We are going to CHINA!!!

My mind is spinning!  It could be because it's the start of a new school year and I've got that teacher tired thing going on.  It could be because Mary had her tonsils out a couple of weeks ago and my brain has been consumed with pain management and soft foods.  It could be because ALL of our kitchen appliances STOPPED WORKING one by one throughout the last few months prompting a bit of a kitchen situation.  It could be because Jack finally came home after being gone for two months and I'd almost forgotten what he looked like.  OR IT COULD BE BECAUSE WE GOT TRAVEL APPROVAL AND HAVE BEEN TOLD TO GET OURSELVES TO CHINA!!!!!

I'm beyond.

I do not know what I'm doing.  I went into Max's room at 7:00 this morning to tell him to have a great day and then realized that he had zero school supplies.  I handed him a pencil and told him good luck.  I drove Joe's car to school today and literally spent 15 minutes looking for the keys to MY car in every school bag I own before remembering that I was looking for the wrong keys.  I just put Mary in the bathtub at 5:00 in the afternoon and told her we were going to bed soon.  I cooked spaghetti and meatballs and then realized that it's Wednesday and no one would be home to eat it.  I do not even know.  

ALL I KNOW IS.... I am going to China!!

For my friends in adoptionland, here are our latest stats:

I800 hits lockbox - June 25

I 800 approved - July 16

GUZ number - July 17

DS260 - July 17

Article 5 dropoff - July 19

Article 5 pickup - August 2

Travel Approval - August 7

Basically, all of this stuff means that the Department of Homeland Security/ Immigration (I800) says its okay for Lottie Gene Powell to enter the United States with us.  Then the US Consulate in China gathered all our stuff and read through it (Article 5) and said that it is okay for us to come on over there to China and get our girl (Travel Approval)!  

We have received our dates and will leave for China on September 5, meet Lottie on Gotcha Day on September 10, complete the US side of the adoption at the Consulate Appointment on September 18, and bring that baby home on September 21!

PLUS, we got another update!  She seems to be pretty small and very serious.  She received our care package, so they've been able to show her our picture and tell her we're coming.  I'm not sure if that helps or not, but I pretend in my head that she'll be super relaxed on Gotcha Day because HEY, I'VE SEEN THESE PEOPLE IN MY PICTURE ALBUM BEFORE.

I'm stepping into the next four weeks trying VERY hard to be in the moment and NOT TO WORRY. 

If I'm at school, I'm there 100%.  I'm gonna teach the pants off character traits, plot elements, and main idea and details.  I'll introduce the five types of figurative language, complete our fabulous first read aloud, and get everyone settled into their independent texts.  Then, I'll walk out of the classroom until Thanksgiving knowing that THEY WILL BE FINE until I get back.  Do not worry.

With Max, I'll attend the first two football games of the season and CHEER SO LOUD for #57 on the offensive line.  I'll grin when he hits somebody, wave at him when he glances up from the sidelines, wear my button with his picture on it, and have a strawberry banana smoothie and a 10 count chicken nugget meal waiting on him when he gets home after the game.  Then, I'll step out of the stadium for three weeks knowing that the grandparents and the other football moms will stand in the gap while I'm away and continue to cheer for my Maxer.  I'll believe with all my heart that the Lord will protect him while I'm away and keep him from injury or harm.  HE WILL BE FINE.  Do not worry.

Jack will be doing his thing at the University of Alabama, so I'll be excited to talk with him about his first classes, calendar dates for orchestra performances, and watch him step back into leading worship at church.  He and Max will fill my basement with boys and I'll love EVERY SECOND of the screaming and yelling (Fortnite, what ARE YOU?) coming from down there.  Then, I'll get on that plane to China knowing that Jack will keep things running at the house.  HE WILL BE FINE.  Do not worry.

This season with Mary brings her first weeks of first grade!  She had a fabulous first day back and we're already talking about the items she'll put in her bag to describe herself to the class.  (We're thinking washi tape because she loves to craft, chopsticks since she's from China, a picture of Lottie, her little pink Bible, and something Disney!)  She's going with us to China, so we are preparing her for lots of things..... being back in a country where everyone looks like her, being polite to people who speak to her in Chinese, trying new foods, etc.  We are also talking with her a lot about how Lottie might be upset and cry a lot.  We are looking at pictures of HER Gotcha Day and telling her all about the flight and what we'll do in country.  We're showing her pictures of the Great Wall and explaining why it's so neat to be able to see it in person.  There will be A LOT for her to process on this trip.  Will she remember the smells and sounds?  Will Lottie respond to her well and, if not, will Mary understand?  Thinking about taking my sweet Mary back to China makes me so emotional, but SHE WILL BE FINE.  Do not worry.

