No Regular G. I. Joe

There were a couple of articles in the latest issue of 225 Magazine and on their website about Joe. The links are below:
G.I. Joe and
No Regular Joe

Disney

Disney was a blast! We didn't take a lot of pictures because we have been there so many times. I did take some of our Character Diner at the Liberty Tree Tavern (highly recomended) and a few others here and there. We had Hibachi in Japan at Epcot this time around. That was new for us, and Blaine loved it. We like to try lots of different dining experiences when we go, because there are so many. It was really, really, really hot, like here, but here we don't spend all day outside here because it is so hot. Up next will be pictures from our trip to TX to visit the Barnett side of the family (really hot there too). That was a lot of fun as well! Tomorrow is Blaine's first day of Kindergarten. I think I am going to go and cry now!

Our old friend the Governor of Louisiana

The governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, is trying to talk to Blaine and he is hiding. The governor wanted to have his picture taken with Blaine but Blaine refused to have his picture taken. All he wanted was his daddy.

Joe with with Blaine and I and members of his soccer team. One of my very best friends from early childhood, Nancy, and her husband, Brent, who got Joe involved in soccer in the first place (in the black)

Blaine really happy to see his daddy, FINALLY!!!

Governor Bobby Jindal, General, General, Mayor of Baton Rouge, and Les Miles (LSU coach for those of you out of state)

The plane is here, the plane is here, and 30 minutes early!

Thank you Norbert for all of the wonderful pictures!

News

Story in the Advocate that talks about Blaine on the front page and

Joe getting off of the plane during the evening news cast on WAFB

WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!

He's finally home. Lots more to follow, but I wanted to let friends and family know that Joe has made it home safely, and Blaine and I are ecstatic. It was such an amazing day! I have so much to share, including pictures, but I am drained. I will say that Blaine had a long conversation with the Governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, and Blaine was interviewed by some newspaper. BIG day for him, but he was most excited to see his daddy again! Oh, a bunch of guys from Joe's soccer team showed up and they gave him a USA soccer jersey with his name on the back, and they also got some great photos that I hope to share later. Thanks you guys!

20 months since LID!

Tomorrow will mark 20 months since our LID of 11-13-06. Below is our current prediction from the China Adoption Forecast site. I hope I am still alive by then.

Our prediction for LID 2006-11-13
China has 292 days of dossiers to be processed before they get to your dossier. China currently processes about 6 days of dossiers each month.

Our best guess: 2012-09-17

Since China generally sends out referrals in a batch about once per month, your referral date could easily vary +/- one month depending on whether you just get included or just get missed in a particular batch.

Monday!

La. Guard unit due to return to BR
Advocate staff report
Published: Jul 11, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

About 175 members of the Louisiana National Guard's 769th Engineer Battalion are set to return to Baton Rouge on Monday after a year's deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Guard officials announced Thursday.
The soldiers are part of the battalion's Headquarters Support and Forward Support companies.

During the deployment in Iraq the unit served as a headquarters for other engineering units that were assigned to support various missions including general engineering operations, force protection improvements and maneuver enhancements to coalition forces.

The soldiers are scheduled to arrive at Louisiana Aircraft at Baton Rouge Metro Airport between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Party Pictures

6 years old

Blaine playing dress up. He LOVES to play dress up, but he usually doesn't want anyone to see him when he is wearing a costume.

Today my sweet baby boy turns 6. I asked him this morning if he felt "different" now that he was 6, and he said "Yes, I feel 6 now". His party is later this afternoon, so pictures will follow soon......

11 Years!

This picture was taken at the Northwestern State University ROTC Military Ball in 1995. I was 20 and Joe had just turned 22 and we were only a few short months away from getting engaged. We look like little kids. No wonder my parents made us wait to get married until after we had graduated from college. Blaine better not even think of getting engaged at 20 or 22!

July 5, 1997 : Joe and I celebrate 11 years of wedded bliss today!

Only 1 more day!

This picture has nothing to do with this post. I just wanted to add a picture of my little man all dressed up for our Mother's Tea at school. The boys wore their daddies ties over their uniform shirt, and the girls wore hats and high heel shoes. It was the cutest thing ever.

Only one more day until we are finally in the month of July! July will be a very exciting month around here, and we can't wait. On the 5th, Joe and I will celebrate 11 years of marriage. On the 6th we will celebrate Blaine's 6th birthday. He has been waiting for his birthday since December, because he knew that when his birthday got here, it would only be a few more days until his daddy came home. The 12th will be the much anticipated date. The 12th is the day that Joe will finally be home from Iraq, and our family will be together again. On the 20th we fly to Disney World, and on the 28th we head to Texas to visit Joe's family. It will be a busy month, but I am looking forward to it more than anything. Hope you all have a wonderful July!

19 Months!

19 months since our Dossier was logged in with the CCAA, and I don't know how much longer it will be. We are hanging in there, and hoping for a speed up, but for now we are just focused on Joe comming home and getting on with our fun filled summer!

Before and After

Before

After
OK the before isn't the actual "before" it is more of the mid-way point. When we bought this house 3 1/2 years ago it had plastic green shutters and looked worse. Don't ask about the grass. I don't know what to do with the grass other than rip it out and lay new sod, and I know my husband doesn't want to hear that right now. Less than 1 month is left on Joe's deployment. He will be home soon. Blaine is so excited and all he can talk about is what he and his dad are going to do when he gets home. Joe will have about 1 month of leave before he starts back at his Abbott job, and we plan on lots and lots of family time, at home, at Disney, and at the beach!

New Camera and T-Ball

I bought myself a brand new camera. It is a Nikon D40x Digital SLR. I don't know how to use it yet, and I only have one lense so far, but I love it, and it takes great pictures. Check out the T-ball pictures below. See how clear they are? Just wait until I actually learn how to use it!

Thumbs up!

Team Photo ------- Go Diamondbacks

Blaine and his best friend and next door neighbor, Santino, playing before their last T-ball game of the season.

18 Months!

I don't think the title needs a post. You know what it means.

November 18, 2013

Our prediction for LID 2006-11-13 (China Adoption Forecast)
China has 308 days of dossiers to be processed before they get to your dossier. China currently processes about 5-7 days of dossiers each month.

If China did all future referrals at the exact same speed as they did this month: 2013-10-26

Our best guess - a weighted average of recent CCAA velocities, guessing that CCAA will perform about as well in the future as they are performing now, but might return to previous trends: 2011-01-19

That's our best guess for when you might receive your referral. Just at a guess, we can suppose that the CCAA either speeds up or slows down significantly, and show you those dates. If they speed up: 2009-08-31. And if they slow down: 2013-11-18.

Since China generally sends out referrals in a batch about once per month, your referral date could easily vary +/- one month depending on whether you just get included or just get missed in a particular batch.

Field Trip to the Zoo

17 months since LID!

Wow! Has it really been 17 months? I barely noticed! (being very sarcastic here).

The good news is that Joe will be home in less than 3 months (2months 3weeks and 4 days, but whose counting?), and that time has seemed to have gone by rather quickly. You will never guess where Blaine decided he wanted to go on vacation once his dad comes home, go on guess.......................................... Yep, Disney World (again) in the middle of July. I can't wait, I have never been there before (being very sarcastic here too). We are also going to go to TX for a long trip to visit Joe's family. It should be a fun, long, hot, summer! I am sweating just thinking about it.

National Guard Soldier from Baton Rouge Killed in Iraq

National Guard Soldier from Baton Rouge Killed in Iraq
A member of Joe's unit lost his life on Sunday. Please pray for his family. I can't even begin to imagine what they are going through at this time.

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