Some of the schools in Alabama had their spring break last week. I kept the "grands" Wed - Sun. We had a great time. We shopped, and played until I was worn out. We went to Desoto Caverns two days. They have many great activities for kids there. We panned for gems, got lost in the maze (Haley was our leader), raced "potty cars" (will have to get those pictures downloaded), played golf (mostly the balls went in the water). It was so much fun. I broke a toe on the potty racer. The first thing I did was run into the fence (that thing goes faster than you think). Of course, Haley didn't have any problems with it. Hannah was a demon in the "Lighting McQeen" racers. We had so much fun the first day, we went back for a second day with the Pawpaw. Haley thought he was a party pooper. She told me Pawpaw just doesn't like to have fun like Memama. I told her Memama will never grow up when it comes to playing with the babies. The body may be getting older but the mind doesn't want to accept that.

We had one setback during the time together. The girls wanted to stay in the camper. We got it all cleaned up and were settled in to sleep the second day they were here. They fell asleep watching a movie but I couldn't settle down. I kept hearing a beeping and saw a flashing green light. Mike had told me the green light was a monitor for the gas. I thought the beeping was warning me that there was a gas leak. So at 11:30 at night I pulled the car up to the camper, woke the children and took us back to the house. I was so afraid something would happen. When Mike got home for the weekend, he checked it out and said it was a smoke alarm that needed a battery replaced. So, except for the fact that we didn't get to stay in the camper, we had a great time.

A quick update on the trip to china----Teri got a call from the adoption agency yesterday and they seem to think we will be going April 26-May 10. This could change but this is their best guess at this time. She sent our passports out today to get our visas to travel. Time is getting shorter, so keep us in your prayers.

Update

The time is getting closer. Teri called me yesturday and I will be meeting with her this weekend to sign some travel paperwork required for our visas. I have calmed down just a little, but still very excited.

Another Hannah story, ya'll get used to this because when "Gummybear", better known as "Peanut" to Greg, gets here most of his blogs for awhile will be about what the little stinker did last.

We were in worship last Sunday. Hannah scoots over to me and says, "Lauren is looking and smiling at me." I said that's ok, she likes you and you like her. She said, "I know, I just wasn't prepared for it."

When alter prayer came, she went down with me. She leaned over before we started praying and said, "You need to pray for Butch, Rattie, and Tom (her dog and 2 cats)." I didn't ask why I just started praying. She leaned over and said, "are you praying for Rattie?" I whispered yes and she closed her eyes and started her prayer asking God to take care of her daddy, etc. Don't know why Rattie needed prayer unless it was for protection from HER. I couldn't keep my mind on my prayer for listening to hers, which brought a tear to my eyes. She will go down by herself to pray and if there is no room up front, she just lays down in the aisle and says her prayer. I've never seen anything like this one. I hope she will always love God this deeply.

Update

I just realized that I have been gone over a month. A lot has happened in that month. The most important news is that we have a picture of out precious Maddie. Teri called me last Wednesday as I was driving to work and told me she had gotten the call from the adoption agency and they had just recieved the package from China that we have been waiting for. The paperwork offering Maddie to us, a picture of her and information about her. I sucked my breath in so sharpely that I got choked. Then I started crying like a baby. The agency overnighted the package to Teri and Josh. They had to fill out paper accepting Maddie and their child and overnight them back. She had copies of the pictures made and came to the hospital to bring me a copy. These are not the best pictures of her but she is a doll. We have waited 2 years for this little bundle of joy. She was born August 20 and will be 8 months old when we go to china to get her. Keep us in your prayers. I told Teri she had the longest pregnancy on record.

Other news, Tara, Haley and Hannah are doing well. I went to see a neurologist a few weeks ago about the nerve twitching in my face. He didn't think it was focal siezures. Seemed to think something was irritating the nerve. Had a MRI/MRA done and got the results last week. Nothing there - Mike said he could have told them that and saved that money. This past Wed, I awoke hoping to get my house cleaned and start on the tax stuff for income tax. Had a good nights sleep but when I raised my head, I felt "strange". Then I attempted to sit up. I couldn't, I kept falling backward and to the right. No way could I walk for almost an hour. I finally made it to the restroom and back to bed with great difficulty. Called Mike and asked him to come home and take me to the ER. They did a CT and determined there was nothing there. It took me three days to get over that. I spoke with Greg earlier this evening and told him I only ran into the door facings twice today and both times were when I had bent over to pick something up. It seems to me something is going on since there are a number of symptoms and no real reason for these things to be happening. I go back to the neurologist this next Wed.

On a lighter note, Tara is trying to potty train Hannah. She decided to let her wear panties and let her feel the wet panties. (She was in pull ups and was just too busy to stop and go to the bathroom). We had her a few days after this started. I had changed her 3 times and told her if she wet her pants again she was going to wear wet pants. She came into me a few minutes later and told me she had had an "accident". I told her she would wear those wet pants until we got ready to go home that evening. She said ,"Ok, but will you change a poopy." Just can't get the best of her.

That's the update for now. With the time change it is now 2AM so I will go and get ready for bed. Hope you all have a great weekend (or what is left of it). Love to all.