Thankful Thursday

First of all I thought I'd start off with Wordless Wednesday Photos, even though it is Thursday! I know the photos are the real reason why you are all here! :)

Yesterday we received our I800 approval from the US Government. Basically this means that the US Government considers us acceptable adoptive parents to Sienna Grace and she will become a US Citizen the moment her little feet touch American soil. This is a very exciting step in the journey to China!

Our next steps are "cabling" our information to the American Consulate in Guangzhou, China who will issue Sienna's Visa to immigrate to the US and then they will forward our paperwork to the CCAA - China Center of Adoption Affairs. They will match up Sienna's Visa with her other paperwork and issue our Travel Approval. Our agency will then request our Consulate appointment and we'll be set to travel!

I know it seems like a lot more steps yet but we are really on the short side of this wait. The I800 approval was pretty much the "last step" that depends on us to initiate and it is a great relief to have this step done.

It's been a long time since we've updated you all on the fun that Danika brings to our lives. I have to say, we LOVE being the parents of a two year old! Every day is a new adventure and seeing the world through Danika's eyes is amazing.

Things she loves at this age:

Going to the park to play!

Outdoor activities of any type (swinging especially)

Rocking her babies to sleep

"Big One" ice cream cones

Juice

Friends at school

Babba and Amma (Grandpa and Grandpa - she loves them all!)

Going to God's House on Sunday

Out to eat - no high chair

Listening to music

Things she's doing at this age:

Putting on her own socks and shoes

Picking out her clothes for school

Saying 6+ word sentences

Prentending to swim in the tub

Singing, Singing, Singing!

Fastening the buckle on her car seat

She can run, skip, hop, jump

Knows where the doctor's office is, Home Depot, Target

She can spot a restaurant from 6 blocks away

She knows the way to and from Daycare

She knows Grandma and Grandpa's house

Sleeping MUCH better

Things she's NOT doing:

NO High Chair!

No sitting in carts at the store (walking only unless the cart happens to look like a car)

No Broccoli, Cauliflower, Beans, Peas, Mushrooms, Celery or Carrots

No help of any kind - "Me DO IT"

"No jacket me"

Danika has so many cute and fun expressions, every day is such a joy with her. Yesterday on the way to school she saw a car like Daddy's behind us (ok, the same color as Daddys - Daddy does not drive a Mercedes Benz - yet) and she said, "Daddy's car behind us, I love Daddy" This is the first time she's spoken that she loves someone without being prompted. I know Daddy would have bought her the moon after hearing her say that.

She will now tell us "me tired" if she's sleepy - and it basically means nothing but it's cute anyway.

When Danika comes home from daycare she often refuses to shut the garage door or take off her coat so she can hopefully go outside to play right away. She still loves her cozy coupe red car, she knows how to pedal her bike and loves to walk in the neighborhood looking for ducks, squirrels and puppies.

Most importantly she loves to pray for her friends and loves going to God's house. She cries when we leave and asks to come back again soon.

We are so blessed to have her in our life. We are taking every step possible to prepare her for being a big sister and she loves to pick out things in the store that she thinks baby sister will like.