I've started packing for our trip.  The girls' room is COVERED with luggage and stuff.  I've packed Lottie's clothes, toys, bath stuff, and food stuff.  I want to have everything I need to make Lottie feel comfortable and happy.  I love her so much already.  And it breaks my heart knowing what the next month brings for her.  She'll be so scared and confused.  We don't look like people she's ever seen before and we'll smell funny to her. We don't speak the same language.  Who are these people and where are they taking me?  Where are the people that I know?  Where are my friends?  This isn't my bed.  This isn't my bottle.  This isn't the right food.  WHAT IS GOING ON?? It'll be oh so hard.  I've felt for some time that the Lord's been telling me that it will not be easy.... but that we are going to LOVE HER.  He's impressed on me that she is OH so perfect for our family! And that SHE WILL BE FINE.  Do not worry.

We will ALL be fine.  Do not worry.

The Lord has orchestrated some wonderful things in my life so far.... and I'm so very thankful that He has written Lottie Gene Powell into my story.  

It's busy and chaotic here at the Powell house, but WE WILL BE FINE.  Do not worry.

Just so I can look back and remember the chaos of this season, I'm dropping a few pictures below.  Some day, WAAAAYYYY in the future,  I'll find myself with nothing to do, so I'll hop onto the old blog and scroll down memory lane.  I'll remember how FULL and HARD and OHMYGOSH life was and I'll shake my head wondering how in the world did we do all of that?  But then I'll smile because LOOK - WE DID ALL THAT.  Thank you, Lord, for your blessings.  I might not know what day it is, but I DO know that I'm blessed beyond measure.  

For the 4th of July, Jack got to come home for a minute from his summer work with Mission Serve.  We were glad to have the whole fam in the car again!

Jack then spent more time loving on his dog than he did loving on his family.  Whatever, man.

Putting the final touches on the girls' room!  These are now painted pink and hanging on their purple wall!  Super cute!

Max got his football pictures back.  Getting ready for that O-line!  Go Jags!

Mary went to Cheer Camp at Northridge and loved it.

Mary was excited to bake cookies for her first "Stand for Orphans" lemonade stand.  She and her Daddy decided to have a stand this year.  We figured she might raise a couple hundred dollars.

So they built a little lemonade stand.......

We made a few signs......

Got all set up.......

And SO many people came!  Mary raised over $1200  which was matched by Rick and Bubba..... so we were able to donate over $2400 to Lifeline Children's Services - our adoption agency who helped us bring both Mary and Lottie home!

Mary and Buddy AFTER the lemonade stand.
Being a hostess is exhausting.

The man cutting a hole in my wall is Mr. Randall.  He can literally do anything to a kitchen.  I got real thankful for him this summer.  Mary liked him, too..... so much that she shared her popsicles with him after the tonsilectomy.

Did I mention Mary had to have her TONSILS OUT?
This was bad.

Here was the surgery prize she chose.... a onsie with a hoodie.  This was the only good part.

BEFORE the surgery......
In yet another onsie.... cause when you have surgery, apparently you get anything you ask for....

JUST before being wheeled back.....

AFTER the surgery.
This was not a good time.
But we had PRECIOUS people taking care of us (I'm looking at YOU, Suzanne Powell and Dr. Benoit!) Having good folks take good care of your babies makes me cry every time.

Once she was feeling better, Mary spent some time at Nana's catering shop.  She's very culinary.

And before we knew it, it was time for school to start!  I've now got a college sophomore (not pictured cause he was sleeping), a high school junior, a first grader, and a one year old (not pictured cause she's in China).  The Lord has a grand sense of humor.

Mary Powell is going to LOVE the famous Mrs. Denise Prowell!  And we will always deliver nice gifts, Mrs. Prowell, cause we know how our girl is..... and believe me, you're gonna need those gifts!

And in the midst of ALL OF THAT.... THIS FACE is always on my mind.
 She's waiting.... and she doesn't even know it.
But we are SO CLOSE.

