Maggie's Referral

On June 3, 2011, we got a call from our agency that will forever change our family.  It was the photos and information of a 16 month old girl from Guizhou, China.  Here she is....the first photos we saw of her.

 Chinese Name: Fu Mei Chen

Date of Birth: February 23, 2010

Location: Quiandongnan Prefacture, Guizhou Province, China





She was around 9 or 10 months old when these photos were taken.  Instantly we were in love!  Kevin looked at her pictures before I did.  He texted me to say, "She's beautiful.  This is our daughter".  Maybe the orange jumpsuit had something to do with Tennessee??  (wink, wink)  Bless her heart!  I thought she looked like the orange Michelin Man here.  In winter, the Chinese are known to really bundle up their babies! 

I have to say that with one look at her name, I knew she was our daughter.  That was even before I saw her photos.  We had already decided her name would be Maggie Mei.  And after a while, we decided it would be Maggie Mei-Ling.  When we first started the whole paperwork process, my girls and I sort of "nick- named" our baby-to-be "Mei-Ling".  I don't know why, I guess it was really the only Chinese name we knew.  So, it stuck.  When Kevin and I picked out the name Maggie, it only seemed right to keep her middle name as Mei-Ling.  In my own quiet time of praying, I had asked God that when we got a referral that maybe her Chinese name could be part of what we picked out for her.  I never really thought much about the Lord actually answering that for me, but he sure did!  When I got the email containing her information it read, Referral: Chen Fu Mei.  When I saw the name Mei, I knew this is who God picked out for us.  Some might say it's a coincidence, but I believe it's a prayer answered in order to increase my faith!

This is a map of  China.  The red shaded area is the Province of Guizhou.  A province is like a state here in the U.S.

Guizhou is located in the southwest of China.  It is considered one of China's poorest and most desolate provinces.  Its per capita income ranks the lowest in all of China.  Its major industries are forestry, energy and mining (mostly coal).  It has a very mountainous topography and is known for its beauty.  Also, the largest waterfall in China is located here, the Huangguoshu Falls.

In a town called Longquan in this province of Guizhou, is Wangcheng Village.  This is where our baby girl was found.  Mostly likely it is the place of her birth as well.  She was abandoned, they believe, on the day she was born.  Once we get to China, we will receive her Certificate of Abandonment.  (I have to take a deep breath as I type those words)  This should tell us a little more detail about her finding place and there's a possibility we can visit there.  I really hope that we can.  One day when she has questions about where she came from, I would like to be able to give her as much detail as I can.  There is no record of her birth parents.  The only life she has known is the first 5 days in an orphanage and then her foster family.  There's no way I can describe the gratefulness in my heart for her foster family.  (Another answer to prayer!)  There's more I will save for another post about her foster and birth mother. 

Well, we are still praying for February for our travel.  Our visas have been sent off for and when we get "the word" from the CCCWA to travel, our flight and hotel arrangements can be made.  Right now, we've been reading through LOTS of papers about travel "do's and don't's", what to take, what not take, etc.  This will be interesting to say the least!  It's still hard to believe sometimes that we are actually in this place in life.  We're humbled, excited, scared and still believe we are exactly where God intends for us to be.  There are still things we are nervous about.  Deadlines to be met with paperwork, money to be paid, and issues regarding  transition for Maggie and for us once we get home.  The words of encouragement you all give us are more special than you know.  And without the Lord to lead us, we'd be crazy! 

For all of you following us, please continue to pray if we cross your mind.  We love you all. 

Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless.  Psalm 82:3

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Psalm 31:8

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.  He sets the lonely in families.....

                                                                                                                                  Psalm 68:5-6a

RA Is Here!!!!

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.                   Proverbs 25:25


We got the call today!  Our referral acceptance arrived at our agency and we've had an afternoon of much excitement!  As you can see, we are now able to post her precious photo and we will be able to share more about her with you all.  We're pretty sure she's the most adorable little girl in all of China. :)  There is still more paperwork to be done (imagine that!) and a little more waiting as we prepare for travel.  AWAA is guesstimating at this point that travel will be in late February or possibly early March.  Of course, I pray ultimately for God's perfect timing and at the same time, I am hoping for February.  I think I've shared in a previous post that her birthday is February 23.  She will be turning 2.  I hope so much that we will have her by then. 

