Introductions

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St. Louis

Ok, so I promised pictures. I'll give you one in front of Graceland this morning. The internet is too slow to do anymore tonight. We did get some great pictures of Graceland (what is upstairs anyway?) and the Expansion Arch. Our first day we saw Shilo-military history that dad makes us stop at yuck! (This is the church where the battle began). We hit an additional two states today: Arkansas and Missouri. We are looking forward to Nebraska tomorrow and meeting up with some online friends who are adopting from Vietnam too. We hope it works out. Otherwise, we will keep our eyes open for a sign for the biggest rubber band ball.

Walking in Memphis!

We are in Memphis. It has been a great trip so far. I would love to post pictures, but I can't find the camera cord....I'll have to find it or my camera card will be full soon. Hopefully I'll get our photos up soon. We went to Hard Rock and Beale Street tonight and will stop by Graceland in the morning before we head out to St Louis.

Introducing Nathan CuuChuoc Leonard!

Here is the newest little Leonard. We are quite proud parents. We'll get more recent ones up of our girls in a little bit....moving is hectic!

Friends

I feel bad, because I didn't take very many pictures. We had a WONDERFUL going away at Jim and Nick's BBQ. We will miss all of our friends. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful chapel staff and chapel family. Here are a few highlights.

The BEST Father's Day EVER!!!

We have received a referral of a healthy 18 month old little boy on Friday. I was waiting to post until we told our families and our church family on Father's Day. I can't believe that this little guy's picture came so early. I would love to post a picture of him (I assure you he is a cutie) but our social worker stated that I need to wait until our official paperwork is signed. That should be sometime this week, I think. He is one month older than my niece Kyndall.

Dave had his last day of work on Friday as I posted earlier and then he went back in to work in the afternoon. I was trying to get ready for company (Emily came for a quick visit) and our packers that are coming on Monday. The phone rang and it was our social worker in Birmingham. She asked me again when I was moving and I told her this next week. She stated that she had some information for us. I was thinking this may be "the call." She told me about our little Nathan. He is 18 months, very healthy and living with a foster family in the southern part of Vietnam. It will be a long wait to go pick him up. He is from a province that takes longer (haven't we waited long enough already?) Whatever the case, we are elated! We are confident that he is exactly who God has for us. I tried to contain myself and not let on that I was receiving the best news of the year. The laptop has been at the HP shop and was waiting at the Fed Ex station and our desktop is on a ship somewhere between here and Guam. I didn't have access to look at photos. My mind was racing. I went by to pick up balloons to surprise Dave and I was going to print pictures, but the computer that I had access to was where he was. Did I really want to look at them before he did?. So I decided I would stop by his office and surprise him and we would look together. I walked in and was out of breath and could barely speak. I told him "Happy Father's Day" I was trying to print pictures, but couldn't do it to surprise him and that I was thinking he would want to see with me. He looked kind of strangely to let me know that I wasn't making sense. He then caught on and asked me if I was kidding him. I told him no and began to sob. We held each other for a moment and rushed to the computer. We skimmed through the documents and read his medical history and looked at his photos. I think I am still in shock. I am delighted that God has chosen this cute little guy for us. I can't wait to get to Guam and start preparing for him......good thing we bought the stages crib. Now I need to figure out what I am going to do with my monkey bedding. I may hold on to it and see if we can get another little guy for it in a few years :) Relieved doesn't seem to be a strong enough word. We are so delighted to have such wonderful news before we leave Maxwell. Our church family has been praying for us and feel that the timing of our little guy is a miracle. Now we need to continue to pray that the travel comes quickly and we will be able to get him at Christmas time of this year! Thank you for your prayers. God is bigger than a number on a list or a date on a calendar!

As family tradition has it, the littlest Leonard gets to tell the church. Miranda was able to tell both services about our newest Leonard. McKenzie and Miranda then shared bubble gum cigars with the children. It was a wonderful Father's Day....now we are on to cleaning the house and packing the last part of our suitcases for our cross country family vacation!

A Friday the 13th to Remember

Dave had his last official day at the SNCOA. He was presented with the Air Force Commendation Medal.

The girls and I were able to stay for his religious diversity briefing. It was great to see him in action and watching what he does daily. With him having complete confidentiality, I sometimes feel out of touch with what he does.
He was loved and appreciated by the schools that he worked with. They presented him with their polo and his name embroidered on it.
It was such a great day that we celebrated at Saigon Deli with Vietnamese food.

Water Slide

Remember two summers ago when Miranda "Monkeyed" her way down the water slide? We have made great progress. Last night the whole family went to the pool and she continually went down the slide and then would swim to the edge all by herself. (She can't touch at the end of the slide) She was so terribly proud of herself for making such great strides at courage. We were proud too! I'll try to get pictures up, but I was in the pool without a camera at the time all of this took place. Way to go Miranda!