Praying SO HARD that these days leading up to her are filled with joy and peace and memories and calm.  Praying for HER HEART as the Lord prepares her to join our family.  Praying for her China Mom.... that the Lord will give her a sense of peace and knowing that her baby girl is LOVED.

We leave FOUR WEEKS FROM TODAY.
It's FINE.  Do not worry.

Documenting the WONDERFULNESS.

THINGS ARE HAPPENING!!!

Would you PLEASE use your eyeballs and look at what we got TODAY??!!!!!
TWO new pictures and THREE videos.  I can't even.......

Moving through the steps of an international adoption can sometimes feel like you're walking through quicksand.  WAITING becomes your normal and it is NOT EASY.  But then, there are times when things move LIGHTNING FAST and you're trying hard to keep up!  I keep saying WAIT! I need to take a picture! or WAIT! I gotta write that date down!  or WAIT!  We gotta process what's happening here!  I remember during Mary's process that I forced myself to BE IN THE MOMENT and document each thing as it happened.... but things are moving so fast around here that I'm struggling to detail the moments!  WHAT A WONDERFUL STRUGGLE!

Here's a rundown of what's happened in just the last couple of weeks!

June 11:  We receive PA (pre-approval) for our precious Lottie and begin to work on the next round of paperwork for USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)

June 13:  Once you receive PA, you're allowed to request an update.  You can submit a few questions to the orphanage, but it is not guaranteed that they will be answered.  Updates are completely voluntary for the orphanage and many folks don't get one at all.  We decided on 12 questions (current measurements, illnesses/medications, soothing techniques, favorite toys, eating habits, etc.) and sent them to our agency for translation with fingers crossed that the orphanage would respond.

June 16:  Jack Powell turns 19.  He's still off doing Mission Serve stuff.  I miss him and thinking about where he is and what he's doing makes it hard to concentrate sometimes.

June 17:  Joe enjoys Father's Day thinking about the fact that he's got FOUR kids... ages 19, 16, 6, and 1.   Sometimes that makes us laugh.  Sometimes that makes us take a deep breath.  Sometimes we shake our heads and wonder what in the WORLD is the Lord thinking.  Sometimes we smile real big cause we realize how this is going to be SO GREAT.  Sometimes we have to go lay down.

June 18:  Max Powell turns 16 and gets his Driver's License.   This is not adoption related, but it adds to the status of my BRAIN during these days.

(16 presents for your 16th birthday..... mostly silly stuff...... his favorite coffee creamers, a few gift cards to keep in his car, beef jerky, pajamas, car wash stuff...... you know:  16 year old boy stuff.  Ha!)

June 19:  LOA (Letter of Acceptance) is received at our agency!  This sweet piece of paper is our official acceptance of Lottie's file..... WE WANT HER, China.  WHERE DO WE SIGN???

June 20:  Our paperwork for USCIS (now complete with the LOA) is sent to the "lockbox" in Texas.  This step usually takes about 2 weeks.

June 24:  Mary Powell's GOTCHA DAY!  She's been with us for FIVE YEARS. As always, we watched the videos from that day over and over, ate Chinese food at Mr. Chen's, and pulled a gift from China from the stash of gifts we bought while in country.  This year, it was a "province doll".... Shanghai, of course! It is absolutely CRAZY that Mary has been with us for five years!  I can remember EVERY DETAIL of the day I met her..... the sounds, the smells, what the room looked like and how hot it was.... I fell in love with her before we even met! Oh my goodness, what would we do without Mary Powell???

June 25-29:  Mary's swimming lessons.  I could sit and watch Coach Anne teach kids to swim ALL DAY.  It's like MAGIC.

June 25:  We send off our stuff to get our Chinese Visas in our passports

June 26:  Visa stuff is submitted to the Chicago consulate.  It'll be picked up in about two weeks.

June 27:  We sent a care package to Lottie! She'll get a sweet little photo album with all our pictures in it!  HOPEFULLY, someone will show that book to her during the next couple of months and when we meet her for the first time, she'll think, "Hey.  I know you.  You're in my book. My nanny read me that book.  You people are Mama, Baba, Sister, and Brother.  I like you!"  We also included some treats for the nannies and some things for the other kiddies in the foster care center.

