Aunt Cindy logged all of the auction items as they were won.

Picture #6 - Julia's family. Tim (the head chef that night), Leah (the project manager), Matthew & Chase (salesmen at large) & Baby Carson (had fun crawling out of his outfit).

Picture #7 - Chase, Matthew, Olivia, Carson & Stewart - You couldn't keep these cousins apart if you tried. Julia is going to have such good family support.