A Mei Mei for Cackie!

A Mei Mei for Cackie and a daughter for Michael and I! We are soo happy to let everyone know that we have officially started the paperchase for our 2nd daughter from China.

China is making some changes to their rules and beginning May 1 will give preference to couples between the ages of 30 and 50. There are quite a few other rule changes, but this is the big one that really hits home for us. So, we decided to dive right in and get our dossier to China before they change the rules.

We started working with our social worker on December 19 and reapplied with our adoption agency, CCAI. We've had 3 visits with our social worker (she even came by the house on New Year's Day to meet with us!) and will hopefully have our 4th and final visit early next week to review our homestudy. Once our homestudy is complete we can have our FBI fingerprints done and then we wait on the I-171H from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services. This is basically our U.S. Government clearance to adopt an unidentified foreign born child. We can't submit our paperwork to China until we recieve this document, it is sooo very important. While we wait for our I-171H we'll be working on all the other documents that we need to include in our dossier to China.

This adoption will take a lot longer than when we adopted Cackie. There are families who should be receiving referrals this week who have been waiting 15 to 16 months since their paperwork was received in China. That wait will most likely get longer. Right now we have to concentrate on getting our paperwork completed and submitted to China, after that we have plenty of time to stress about the wait.

Happy New Year everyone!

~Deanna, Michael & Cackie

Christmas 2006

We had a wonderful Christmas, Santa brought way too much for Cackie! A big-girl bed was her big surprise, but she was also excited that she received everything under the sun with Dora the Explorer! We had a very relaxing day, opened presents in the morning and then did some cooking late afternoon and ate an early evening dinner. Our friends the Donnals joined us for dinner and the girls had a blast "cooking" everyone dinner with Cackie's new play food.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we went to Michael's Mom's to exchange gifts, then on to our Christmas Eve service at church. After we got home Michael had a quick photo shoot with Cackie in front of the tree. Here are some of my favorite pictures...

Zoo Lights

The Friday before Christmas we got together with the Donnal's & the Patton's to have dinner. Then we went to Zoo Lights at the Memphis Zoo. The girls had a great time and brought smiles to all our faces!

Michael had a continuing education seminar in New Orleans from Dec 11 to the 14th. Since New Orleans is one of our favorite cities, we decided to take Cackie down there for her first visit (and our first visit since Katrina). On Thursday Cackie and I took the train fromMemphis to New Orleans to meet Michael at the hotel on Canal Street. Cackie has become facinated with Thomas The Tank Engine, so getting the opportunity to ride Thomas was a thrill for her! We had a great trip down, well as great as you can have with a tempermental two-year old! We went out on Thursday night to our favorite restaurant, The Gumbo Shop. Then on Friday we went to the Aquarium of the Americas and did lots of strolling in the French Quarter. The French Quarter shows little signs of Katrina, mostly there are a few more empty storefronts. We did notice that one great restaurant, Mr. B's Bistro has still not re-opened, but other than that, all our favorites were there. But, it was interesting talking to the people of New Orleans. You could hardly have a conversation without hearing some reference to before Katrina or evacuating from the hurricane. Such strong people and such a beautiful city! We truly hope that they rebuild and move on.

On Saturday, after breakfast at Mena's Palace (wonderful tasso omlettes!) we were able to spend a couple of hours walking in the French Quarter and then we caught the train home to Memphis. We had a really great trip and can't wait to ride the train and/or vist N'Awlins again!

Thanksgiving dinner with Cackie at school

Each year for Thanksgiving, Shering Plough invites all the daycare families to the cafeteria to have lunch with the children. Michael & I were both able to go and enjoy our lunch with the kids and their parents. We had a great time! Miss Karen & Miss Jasime do a great job!

On Halloween I spent the moring helping out at Cackie's school. They are located on the Schering Plough campus, so each year the Schering Plough employees hold a trick or treat for all the kids. It was so much fun to see all the kids dressed up and "in action". Afterwards I had a new found respect for her teacher Miss Karen. She deserves a medal of honor! She deals with 2 year olds all day long!

We took the easy way out when doing our pumpkin this year. Mr. Potatohead parts come in VERY handy!

No, we didn't go to Mexico... just a Mexican restaurant!

Silly Cackie Pictures

Some of my favorite silly pictures...

Labor Day Camping

We went camping over Labor Day and had a great time. This time we went to the Spring River in Arkansas.