June 28:  UPDATE ANSWERED!!!  The BEST EMAIL EVER comes through from our social worker saying that not only did the foster care center where Lottie is living respond to ALL of our questions, but they sent TWO new pictures and THREE new videos!  I hadn't even had time to get worked up about having to WAIT for the update!  They sent it before I could even worry about why they hadn't sent it yet!!!  And getting PICTURES and VIDEOS along with it..... I CANNOT EVEN TELL YOU.  In one of the videos, the nannies are trying to get her to take a few steps..... they're holding out a bottle to her and she's reaching for it.... but no steps...... and those women are just CACKLING around her..... she looks at them and grins and they just laugh and laugh..... We laugh a lot here in Powellville, so knowing that she's surrounded with laughter and joy means SO MUCH.  I do not know these women, but just hearing them laugh makes me know that we could be the best of friends.  I do so hope I get to hug their necks when I get to China.  They are loving my baby and teaching her to laugh.  The Lord knows us so well, doesn't he?  He totally knows that folks in this family LAUGH..... and Lottie is going to fit right in.

One BIG answer to prayer came with the update.  Lottie spent a bit of time in the hospital as an infant and left with a specific treatment regiment.  Her file indicated a particular medicine that she was put on as she left the hospital.  I had, of course, GOOGLED that medicine and learned that it's not necessarily something you want your baby on for an extended period of time.  I was WORRIED about it.  But the Lord constantly reminded me..... WORRY ABOUT NOTHING - instead, PRAY ABOUT IT.  So, boy oh boy... have I been lifting that one up.  I've prayed SO HARD that she would come home WITHOUT that medicine.  I prayed that her current treatment be minimal. In the update, one of the questions we asked was "Is she on any current medications?"...... Because we were at Mary's SWIMMING LESSONS when the update came through (great timing, right?), Joe was reading the answers to me while I sat there and watched Mary learn the freestyle.  When he got to the one about the medications, we were so thrilled to see "No" as the answer!  Praise you, Lord!  Now I'll move on to worry - I mean PRAY - about something else!  Ha!

I've started googling things about her home province, joined Facebook groups for her orphanage, looked up flights, started my packingforChina shopping, made a list of things to do to get my school plans in order, and STARED AT HER PICTURE a whole lot.  Lottie Gene Powell, I love you so much.  You don't know us yet.... and I know the days ahead will be filled with unknowns.  Things may be scary and confusing.  We won't smell right and definitely won't be speaking words that you'll understand.  But I'm praying so hard that the Lord prepares your heart to meet ours.  I'm praying that you'll have SO MUCH COURAGE and SO MUCH TRUST and feel SO MUCH LOVE.  You don't know it yet, but you have a mother who loves you SO MUCH.  I think about you constantly.  And although I haven't met you yet, I am SO VERY THANKFUL that I get to be your Mama.  My cup overflows, sweet girl.

Lottie Gene Powell

The Powell family has someone they'd like you to meet......

We are honored, blessed, and overcome with JOY to introduce you to our newest little one:

Lottie Gene Powell

I've been staring at this little nugget's face for over a week now and have been ABOUT TO POP to tell it to everyone I've known.  I've lied to exactly 912 people over these last few days as they've asked if we'd heard anything from China and I've told them, "No, still waiting...." while inside my head I was screaming, "YES!  WE HAVE HEARD FROM CHINA!  WE HAVE ANOTHER DAUGHTER AND I AM JUST BEYOND WITH EXCITEMENT!"  But we couldn't make the news public until we got PA - Pre-Approval from the Chiner..... AND WE GOT IT TODAY!  OH, I'm so relieved!  I'm so thankful!  I'm so ALL THE GOOD THINGS.

This adoption process has been a doozy.  It began last March with smooth sailing on the Home Study process.  We sped through that stuff and were DTC (that means our Dossier went To China) on September 22, 2017.  Then we received our LID (that means we had a Log In Date) on September 29, 2017.  THEN WE WAITED FOR A MATCH.  For a little over EIGHT months we waited for a match.  You'd think that with three other BUSY kids in the house, time would just fly right on by.... Mary was learning how to read, Max had football, Jack was doing his college thing, Joe was working and I was teaching.....being busy makes the wait easier, right? WELL NO.  IT DID NOT.  I made it through the holidays okay, but once January hit, I was a mess.  We BOTH were in a mess (Joe was worse off than I was!!!)  

