Hanging in there!

I woke up this morning (after being awoken by Xander several times in the night) with a sore throat and that achy, I-think-I-might-be-getting-sick-feeling.  Sadly, within a few hours, I learned that Taylor, Parker, and Elli are all coming down with it, too.   I just want to rest in bed all day, but can't, and Xander just wants to get off the couch and move, but can't.  Go figure.  (:

Xander's recovery is going well, or at least we hope!  We have a follow up on Tuesday, and we will be able to address a couple of concerns there.  For one thing, his foot and ankle are extremely swollen and discolored.  Several blisters have formed and are getting bigger.  We've talked to the surgeons over the phone about it, but I'll feel better when they see it in person and still say he's ok!

Jeremy got up early this morning to drive Graci and her cousin, Alissa, to Idaho.  They are going to a two-week-long Chinese camp!  We are thrilled for them.  Graci is just so excited to get to speak Mandarin for two weeks and celebrate her culture.  Jeremy said that the campground they are staying at is phenomenally beautiful, the counselors are cute and upbeat, and that he wanted to stay himself!!  But... what are we going to do without her?!!!  I feel like she's been bone forever already, after spending this last week at Oakcrest!

Ok, it's late, and I don't feel well.  I have so much I was going to write about, including Graci's birthday (she turned 14 yesterday!) but that can wait for another day.  I do want to share the exciting news that we got our LOA (Letter of Acceptance) for Cali yesterday!!!  What does that mean?  It means we will be traveling to China in approximately 11-14 weeks!  We are THRILLED.  And I found it very meaningful that we received it on Graci's birthday (remember two years ago we received another present on her birthday?)!   We so love this Cali girl, and can't wait to get her home.  I received the most precious video of her that I will share here as soon as I figure out how to upload it.  She is just so perfect for our family. 

I'm sure this leaves you wondering about Conner.  Us too!  It looks like we will be making two separate trips to China, as his paperwork is taking longer than expected.  There are of course a million sad things about that (not getting him here, missing him, more time off work, more money...) but we are choosing to dwell on the upsides.  We will be able to focus solely on Cali this trip, for one thing!  And we will have a little more time to figure out how to accommodate all of these cute kiddos of ours!  We'll just keep our focus there, and pray that he gets here when the timing is just right.

Ok, that's it.  That's all I have in me.  Goodnight!

Just kidding.  I'm adding one more thing.  Tonight as I was tucking Jesi in, we were talking about how tomorrow is her birthday.  She is soooo excited.   I hugged her tight and said, "I will miss you so much, my 8-year-old Jessica!  You are my perfect, beautiful little girl!  Tomorrow you will be nine and I will love you even more, but I will miss my 8-year-old Jessica."

She replied in all earnestness, "Mom... you do know that I will look nearly exactly the same tomorrow morning, right?"

Love her.