Hello world!  Oh my goodness I feel like I can hardly come up for air much less update all you great people on here about our journey.  Each day something happens and I think, oh my I need to blog about that.  Then life happens and sitting down at my computer has been very low on my priority list lately.  You all have left the most kind comments on here and I just read each and every one of them.  Thank you all so much for your excitement, joy and happiness for us during this time.  I remember reading two ladies blogs (tanya & laura) during their waiting time and I still remember the feelings of overwhelming joy I had for two ladies I had never met.  I watched and waited as they journeyed to their Haitian kids and was so happy when they finally came home.  It gives all of us waiting hope that it does happen.  I can rest a little easier at night waiting for Amos, b/c, it does happen.   They do come home.

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So, I think I'll try and go back and recap from my memory what has happened up until now.  I haven't written anything down, so my silly brain will have to remember it all.  Ha!

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Just a week ago around lunch time I learned that our Visa had been approved and that we could pick it up on Thursday.  I remember running through the house screaming and Deacon asking me to be quiet b/c he was watching the Doodlebops!  I told him Story was coming home and he smiled and then asked, “what about Amos”.  That has probably been the hardest to explain to our boys.  Why one sibling and not the other gets to come home, when honestly they would have loved it had Amos come home first.

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Lori S. called and gave me the news and Aaron, who was out of town, and I immediately started talking travel plans.  We had always said that we would NOT be “those” parents that jump the gun and make tickets to travel before the Visa is IN HAND.  Ha!  When I heard it was approved and we could pick it up I forgot all about reasoning.  I was leaving the next day.  I was not going to be late.  Ha!  I didn't even tell the lady doing our stuff, we just booked it!  Once I got there she could be mad at me, but I was going!

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We have an amazing friend who gave us miles for the trip for me and that was a huge blessing.  My ticket would have costs around $1500.  Praise Jesus for free miles!  So, Wed night he got me a ticket booked to fly out the next day and I would return on Friday with my daughter!

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Last Wed night, Maris and Ginger brought over Chuy's to celebrate and I did last minute stuff around the house.  I had the kids all worked out and I was ready!

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I still can't believe it's been a week since we found out that our daughter was indeed coming home.  Although we knew we were close, we never felt in the clear until Miami.  It always seemed as though there was always a “what if” waiting around the corner.

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My blogging time is over and I have a sleepy girl on the couch with the boys.  I still look at her and feel as though this is a dream.  I just can't believe that she is truly here.  The boys have asked several times if she has to go back.  We have explained a million times that she is here forever.  She is an Ivey.  She's on our team now.  She's one of us.  She'll live with us forever.  Then Cayden will interject, “well at least until she gets married, then she'll move out!”.  They too are having to realize that this truly is happening.  She is here FOREVER.  We are so thrilled that she is finally here FOREVER.