I just KNEW we'd be matched by Spring Break and travel to get our girl before the end of the school year.  I just KNEW that I'd have all summer to bond and stuff.  I just KNEW that she'd be around 5 or 6 and just walk right into Rock Quarry with me in the fall.  

Well, what do I know?  NOTHING.  I know NOTHING.  But, thankfully, I love and trust a God that knows EVERYTHING.  And He is teaching me to GET OUT OF THE WAY and LET HIM.  I stink at this.  I am a planner.  I MIGHT be happy when I'm in control of things.  WELL.... NO.  That's not the Lord's way.  So, we WAITED.....

The school year ended and I was SO SAD..... no Lottie.... and no real hope on the horizon that she was close.  You see, China's been going through A LOT of changes recently with their adoption program.  Some of it is VERY GOOD..... with the lifting of the one child policy and more acceptance of children with medical special needs, there has been a HUGE increase in DOMESTIC adoptions in China.  THIS IS GREAT!  But also, in December, China ended ALL partnerships between adoption agencies and orphanages.  This has been the MAJOR way that agencies matched families for the last 5-6 years.... and it ended on December 31, 2017.  China has also implemented a lot of other rules and policies that I don't quite understand, but that have caused some slow-down in the process.  I say all that to say.... I WAS SAD and THERE WAS NO LOTTIE.  I'd even come to the point where I kinda growled at people who said, "Well, it's all in the Lord's timing....."  In my brain, I was 15 months pregnant and people were telling me to be patient.  Ugh on THAT.

Anyhoo...... we sent Jack off to work at Mission Serve and then, a few days later, left for the beach for Joe's office seminar thingie that we go to every year.  I just kept thinking about how I just KNEW Lottie would be with us on that trip.  (Again - I know nothing.)  After a day at the beach and pool on Friday, we'd settled into our room for a little nap before dinner.  Joe had gone down to greet some of his agents that were coming in for the conference, and Max, Mary, and I were snoozing.  UNTIL THE PHONE RANG.  I texted Joe to GET UP TO THE ROOM cause LIFELINE WAS ON THE PHONE!  When you've waited for a while to be matched and your social worker calls you late in the afternoon on a Friday, it usually means SOMETHING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.  

We didn't want to wake Mary up, so Joe and I ran into the tiny little bathroom and put our social worker on speaker phone.  She said they'd just received a file of a NINETEEN MONTH old little girl.  I repeat:  NINETEEN MONTHS OLD.  She said some words about her medical need, told us where she was, and some other stuff.... I really have no idea..... I was SHOCKED.  We told her that we'd LOVE to see the file!  Several agonizing minutes later, THIS FACE popped up on our screens:

Please note:  She is playing with duct tape.  Girl already likes school supplies like her Mama and sister. I cannot even.

THERE WERE EVEN VIDEOS WHERE SHE SAYS MAMA!  I've only stared at these pictures now for every second of a solid week and have watched the videos a gozillion times.  She is precious.  And beautiful.  And smart.  And perfect.  And awesome.  AND SHE IS OURS.

We spent the next few days researching her special need, hooking up with other adoptive moms and talking through the need, getting medical reviews done, and submitting paperwork to say she's OURS! Mary and I came back to VBS.  Joe went to work everyday.  Max had football.  Jack was doing whatever he's doing with Mission Serve..... AND WE WERE KEEPING A SECRET THAT WAS AMAZING!!  Before we could officially tell China that we are her family, we had to do an official "referral" call with our social worker.  So, in the chaos of the Friday of VBS, I huddled up in a room at the church and talked with our social worker about this sweet thing and the next steps in the process.  That afternoon, we submitted our Letter Of Intent - LOI - to China!  Joe stepped back into his role as the Master of All the Paperwork and filled everything out perfectly!  And then we waited AGAIN.  

Until TODAY!  We just got a call from our social worker that we officially have PA for our Lottie and that our next step, LOA, should come very quickly.  Because we've been logged in and waiting for so long (!!!!!), these couple of steps happen very quickly.  HOORAY!!!

We still aren't sure when we'll travel, but I've got a handful of pictures, three videos, and a mess of China packing lists to keep me busy.  

