Blessing #3

(Click here to read Blessing#1; Blessing#2)

During our paperchase I joined our agencies yahoo group. I introduced myself to the group, and a lady named Dee responded and said 'I went to seminary school right by where you live'!

We began emailing - she lives in another state -then talking on the phone about the wait times...

We cannot imagine what our lives would be like without each other. And I do wonder if it had it not been for our wait time for Mattie, if we would have missed being friends...

Photos of our "blind date" MLK weekend, 2007...

Love you Dee - Looking forward to your visit here next month!!!!

BABIES!!!!!!

I'm about to burst with excitment for our friends!!

Heather is with our agency.

I've got to know her through our agency yahoo group.

Her LID is 11-09-05....

Click Here To See Eliana Grace

History Chart!!!

I took great joy in updating this chart

(most recent update at the bottom)!

We are only 3 Calendar days away now -LID 11-17-05!

Considering the polls and statistics on China Adopt Talk everything points to getting our first photo of Mattie in the next group of referrals.

The Stork Is In The US!

US West Coast agencies started calling families today!


Finally!


The cut off????


November 14, 2005!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are LID November 17, 2005, so that means...

WE ARE NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness....

I have so much to do!!!!!!
[update - Next means we will get Mattie's picture in about 4-5 weeks]

The Brave

There is nothing in this process that is within my control or power. It's been that way since we were accepted at our agency March 5th, 2005. While the China adoption 'line' seems to keep getting longer, I feel filled with more love and more faith than the day before...and I feel a power that is greater and has more knowledge than me is fighting for us, and for our daughter.

I heard someone say 'I'm tired of China controlling my life!' And the first thing I thought was, that must be exhausting! I would like to submit that China has no control over me - and that I do my best to give every aspect of my life to God. I want my life and what I do to flow from Him. Otherwise, how can I be sure I'm on a prosperous path? What would my purpose be - What would be worth living, dying, sacrificing or fighting for?

I have drawn the conclusion you can not be a wimp and adopt internationally or domestically. Or maybe we started off wimpy and adoption turns us into Brave hearts. Either way, I think the below really says a lot about how many keep going through the many ups and downs of an adoption journey...

You’re closer than our troubles

More present than any danger

More grand than gold and silver

You are God, You are God

You’re the joy of man’s desire

You are Father, satisfier

We are stunned with wide-eyed wonder

You are God, You are God

You fill our hearts with love and faith

You fight for us, You make us brave

You are God, You are God.

You walk with us, You lead us on

Faith, hope and love wakes up with dawn

You are God, You are God

Life flows from God

You Are God by Charlie Hall

June Referrals On The Way!

[Update 6/4/07 - we will have to wait until after the holiday to find out the 'official cut off; DHL does not run on 4th of July in the US]

Rumors are flying and it sounds like the Stork has started to flap it's wings! The CCAA may have covered 7 calendar days this time - making the cut off for this batch 11-14-05. Our LID is 11-17-05.

Also, in the last month I have learned of a variety of people who have been praying for us - and for our daughter...and I had no idea. I have been brought to tears from emails I've received and I'm so thankful. It encourages us so much to know you are praying for us. Thank you for being apart of our journey...thank you for not letting us walk this road alone.

I'll let you know when the Stork lands and we have an official report...the 14th is really, really good news overall...so, stay tuned!

Blessing # 2

I was really glad we met a family who was adopting from China that lived in our neighborhood (see previous post)! They are hoping to adopt a boy...I remember when I told my mom...she said "oh that's wonderful! Maybe that will be her husband!" Good grief....we weren't even LID yet, and my mom had Mattie married!

Would I dare say to the Lord...is knowing 1 family enough? And it is a boy after all... Certainly there are more families somewhere...with a girl? Living in a small town that seems so far from everyone we know...whos idea was this?

We attended our July 4th, 05 firework celebration in our city's downtown, w/ my parents. And since we were knee deep in adoption paperwork at the time, waiting for all the things we ordered like 'original copies of our birth certificates' etc. our adoption was the topic of conversation. The fireworks had a great turn out and we were there a couple of hours when there was some activity off to the left that caught my attention...and there they were; a family with 3 kids and the smallest one...couldn't have been more than 2 yrs old...and she was Asian! The little girl was lying on her back on the ground and daddy was kissing her feet and she giggled and giggled. Oh how I wanted to go talk to them! But, I had heard a lot of talk about families that have adopted not liking to be approached so, I resisted and tried to not look for too long. And what would I say anyway? Mostly, at that moment, I was choking back tears that my Lord was willing to show me His hand, once again, in our lives.

I haven't seen that family again...but their faces are etched in my mind forever....and little do they know that their mere presence at the fireworks display was an answer to prayer.

There is also a program called FCC (Link to Families with Children from China). An organization that connects families with other families that have adopted from China. They typically meet about 45m from us - good to know. And as it turns out it's not a big secret that FCC exists...actually they are quite famous for what they do and there is probably one near you too. I just didn't know about it until we were several months into our paperwork.

I often wonder when I talk with the Lord if I'm like the 3 yr old that asks endless questions and the same ones over and over again. I am grateful for His patience and Love for me.