For once, I guess I'm sort of at a loss for words in this post.  I'm still trying to process the whole afternoon and what needs to be done this week.  More signatures on documents and deadlines that have to be met as every piece of paper, at this point, is very time sensitive.  Each time another step is made in this process, I am once again humbled at the fact God has led us here.  He really, truly has led us to this place, to be the parents and family to this little angel.  There's a place in her papers that says "Identity: institutionalized child whose birth parents cannot be ascertained".  That sentence nearly took my breath away.  A door closed, for whatever reason, to her birth family has opened a door for us.  And again, I wonder, why us?  My goodness!  What a blessing to be chosen for this child! 

Monday is a busy day of the week for us with the kids extracurricular stuff and beside all that, we celebrated our RA and we are actually getting snow tonight!  In November!  School has already been cancelled for tomorrow and my kids have not came out of the clouds over that yet!  I will post more about our sweet girl tomorrow.  Right now I'm ready to snuggle up with my family and say, "Bring on the snow!" 

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?   Psalm 8:3-4

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.....James 1:17
                                                                                                                          

A Quiet Week

Well it's been a couple of weeks since I've posted anything and I actually have nothing new to report.  We are still in "neutral" just waiting for our RA.  All along, I really thought we'd have it October and be working with our travel coordinator by now.  Instead, after the delay for our missing document, it is almost Thanksgiving and still nothing.  It has been SO difficult to read other family blogs with a similar timeline as ours to find out that their RA's arrived nearly a month ago.  I shouldn't even be comparing our journey to others, I know.  There a handful of people we've sort of connected with that I hoped we might be traveling with.  Now, I doubt that will happen.  My hope still rests in the Lord.  He knew this happen before our journey began.  And there's a very good reason because His plans are perfect.  I just wish I knew what it is!  Why is it so hard to wait?  Not that life doesn't stop.  I'm just as busy with my family as ever and time seems to be going quick.  But sometimes, that's just it.  Time is ticking away and Maggie is continuing to grow and change and we don't want to miss out on anymore of her life than we already have.  Unlike a pregnancy, when you wonder for those 9 months what color their hair will be, who will they be the most like, etc.  We are in love with a few photos of  her sweet face and the brief  history we have of her.  I feel in my heart I know who she is and we want her here so much!  That's our child on the other side of the world, whether she came from my womb or not.  My heart will not rest until we have her with us.  For those of you reading, we covet your prayers! 

This week was quiet in that we didn't receive any news.  Also, I've had sick children this week.  One missed everyday of school this week.  So, in that sense, it has been quiet also.  It's amazing how just 1 out of 3 being down makes such a difference.  She's a lot better now.  Back to school tomorrow!  I wake up most mornings thinking, "Lord, will this be the day?  Will we get our call in order to get our visas and travel arrangements in order?  Will this be the day?".  At any rate, each day is a day that the Lord has made.  I can't say exactly that each day I have been "glad in it", but I am learning to depend more on Him.  I'm learning more to let him take control of the things I have no control over.  The other day, someone said, "You must be a very patient person".  I just smiled.  Ha!  They have no idea that I certainly am not!  This is a very "teaching" time in my life.  I'm accepting (slowly but surely) its better to be "teachable" than to be kicking and screaming against everything. 

To everyone out there, Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope your week is filled with good times with family, good food and a time to stop and truly be thankful.  This is my favorite time of the year.  I am thankful in my heart for so much and I outwardly don't show it enough!  Next, the anticipation of Christmas!  Each year gets better and better.  By next Christmas, we'll have one more at the table, one more in the family photo card and one more to teach what Christmas is all about.  We can't wait!

Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.  I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.....but surely God has listened and heard my voice in prayer.
                                                                                                                     Psalm 66:16-19

....But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.                                                                                     Romans 8:24b-2

But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
                                                                                                                      Psalm 71:14

A Sweet Day

Our missing document has made it to China!  We got word from our agency today that our papers arrived in Beijing this morning and will  be delivered directly to the CCCWA.  Thank you, Lord!  I hope now that you all will help us to pray that this paper will go to the right place, to the hands of the right people and that our RA will be issued soon.  Yay!  What a good way to start a Monday!  We don't know the reason for this hiccup, but with the Lord's help we continue to trust and find joy in this journey. 