Thank you all SO MUCH for your prayers and encouragement.  We have laughed A LOT these last few days in knowing that the Lord has brought us another ONE YEAR OLD..... cause we're not getting any younger.  But we are growing more and more thankful and blessed, that's for sure!  

I may not be the youngest mom in the playgroup, but I'm definitely one of the most grateful!  The Lord has done GREAT things for us, and we are FILLED WITH JOY!!!!

LIFE. And an APPROVAL!

With Mary's adoption journey, I kept a little notebook with ALL the important dates and happenings throughout the process.  I jotted down when we told who, milestones we hit in the process, when I bought her first pink blanket or her first dress, when we moved things around in the house, what I was thinking and feeling, etc.  Someday, when she REALLY understands what her life journey has been like, I'll share that little notebook with her so she can see what things were like leading up to her arrival.

So, of course, Lottie has a little notebook, too!  It's already filling up with dates and thoughts and such.

It's fun to look back at Mary's timeline and compare it to Lottie's..... and we're running ALMOST right on track so far.  I know that no two timelines are the same and I TOTALLY TRUST IN THE LORD'S TIMING - learned that one last time - but it's fun to put them side by side.  Two little lives so far apart, but, in a few months, THEY'LL MERGE.  Those two little notebooks represent how these two little girls became SISTERS.  I can't get over it.  SO GREAT.

Lottie's notebook!

This week, I got to put a BIG ONE in Lottie's little notebook.  After 62 days of waiting (I THINK it was 62.....I got a little miffed at Homeland Security after counting to 60 and kinda quit counting)..... we FINALLY got approval from the folks at Immigration and Citizenship Services in the Department of Homeland Security!  (In the past, this approval has taken around 30-40 days, thus my being MIFFED at them for taking so bloody long.... )  Anyway, WE GOT IT.  We are approved by the US to adopt a little girl from the China!  HOORAY!

**** For anyone interested in the DETAILS of this particular step, here's the gist:
   6/27..... our I800A application overnighted to USCIS
   6/28..... I800A received at "lockbox"
   6/30..... we received notice that our stuff had hit the lockbox
   7/15..... we receive a letter with our fingerprint appointments
   7/25..... Joe, Mikki, and Jack head to Birmingham at 6:30 AM for an 8:00 fingerprint appt
   8/24..... Mikki calls USCIS to check on things..... we've been assigned an officer
   8/25.... Mikki emails that officer to check on things - AGAIN; receive email that we've been approved and letter is in the mail
   8/31..... receive approval notice in the mail
    9/1..... approval notice scanned to Lifeline and sent out for authentication

*** And if you're wondering, the answer is YEEESSSSS.... that's a lot of parts to just one step!

While we've been waiting for this approval (FOREVER....looking at YOU, USCIS), we've been gathering the first 12 of 13 documents for our dossier.  That's the pile of paperwork that will go to China.  Each of these documents must be authenticated by the local, state, national, and international level.  We gathered original birth certificates, marriage license, medicals, certificates of income and property, references, and other stuff and Lifeline sent them out into the world of notaries and authentication.  This process works its way through the local courthouse, Alabama's Secretary of State's office, the US consulate, and China's embassy in Houston.  Or something like that.... THANKFULLY, our adoption agency does all this business for us!  Just another reason why Lifeline is THE ABSOLUTE MOST AWESOME THING EVER.  Document #13 is that approval from USCIS.... so Joe scanned it to Lifeline last Friday fresh out of the mailbox and it's making its way through an expedited authentication process!  As soon as it comes back, our stuff HEADS TO CHINA!

This is a HUGE part.... cause that means all the things we need to do for now over here on this side of the ocean have been done.  Then, we wait on China to do their part!  GOOOOO CHINAAAAA!

Magical words:  Approval Notice

So, while we've been waiting on that piece of paper to hit the mailbox for Lottie, the rest of the Powell youngins have been busy with their own milestones.