Rules are for Chumps!

Miranda was arm wrestling with Dad and was using all of her weight and both hands. Dave told her that she was cheating and that she needed to follow the rules. She replied to Dad that "Rules are for chumps!" He cracked up. Where does she get this? She said that she made it up. She is a funny kiddo.

Good bye Little Green Car....We will miss you!

The move is becoming more final each day. Yesterday we sold our little green Saturn. It was on the lot for less than 24 hours. What does that tell you? It was a wonderful car that we sold too cheap! But, we got every penny's worth out of it even before we sold it. It has been a part of the family before Miranda's birth. When the Little Green Car, as we call it, was replaced as the family car by the Chaplain, it wasn't loved as well. But every time I got in it with the girls I verbalized that I was thankful for this car. The timing has worked out well. Dave has been hitching a ride with his replacement and next week his replacement will be on vacation and we are watching his two littlest kiddos and with that, we will be house and car sitting. I won't be carless....the week after is Dave's out-processing and he won't be going in to the office and then we leave. Dave prayed that we would have a PERFECT day yesterday. The only other thing that could have made it better was a referral, but no such luck.

Sleep Deprived

The family woke up this morning to Miranda crying unconsolably because of an ear ache. We couldn't get the pain to stop even with the numbing ear drops. Dave and I decided that she needed to be seen immediately and took her to the local ER. Note to self....4 am is a great time to be seen at the ER. We got right in. The doctor was very sympathetic and gave her some heavy duty pain meds right away. She is doing much better and slept until after lunch today. We are all trying to recover our lost sleep. Poor Dave came home, showered and went to work. Thank God I am a stay at home mommy now. I went back to bed :)

We talked to our agency and we are farther out for a referral than we were hoping. I feel like God is trying to remind me to not put Him in a box or a number on a list. He is bigger than I can imagine and can do anything. When I was talking to our contact there, she asked if we had our church praying and I said yes that we have asked everybody that we talk to about our adoption to pray. She asked that we would include her and the staff in those prayers. I can imagine that it is a difficult time for them as well. So, please pray for the Holt Staff as well. I know that Holt is sending a staff member to Vietnam next week. On a side note, have you seen Fly Wheel? It is made by the same church as Facing the Giants. It was a reminder to me that God can work in ways that we don't expect and that He is bigger than our normal expectations. Anything is possible with God.

Last Day of School

The chapel tween group
Leaving for the last day at Maxwell Elementary
McKenzie's promotion
She is still happy to have mom around!
Miranda and Mrs. Gorey
We are moving on. It was more difficult for me than I thought it would be. McKenzie turned 12 and graduated 6th grade in the same day. She sometimes amazes me. It was difficult for me to leave the school today. I know that I will miss this school and the faculty and have to start all over next year with building new relationships and trust. I took McKenzie to the pool after school (Miranda had other plans) and she told me that she was excited to be going to a new school so that she could start over. I am so proud of them for being so adaptable in these changing times!

Don't Say No to the USO!

Our little actress just finished up the performance of Don't Say No the USO! It was quite cute and perfect for a DOD school. We have very talented kiddos.

There goes our stuff!

Well, the packers and movers are gone. It was an interesting week. Moving overseas is a whole lot more stressful than a domestic move.
Before it even reached the truck, our new bed was gouged. I'm reminding myself that it is just stuff. We have clothes, air mattresses and folding chairs and a small tv to keep us entertained for the next month. It will prove to be interesting with the girls getting out of school next week! I think we will be spending a lot of time at the pool.
The girls have friends that are moving too. They will be missed. It is always hardest to be the ones that are left behind. We'll be on our way shortly!

No word on the adoption front. I was really hoping to have extravagant news today. I know that God only gives me what I can handle in His timing. I thought it would be appropriate to get word of a little boy the day after the movers left. I don't have any more major projects to work on.....I'm still waiting :)

Packing

Tomorrow the packers start arriving. I don't know that I am ready....can you ever be "ready"? There is always something more to do. Like I told my neighbors last week, they come no matter what. I'm thankful for that. I can't wait to get the stuff out of here and hopefully relieve a little stress. With all that has been going on, the stress is tiring us out (we all seem to be a little more crabby too)! The plan is to have our HHG crated and headed for the ship on Thursday. Today I won't be getting much done. We have a combined service and a fellowship/going away for everybody leaving this summer. Then this afternoon we have a block party for all of our neighbors leaving. The good news is that Dave will be here. I have been told on two different occasions that he won't be, but plans have changed two or more times and as of right now, he will be here.