What we have been waiting for...

WE HAVE NEW PICTURES OF ELI!!!!!!!!

Two months after Eli's birthday, we finally received the pictures and update from his Christmas care pkg, his Birthday cake & his CNY package tonight!!! Woohooo!!! Praise the Lord!

But the events of the eve upon receiving the email from Angela of Ladybugs N' Love may give you enjoyment too ... So Zoe, Levi & I were sitting in Applebees almost finished with our dinner, when my phone chimmed. I look at it's an email from Angela subject: "Eli's Pictures!!!!!!" I think I yelled right there... Then Zoe, Levi & I spent the next 10 min fighting over my phone to look at all the pictrues. lol  The poor waitress was trying to get our payment and Zoe's handing me napkins telling me to wipe my face because I am crying... tears streaming down my face. Steve was at work and due to get off very soon. And the kids want to see the pictures on the computer monitor instead of mom's phone.
So we rush out the restaurant and hop in the van to head home.
I stick the key in the ignition and nothing...

Seriously?!

Really devil, you are NOT ruining our night.

So we call Steve and we sit... in the COLD van waiting for him to come save us... and we looked at the pictures over and over until my phone almost died. lol 

Good news, it was an easy quick fix and we got home. 

Below are the four pictures we received from Eli's birthday party. We were told there were a lot of people at his birthday party, so the pictures didn't turn out very good. But he had a great time and got all his care packages. Yay!  :)

Eli is in the purple jacket pictured on the left next to his cake.

Again look for him in the purple, left side of picture, holding a piece of cake.

It kinda looks like he is abotu to get frosting smeared on his face. Which we're told is tradition.

Eli in purple on the far right with the huge piece of cake.

Looks like the birthday party was a blast... cake & presents!

And notice Eli is holding the photo album we sent him, with pictures of us...

The keyboard behind him we sent him also, but he is holding our pictures!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

We also received three beautiful pictures that HE DREW FOR US!!! ♥ ♥ ♥ God is so good!

We were sent this translation:

"daddy, mommy, Feb 5, 2012"

Translation: "daddy, mommy, Feb 5, 2012"

And our favorite... Translated:

“daddy, mommy, big brother, big sister, I love you all”

He loves us!!! Woohoo!!!  :)

The orphanage said we will get the drawings on Gotcha day, but sent pictures of them for us. My heart is leaping! This is one happy family over here in Texas. :) After waiting since before Christmas when we sent the first care pkg... two and half months is a long time to wait. But these were worth it!

 Well, I am overwhelmed with emotions. We just LOVE this boy so much already! Can't wait to bring him home. So thankful to Ladybugs N' Love for their perserverance to get pictures for us.

Eli is our son... he knows it... and is claiming it just as we are!

One very grateful mommy, daddy, big brother & big sister,

Sherry & family