Jack started COLLEGE.  He's beginning in his studies in the University of Alabama's College of Communication and Information Sciences while minoring in violin at the School of Music.  He busy.  He's got a job on campus and leaves every day before the rest of us.  He's learning that he can get somewhere in 10 minutes if he walks pretty fast, that if you get there early you get a good parking spot, that taxes taken out of paychecks are A LOT, and that he should probably just sell textbooks for a living cause those folks are making a KILLING.  He knows folks in almost every one of his classes, didn't get LAST chair in the University's student orchestra (second to last is NOT last, thank you very much), and still sits in the same chair at our kitchen table to study and do his homework.  He lives at home, but I NEVER see him.... he runs into the house most afternoons, changes clothes, and heads out again to..... well..... I don't know.... band practices, life group, college meet-ups, Bible study, dinner with such and such..... He's definitely a college boy now.  My prayers for this one focus on WISDOM and that God will continue to reveal to him HIS plans for the future.

Jack Powell's first day of college!  ROLL TIDE!

Max Powell has entered into Sophomore year with his Mama ENCOURAGING him to work hard at it.... all the "its" he's involved in..... work hard at Algebra, work hard at Chemistry, work hard at learning to drive, work hard at football, work hard on that ACT, work hard at orchestra, work hard at friendships, work hard at church, work HARD.  He truly is QUITE busy.  Max has always had things come pretty easy to him, and, as you get older and things get harder and busier, that can cause a bit of frustration.  THANK GOODNESS Max Powell has a mother who knows the value of a good NAGGING session, constant reminders, and text messages that say things like "Do not come home today if you do not have that INow password".... and such.  YOU ARE SO WELCOME, my precious one.  My prayers for this one are WISDOM and perseverance.

Go gettum, Maxer!

Fine cello-playing fella.

Mary Powell has busted into Kindergarten and is LOVING IT.  It took her about a week, but she knows EVERYONE in our building.  She now walks herself to class in the morning and shows back up at Mama's room on the 5th grade hall all by herself.  She's only had to sit on the stairs at PE once for talking instead of listening (sorry, Coach)... and she's only been stopped for running in the hall once (sorry, Mrs. Jockisch).  She LOVES her teacher, Mrs. Snow, and now ALL her drawings at home have people with red hair LIKE MRS. SNOW.  She falls asleep in the car EVERY afternoon and gets her BINDER out as soon as we walk in the door to see what's in there.  She didn't ace the DIBELS assessment cause she kept wanting to have a conversation with the assessor during the ONE MINUTE that she gets to name those letters and such, so now she's got a lot of folks (her mother included) telling her to KEEP NAMING THOSE LETTERS until you HEAR THE BEEP.  She just thinks that's funny.  She can read sentences like "I am the little dog" so naturally she thinks that she's now an awesome reader.  Confidence is not lacking with this one.  The whole "I can do this by myself" has reached a whole new level, but she still has to eat what Daddy packs in her lunch and wear whatever Mama picks out.

the backpack

Max Powell:  10th grade; Mary Powell:  Kindergarten

First day of Kindergarten!  Mrs. Snow's class!

And THIS is what she looks like every afternoon after school.....

While Mom does carpool, she waits just inside the door.  Like this.

AND SHE LOST HER FIRST TOOTH.  It had been wiggling for a day or so and wasn't really ready to come out, but she was determined that she was putting a tooth under her pillow THAT NIGHT.  She told her Daddy that she needed the remote so she could put the TV on Masha and the Bear TO DISTRACT HER.  Then, she brought me a kleenex, crawled into my lap, and told me to PULL IT.  We did a lot of wiggling, distracting, talking, wiggling, laughing, distracting.... and then OUT IT CAME!  She was SO BRAVE.  No tears, no fear..... but LOTS of excitement!  The Tooth Fairy came and when Mary saw the $5 under her pillow the next morning, she raised both hands in the air and declared "I AM RICH!"  Then, she spent the entire $5 on CANDY at Max's football game that night!  My prayers for this one are that she will LOVE TO LEARN and begin to understand who JESUS is and what He did for us! And maybe that her teeth won't all rot out of her head from all the CANDY that the TOOTH FAIRY bought her.

First lost tooth!

So, here we are.  Labor Day weekend.  I just lit the first Pumpkin Spice candle of the season and have the front door open to air out the house.  I made ribs in my Instant Pot for Alabama's first football game. And in the midst of all the busy and fun and work and stuff.... I think constantly about our Lottie.  And we wait.  My prayer for THAT ONE is that the Lord will SURROUND her with angels, wash over her with HIS peace, help her sleep well at night and give her reasons to laugh during the day, and that she will stay SAFE and HEALTHY until we can get our hands on her.  I CANNOT WAIT.