Pass the Ketchup, please!

Our little Nanyang Prince---We are coming, soon, DV,  Sweet boy!!

Catch up, I mean!
I think it must be fairly evident that blogging is not on the top of my to do lists most days, or weeks, or months...erhem.
But, there is so much to catch up on!
First, we received our much anticipated LOAs on March 11!  Fantastic rejoicing. :-D  CCAI overnighted them to us, and though I had clinic that day, I had Kiki (our fantastic Nanny) promise to text me the split second they arrived!  When Daniel and I got home we signed them and fed-ex'd them overnight back to CCAI.

We had already sent them all our I-800 paperwork, DS 230 and related stuff, so they immediately sent it in to the US government on Mar 13.  Then began the wait for the I-800 PA (which is also called an I-797) ...and our family all got sick! It was one thing right after another: Croup, Pneumonia, Gastroenteritis, Colds, unexplained fevers, and just general ickiness.  No one was spared. In retrospect, perhaps it was beneficial for me, because I stopped caring when the I-800PA would arrive.  I just wanted to survive. One.minute.at.a.time.  "Oh, Lord, just strength for right now, right now!" On top of all the illness, my company decided to move our medical office to a new location, a large number of my staff went on maternity (congrats!) or sick leave.  Utter chaos.  We are definitely not settled even yet!
But, in God's time the I-800PA arrived, on April 1, 18 days after application.  Had I been well and counting at the time, I know I would have been worried and anxious, but as I said, I had other things to think about!
We got our NVC letters 2 days later (April 3), but because of a time differential and the consulate being closed Sat, Sun, Mon, they were not delivered to the US consulate till April 9.  In the meantime, I got very sick again, and ended up in the hospital. How grateful I am for the dear church family who immediately jumped in to help, dropping everything to watch my boys, and help with housework and meals.  I have not lived "near" family since I was 18 years old. Time and again, God has cared for me and my family by this other family, the one into which we are born by the new birth.  Even as I type this, I am recovering in bed, while a sweet teen from our church feeds my little guys lunch.  Through the monitor I hear the giggles and laughter, and I am grateful. So grateful.

 We are blessed!

Zhengzhou laughter! We love you!

We talk about flying to China everyday! Aren't we grownup?