February's China Update!

Okay, so I've been so busy that I can only seem to get my China updates out there each month..... Here's an update on China (which isn't much this month) in addition to what we've been up to thus far in 2009.....

CHINA: Only 7 families were matched, but we expected the number to be low due to the Chinese New Year. The good news is that current wait times haven't increased, so we're still looking at sometime about a year from now before we are matched, which we are thrilled with! We hope, now that the Chinese New Year and its celebration has passed, the Chinese government will get back on track and that matches will explode this year! They are currently matching log-in dates from March 2006. We logged in March 22, 2007. Thanks again for so many prayers!

EVERYTHING ELSE....: I entered what I hope is my final semester of school. Whoo hoo!!! I pray that I will be able to complete everything I need to finish before May 2, which is graduation day! I have 2 classroom courses - more than half-way finished with the first and begin the 2nd in March. I have two more tests to complete, 3 portfolios to submit, and then I'll be able to walk in May.

In addition to school work, like the crazy people we are, we decided to do a few projects around the house that we thought we wouldn't be doing for quite some time. We decided to finish the basement - trim and paint are done, and tile in the bar goes in tomorrow. Yay!! As if that weren't enough, we decided to do a little work upstairs as well - while painting was under way, we had the remainder of our white walls painted, which consisted of our entry way, hallway, master bedroom, retreat, and master bathroom. We are also having hardwood installed in our family room, kitchen, and hallway. The house looks like a construction zone with carpet torn up, baseboards removed, furniture and accessories stacked in any room where work is not being done......you name it; it seems like it's going on here at the Townsend household.

Once this round of projects conclude, we are going to tackle Peyton's bedroom and bathroom. We finally feel like it's getting close enough to China that we can actually start preparing for her arrival. We are going to rip out the carpet that the builder put in the spare bathroom (what were they thinking?) and will be replacing it with tile, and then we'll be painting it as well as her bedroom. We are also going to attempt a closet organization system since the rooms in our house aren't that big (at least there's a big closet in the room) - we think it will save us from having to have a dresser in her room so that she has more play space in there.

So....If any of you are bored on the weekends and need something to do, there's plenty going on over here! Just bring food, and we'll put you to work!