Waiting

we are still waiting for our approval. it is only a little insane. our papers are lost and we have about 10 people trying to track it down. please be in prayer that it is soon found and we have our approval and art.5 very soon. Christmas with miss Ainsley is not looking very likely, which means just my mom and i will be traveling. That will be heart breaking to my dad and brothers {and the littles, too} i cannot imagine. 

we are receiving fantastic updates on Ainsley. she is improving and miracles are happening in her little life every day. it's amazing. 

we were told that Ainsley could not stand. she had no use of her legs and she was very behind in development. we knew this going in and we did not really care. {ok, we did but you know what i mean} we got photos and our girl is STANDING. alone. we are on our knees in praise to the ONE. 

i made this short little video {above} of our sweet girl and the updates we have gotten. Dreaming of Christmas with our girl. Sorry for a less than entertaining update, more later.

Thank you for praying! 

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Happy Sunday! 

birthday girl{s}

so, Ashton again. Thank you all for the lovely birthday wishes! they were so sweet! along with my Mom's post :)

i had an absolutely fabulous sixteenth birthday. full of friends, fun and lots of other things. it was so great. I will post pictures from my party next time.
Yesterday as you all know was also Miss Ainsley's SECOND birthday! yep, we share our special day! Our hearts were very sad she was not here with us to celebrate but we cannot wait for next year!!
We were thrilled this morning to wake up to these pictures of our precious girl on her birthday! How special. She looks beautiful and is holding our photo album! She looks so tiny! {isn't that cake darling...and HUGE?!}

Happy Birthday, Ainsley. I love you so much already my sweet girl and cannot wait to celebrate with you next year! So honored to share our special day. Soon sweet love, soon you will be forever in our arms. We cannot wait to celebrate with you next year. Can't wait to finally hold you. 
xoxo,
Sissy

UPDATES!!!!

Oh.My.Goodness. {the best one is at the end of this post...} :)

WE GOT MORE PICTURES AND UPDATES ON AINSLEY!!

Notice the KFC cup?? :) hehe.

SOOOO excited.

Isn't she beautiful?!

Here's the scoop:

She has surgery August 24. She was released on September 1 and will be returning to the orphanage soon.

We are on our knees in gratitude. She is doing so well. The Nannies said she is now talking and progressing much better.

We are so thankful for every update. Each is a priceless gift and we can't help but want to weep over this beautiful {little} princess God has blessed us with!

Our sweet girl's birthday is approaching {She will be TWO on September 20!}

So surreal that she is OURS. I just can't wait to hold this precious girl!

We are still waiting on LOA...PRAY IT COMES SUPER QUICK! {like for her birthday!!!}

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

First Day

Well, today was the lovely first day of school
The reason for so few pictures is because the beloved camera died.
Happily I report that everyone had a great day and it was uneventful. Thank the Lord.  

Quick Laugh : this is Anna Grace's checklist--necklace, hair bow, backpack, lip gloss. Yep, I'm ready for school. {How are we going to survive when she is 13?!}

Looking forward to a very blessed and BUSY school year! 

 

Our only question :: 

Is it June yet? 

summer-twenty eleven

Well, our summer is unfortunately coming to a close. What a fabulous summer it has been. From beach trips to California to the Lake to every other little place. Oh, and you know that BIG thing...AINSLEY FAITH!
Summer has been amazing. It has given me some of the best experiences of my life. We are again waiting on another little blessing to add to our family.
I wanted to do one last summer post. School starts on Tuesday, oh so sad. I will be in 10th grade, Adam in 7th, Hayne in 3rd, and Anna Grace and Andrew will be in K-4. So very crazy. This will be AG and Andrew's last "baby year" and they will be in K-5 next year. Oh my!
Here is our summer in pictures.

June 3 we fell in love with Ainsley Ting

Beach with Family and Friends for a week June/July

Anna Grace and I had many FABULOUS photoshoots and she got a FEATHER

Andrew turned FIVE

We celebrated FOUR years with our Princess Anna Grace!

We were DTC for Ainsley on August 8!

We were LID on August 16!

Andrew fell in love with Captain America

Anna Grace got cuter...and more princess-y

I found an awesome smurf shirt....Andrew still LOVES Buzz

This is my friend, Kayla

The Webcam became our new best friend

Summer 2011,
You were fabulous, amazing, lovely, wonderful, and just all around great. BUT all good things must come to an end. I hope you don't take it wrong. We can still be friends. It's not you, it's me.
Until next year,


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Check out more Sunday Snapshots

Hm.

hm, I really don't think words are needed.

what about ya'll? ;)

NINE DAYS INTO THE WAIT FOR LOA!!

Praising the One!
Oh sweet Ainsley, we are getting closer!

SMILE!

Oh my goodness!
Look at what we got!

How GORGEOUS is our baby girl?!
And that smile!!! ahhh. SO.IN.LOVE.
She will be having surgery to repair her palate this week if there are no complications...please keep her in your prayer...Praising the One who has already gone before us and loves Ainsley beyond our comprehension.

Now, We just need her HOME.

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check out more black and white wednesdays

The Baby

We have gotten a baby for Ainsley. yanno the soft, lovey ones that you send to them and you just love to look at and pray that it makes it to your baby and that she loves it as much as you do. With Ainsley's birthday in a month exactly. {well yesterday} we are preparing a package for her...So very sad we will not be with her for her 2nd birthday {I share the same birthday with her and it will be my 16th...bittersweet}

Well we decided that until we sent the doll...everywhere we went and everyone who was close to us that we saw we would take a picture with the baby...then when we sent it to Ainsley she could look at the pictures of her family holding this baby and maybe connect the dots...it also just makes us feel better...yanno..this sister heart and my sweet mama's heart.

We bought two dolls..and plan to take the other doll everywhere else with us so Ainsley is truly with us everywhere we go...even if it is through a baby doll...

We can't wait to send this sweet thing to our girl and hopefully we will see her holding it and loving it...just like we are. We can't wait to hold you sweet love...you will sure be a whole lot better than a stuffed baby :)

Please pray for us this week and that we get more information about Ainsley...that we are LID already and we are able to start waiting for LOA. Thanks for your prayers! 

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Check out more Sunday Snapshots here

Update{!!!} and Prayers for Ainsley

First, We got beautiful updates on Ainsley today! She is doing so well...Looks healthy, has hair {!}, and it made all of our hearts smile.

We did find out that she is in Beijing right now {NOT her province} to receive her palate surgery. Please pray for Ainsley as she is having such a major surgery...all alone. It breaks our heart to know she is alone having such a big surgery. Please pray for the surgeons, that they do an amazing job and that her palate is repaired perfectly.

She is still so tiny so we are very worried about her.{Even if she wasn't tiny we would be!} Please pray for our peace. Pray for Ainsley. Pray for the Surgeons hands. Pray that Jesus will hold our girl while we can't.

On a peppy note, isn't she just beautiful?! and how GREAT are those pictures? She has hair! {which is what we live for here because we love our bows..hehe} and She is wearing a "cutesie dress!" {in Anna Grace's words} We are so thankful. Thank you, for praying for our sweet girl and journeying with us...we simply CAN'T wait to snuggle this little one!

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. -2 Corinthians 12:9