Day One

Today is officially Day One of our wait with USCIS.  As of 10:30 central time, our package was received in the lockbox facility in Texas.  The question will be, how long will we wait?  God knows, and apparently, He isn't telling!

We had a wonderful Easter with mixed emotions as we thought of our special Little Dude who is not with us.  I can't imagine what his day was like, but I know next year at this time, it will be significantly different. I sat in church with our sweet little girl, trying to imagine another child sitting in the pew also.

But life moves on, and life has been busy.  I have a class (Biology) that I am taking (one of three classes this semester!) and today's assignment was to dissect a sheep's heart.  (hold your stomach!) I have no constitution for this sort of thing, but thankfully I had a terrific (and may I say HANDSOME!) lab partner that I tried to flirt with the entire time he was cutting up that thing.  (Naturally, it's my husband!)

My daughter's therapy is changing as she transitions out of the birth to three program and to the three to five program, and I have to be watchful of what she needs and how best to utilize the services we will have.  There are documents to complete.  I have letters that must be sent, grant applications to work on, a house to keep, and a daughter to raise.  I'm busy, but I suppose it is in the best sense of the word.  Still, I don't have enough hours in the day to do all that I would like.  Update and read here, update and read in other places too, finish my classwork, do all the house work I know needs done, work on more grants and fundraising ideas, and wait.  It's a full plate.  I'm trying to finish a book called "Raising a child with high functioning autism" that is turning out to be a compelling read - if I could ever finish it!  That is what my daughter's classification is, so I want to read all I can.  I need to find a competent eye doctor to check my daughter's eyes and also for the future, for our future son as well.  He will need eye exams and care to help with his vision, so if Chelsea can pave the way, it's great practice!

The days tick by quickly, though.  A busy life and a little girl can make the time fly by.  Soon enough, we will have our USCIS approval.  And one more step will be completed.  One day soon (not soon enough!) we will be on our way to Bulgaria.  I know it will happen.  It's so exciting to think about.  Thank you for following on this journey with us, for caring about us and sharing our story.  Thank you for your prayers and support. It means so much to us.