Christmas Pictures

Well, Christmas has come and gone! Cannot believe all that preparation and it's over in a flash! We had a great time. Christmas Eve Katelyn sang at church and then we went to my mom's for a delicious dinner and opening of gifts! Then we came home and made cookies for Santa and the kids were able to open one gift each, then off to bed before Santa came! Christmas Day is always fun to see the kids see what Santa brought them and then they play with their things all day. For dinner we went to Mark's parents and opened yet more gifts! Thank you everyone for all of the things we received!

Christmas Program Pictures

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" starring Bradley Salvador as "Micky" at Northpointe Community Church (*Pause the music on the right*)

I actually got a short video of Bradley's performance to post! This is just a small part of the play where Micky (Bradley) is fighting with his aunt Angie over the radio (remember this takes place in 1941 so all the shows were on the radio).

Christmas Programs

So, this week has been definately a fun but BUSY week for the Salvador family. Bradley and Katelyn both had dress rehearsals for our church production Monday thru Wednesday. Our church is in Fresno, about 25 minutes away, and we did not get home each night until about 11pm. The kids were in school through Wednesday so this made it very hard to get up each morning. For those of you who do not attend Northpointe, they put on a huge production, not your typical sing a couple carols and hear a message. This year's play was set in 1941 during Pearl Harbor. Bradley who played "Micky" in the play, his dad is away at the war and they are hoping he'll be home for Christmas. Katelyn is the singer of the family and sang in the kids choir which sings at intermission. On Tuesday we had the school Christmas program in which Katelyn played King Herod (yes, she played the king!). Bradley had to miss this program for manditory dress rehearsal. I tried to upload the video I took but for some reason something is wrong with it and it will not allow me to upload it. I unfortunately only took 1 picture of her during the play which is posted here. She did very well and it was an adorable play. My favorite was the wise men's line each time they came out, "we're wise, we're guys, we're a bunch of wise guys"!! So, Thursday was opening night for the church production and Bradley did so well (I was more nervous than I think he was!) and people were so amazed at him. We were back there tonight, Bradley did not perform tonight (he's sharing the roll with another boy) but Katelyn had to sing in the choir. Tomorrow we have our family Christmas party and then on Sunday Bradley stars in the play again. I am taking my camera to that performance and hopefully I can get some video on here of him in the play (if not, definately pictures). WHEW! I cannot wait for the 26th when we all get to take a much needed break and REST! Hoping everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Kennedi's Quilt Is Complete!

Kennedi's quilt is now complete and I just LOVE it! Thank you so much to Margie Washburn for putting it together for me! The first picture is the front of it (sorry it's sideways) and the second picture right next to it is the back (a ladybug fabric I just loved when I saw it). The rest are just more close up pictures of the front. I still have squares coming in from our quilt group and Margie is going to make a pillow case to go with her quilt with those!! Thanks again Margie!

Nana's Annual Cookie Party

A week has already gone by and I haven't posted at all! These pictures are from last weekend's annual cookie party at my mom's. It gets bigger and bigger each year. This year we had about 40 kids and made about 600 homemade sugar cookies to decorate! We have every color of frosting (homemade of course) you can think of and every sprinkle and candy toppings imaginable! What a production but the kids sure have a blast!

This past week has been filled with practice every night for Bradley's play. He has a cold and a horrible cough so please pray that he is better by Thursday, his big debut! It's going to be such a good play, I can't wait. I'll take some video and load on here so you can see some of it. Last night we had my office Christmas party and tonight we had Mark's. It was fun to have dinner with co-workers. Next week is another crazy week filled with dress rehearsals and Katelyn is King Harold in the school Christmas play on Tuesday (Bradley has to miss his school program for dress rehearsal). On Thursday starts the performances!

On the adoption front, no new news to report. We are on day 60 and I'm beginning to worry that we will not hear from China by the average day 90. Many with 2007 Log In Dates (LID), which is what we are, are waiting well past 90 days (usually 120+) and I'm beginning to worry this will happen to us. I know that it's all in God's hands and everything will work out, just want to bring our little girl home. You can never try to "plan" anything with China adoptions because it never happens the way you think. We can still keep praying that we receive approval from China by day 90 (RA) and then we can travel in February. As soon as I hear anything you all will know!! :)

Merry Christmas Sweet Kennedi Mei!

I ran across this song from another AWAA family (thanks Denise!) that they used to post a Merry Christmas to their daughter Maggie waiting in China and I had to copy them! If you have a minute listen to the song Merry Christmas from Third Day I put on this blog (to the left, it's the first song). What a beautiful song. Makes me think of Mei Mei all alone there in China and want to bring her home TODAY! Hold on Kennedi, we'll be there soon to bring you home! Merry Christmas Sweetie!

HOW CUTE IS SHE!!!! **Press Pause On The Music To Your Left**

Weekend In Sunny California!

Me and the kidos (minus one)!

Day 46 of the Wait

We are at day 46 of the wait today and it's already December!!! Starting Tuesday of this next week, there is something on the calendar for EVERY day (yes, EVERY day) so I know that the days will just start to fly by! Once we get to January and that day 90 rolls around (the "average" number of days families wait and shoot for) I know we will get much more antsy! Some families are waiting 120-150 days! I really hope that is not us! My adoption friend from Maine, Tonya, who received their referral the same time we did just received their RA (after about only 42 days!) so they will be traveling in December and hopefully will have their daughter (was going to be Grace but now that they are going in December they changed her name to Noelle!) on CHRISTMAS EVE!!! How exciting for them! What a gift! Of course we were hoping to travel together and finally meet (I'm sure they won't wait around for US!) so we'll have to plan a trip to Maine sometime! :)
Today we wrote some letters to Kennedi and took them to our local Chinese restaurant (we live in a really small town and know the owner!) and she is going to translate them for us so that we can send them and she'll be able to read them! How fun to write some letters to our daughter and the kids to their sister! We cannot wait to receive that RA so we can send her package!
Other than that, we continue to work on building Katelyn's room and the play room. The framing is done and the electrical is going in. Cannot be done soon enough! We are taking apart Katelyn's current room so we can finally paint it for Kennedi and so Katelyn is sleeping in Bradley's room for now! I am trying to sell those stamp sets and they are going pretty well (thanks to a friend Lisa who told all her stamping friends) and have been wrapping Christmas presents. So, my house looks like a tornado hit it and we don't have tornados in Kerman! Oh well, maybe one day, our house will be back to somewhat of a normal household! :)