Rumors

Referrals are being received by agencies today! The rumor is October 13, 2005 is included and October 17th is not included.

OK, so this is how all of this adds up to really good news for us!
If they do send to the 17th (which is not looking good now) or past the 17th, we would get our referral in March. If it's the 13th, we are VERY securely in April.

I've been as confident as I thought I could ever get that we would get our picture in April based off of what CCAA has been doing the last 6 months. You may remember from an earlier post that to stay April we were hoping for them to send at least through Oct 10th. If the 13th is correct, I am now even more confident about getting our picture in April. I can almost say it's absolutely certain, but I know better than to say anything is certain about this process.

1st CNY Party!

Our friends Adam, Patty and Elisa invited us to our First Chinese New Year Party!

They found us:o) on our yahoo group, for our agency, a few months ago and we eagrly went to meet them the first time on the 1 year anniversary of our LID, November 17, 2006 at PF Changs. They live about an hour from us.

Adam and Patty are LID in November, 2005 too, for their 2nd adoption. We are thinking there is a good chance we will travel to China at the same time, and we are all hoping to be in the same travel group!

Below are pictures from the celebration at China Buffet. There were about 15-20 other families with children from China too!

Us with Adam, Patty and Elisa

Isn't she precious? She is going to break a few hearts! This picture is kiddos that were there, posing for the CNY picture, below. We were toward the back so the clarity isn't great and you can't see half the kids that were there, but it captures the moment:o) What it doesn't reveal is the hilarious 20min. project getting them all to stand together and look at the cameras!

Praying for Mattie's Birthmother

Last night I laid awake; my heart was racing with excitement and anticipation of my daughter...I wonder what she looks like, what makes her laugh and cry, what toys, stories and music she likes...and right then a wave of realization came over me; there is another woman a half a world away whose wondering the same things I am wondering, and she will forever think about and remember the baby she carried in her for 9 months, but could not keep her.

As I consider all things, the addition of Mattie to our family is both great joy, and great sorrow. While I will make the joy of her being our precious and beautiful daughter our life time focus, I will always be mindful of the loss and sorrow, and greive with my daughter and her birthmom .

My Prayer for Mattie's Birthmom:
You are the Lord of all Lords and you are close to the brokenhearted and you save those who are crushed in spirit. I know this because I have been brokenhearted and crushed in spirit and you were my only source of hope then, and now. I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from your love. I know she needs your love, compassion, comfort and hope. As the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, I ask that you comfort this woman who's face I do not know, but will be revealed to me as I see my daughter grow. I pray that the heartache she endures can be used to comfort others in similar circumstances and she will comfort them with the comfort she has received from you.

As I pray I feel a sense of not knowing exactly what I ought to pray for or everything I should pray for, but I know the Spirit himself intercedes for me with words I cannot express. I ask everything in accordance to your will.
Amen
{Psalms 34:18,2 Corinthians 1:3-4,Romans 8:38-39,Romans 8:26-27}

Our Blind Date, MLK Weekend

Wahoooo!
I have been talking to Dee for the past year on the phone and we had no idea what the other looked like! Dee is LID December 9th, 2005 and is also adopting through CCAI. She went to school near where Alan and I live, and she sent me an email in November 2005 to say, 'hey, I used to live there'. We really hit it off and enjoy each other. Her friendship has been a blessing from the Lord and has helped with the long wait. We've been talking about 'meeting in person' for many months, but it was difficult to arrange....Dee and her husband Chris live about 7 hours away. MLK weekend seemed like a good weekend for all of us to 'hook up'. So, off Alan and I went and stayed with them over the weekend!

Their Church is beautiful!

This is where we landed Saturday...

This place had GREAT Chili - and 4 good looking customers:o). We drove about 45 minutes from Dee's place Sunday to see Alan's cousin and their new grandbaby!
We could not have had a better weekend...Dee and Chris were awesome hosts and chefs! We had a faboulous time and it was an awesome blind date:o)

Praying for Mattie

Alan and I have been left to assume with our projected time line that Mattie has been born. It often feels surreal to me, and it always brings an emotional element beyond what words can describe.

We have began praying this for Mattie, if you would like to join us....
Dear Lord,
You can do all things b/c of who you are, and all good things come from you. Therefore, we ask that when Mattie is hungry send someone to feed her; when she is cold provide a blanket to be put around her; if she is too warm send someone give her a cool bath; when she cries dear Lord, please let there be someone to hold her; if she is sick send a doctor to visit her and give her the medicine she needs; please keep our precious baby safe and keep her from any harm.
Once she's in our arms dear Lord we pray you will help us bring her up in the way she should go and she may grow in the grace and knowledge of you. {Proverbs 22:6, 2Peter 3:18}.
We ask everything in accordance to your wisdom and perfect will. Amen

CCAA History 4/05 - 1/07

Our LID: 11/17/05
Definitions:
CCAA: China Center of Adoption Affairs, China
Referral Date: When Referrals arrived at our agency
LID: Day Dossier/paperwork was logged in (Log In Date) at CCAA
# of Days Sent: Number of days/LID's covered in this batch

In September, 2005 the CCAA began covering less LID's, thus extending our wait, and it became less predictable how many Log In Dates they would cover each month when they send referrals. For us to receive our referral in April the CCAA will need to cover an average of at least 13 LIDS each batch. So, the next batch would need to go through at least Oct 10th for us to stay on track for a picture of Mattie in April.
HOWEVER!!!! I'm hoping for 19 days or more so my friends will get their referrals sooner!
So, here's hoping for at least Oct 16th on this next batch!
We should know something at the end of January!

December Referrals Arrived!

Yesterday our agency received a group of referrals!

They translated them (they are all written in Chinese when they arrive) and today everyone got to see pictures of their baby for the first time! Also, I get to visit all their blogs and see pictures of their babies! This has been a great day! China has mailed referrals for everyone who's Dossier (paperwork) was logged in (LID) between September 8, 05 and September 27, 05! They sent 19 days! Congrats everyone who received their referrals!!

We're getting closer!!