Chen Chronicles

This week, I had the awesome opportunity to come down to Alabama and visit my family.  It will most likely be the last time I get to see them before we get Katie.  Then, it depends on her adjustment and how well she acclimates to Aaron and I as her parents--how or when we will make a long trip with her.  The great test of her patience and how she will deal with traveling will be when we bring her back to the U.S. from Russia.  That is a 30-hour plane flight when you add up the three to four flights we have to take (Vladivostok to Moscow-about 9-10 hours); (Moscow to New York's JFK is another 9 hours), then with lay overs and such, we would fly from JFK and I HOPE this next time we can get a DIRECT flight from JFK to Dayton (preferably) or Cincinnati. Anyway, because Aaron needs to save up enough leave for us to do some house hunting if we do move after Katie comes home, he will not be able to stay over in Russia the entire time since it will be almost a month--wit...

So this whole weekend, I have been here at a friend's house outside Louisville, KY.  I came for a final visit before she and her husband have their second baby and she also was my subject for some maternity shots.  She is such a great friend and honestly, it's hilarious how we all became friends.   So, you may or may not know that my husband, Aaron and I met on E-Harmony.  She met her husband on e-harmony also.  Two weird and funny coincidences happened with this.  MY husband and her were matches and vice versa, her husband and I were matches. It doesn't stop here.  Aaron and Jason served together at their duty stations at Keesler AFB in the Engineering and Installation Squadron, known as the 85th EIS.  Jason went on to honorably discharge from the Air Force and work in the civilian sector after he received his first Master's degree. We've all stayed in touch and I have photographed Annabelle, their first child.  Now, Amber is pregnan...

So, I spoke with our agency today and they said they think our documents are in translation as we speak or that they should be in Russia now in our coordinator's hands.  We pray that God will work wonders and get her translations completed so we can go to Vladivostok and bring Katie home.  Just HAVING a court date would give us something concrete to go by.  Please pray it's soon!!!  On Saturday the 13th, my good friend Wendie is hosting an Adoption Shower for Aaron and I and then on Sunday the 14th, they are having a shower for us in Sunday School.  Then, on Monday the 15th through Saturday the 20th, I am flying to visit my family in Alabama while Aaron works on his final paper for this class.  After he completes this class, he only has TWO more 11 week classes left and will have his Master's (Thank God)!!!  He graduates in June of 2011 and said he is DONE officially with education, except for the occasional short-term certification class.  Please...