Another reason the day was sweet is because my baby turned 6 today!  On Monday, November 7, 2005, one of the four most beautiful children in the world was born.  No one knew the amount of joy she would bring to our family.  It feels like it was just last week that it was November 2005.  Time is flying and her daddy and I can't slow it down.  I've shared with you in an earlier post about her being strong willed and our little firecracker.  She has so many attributes that I can't name them all.  She's a tiger in the mornings, she can argue with the best of them, she's leader and not a follower and yet she's a softie when it comes to small children and animals.  So much personality in one little package!  I wish she was still that newborn in the hospital.  I'm selfish.  I just want to keep all my kids little.  Most days they drive me crazy and there are moments I wish they were a little older and more independent.  But overall, I can't imagine life without a small child in the house.  I'm so glad we will be welcoming a toddler! 

I took cake and cheetos to her kindergarten class today.  And she opened a present when we got home.

She has been counting the days down to today for a while now.  She's been so happy getting her phone calls from family and looking forward to having her friends over this weekend for a party at home.  Mondays are our busiest day of the week after school.  We go from one extracurricular activity to another with barely time for supper in between.  This evening I was running around my kitchen trying to fix something before it was time to go again and she kept begging me to sit down at her little table with her because she had a surprise for me.  It was her day, so I sat down.  She handed me a gift she'd wrapped all by herself.  It turned out to be one of her story books, but hey, it's the thought that counts.  Then she sat a lunchbox on the table and unpacked 2 peanut butter sandwiches (that she made herself) and 2 bottles of water.  She told me she had packed this picnic supper just for me and her since I had done all those nice things for her today.  I wouldn't trade that picnic supper for any amount of money in the world!  On a normal Monday, I would've probably put her off in order to get things done around here.  We ate our peanut butter and talked about her day.  I was reminded then that every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17).  My daughter's sweetness is perfect and priceless!  Happy Birthday, Sydno!  Mommy and Daddy love you more than words can say! 

Since our picnic, I can't get the Cinderella song by Steven Curtis Chapman out of my head.  Kevin loves it, but it brings him to tears everytime!  God has taught me today to "stop and smell the roses in life" I guess you could say.  You never know what blessing you may miss.  Before we know it, our little princes and princesses will be grown!

Hiccup!

Well I guess you could say we've had our first hiccup or "bump in the road" with our dossier.  As I've mentioned, we are anxiously awaiting our RA.  The phone rang Monday morning around 10:30ish and I immediatley recognized the number as being from our agency.  My heart skipped a beat as I thought the voice on the other end would say that our RA has arrived.  Instead the voice on the other end said, "I wish I was calling with better news, but......".  Then my heart sort of sank.  As our dossier was being reviewed for the RA, an important document was missing.  One that has to do with our immigration approval.  I am certain it left my hands for our agency and then was doubled checked by their staff for accuracy.  We have a copy of it, so we know it left the country.  The only stop it made in between was to be translated.  It  must've got misplaced or lost somewhere in the translation process.  The good thing is that I don't have to do anything on our end.  AWAA is in the DC area and will be able to handle the process of obtaining what's necessary.  The not so good news is that it will take a few days to obtain and resend this document.  Hopefully once the CCCWA has received it, they will go ahead and issue the RA.  If not, this one piece of paper may have to wait in line to be reviewed.  Count it all joy, right?

Back to the phone conversation....isn't funny how, even if we're not receiving good news, that we take someone's word, act really calm and tell them we understand?  Then when you hang up your brain processes everything that was said and you want to scream?   Yep.  That's what I did.  Then TEARS for a long time!  I'd hoped and prayed like everything we would get our RA in the month of October.  Now it was October 31st and no way it was going to happen.  God did something really sweet for me during that phone call, though.  For whatever reason, my husband came through the door and was there for me to scream and cry!  I told him I felt like we would never get to China and when we did Maggie would be half grown!  After a good long talk with him, I know that God knew we would have this "hiccup" even before our process began.  He never told us our adoption journey would be easy, he just said, "Go". 

Hopefully this will not put off our travel any longer than what they've guessed (Feb), but there's always a possibility for that to change.  Even with this little hold up, we are still in our window of time that they've given us to receive our RA.  At the end of the day, I trust my Lord.  He knows and sees all.  He has reminded me once again that He is not bound by time.  Everything in this journey is for our good and His glory! 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.                                                                Romans 8:28

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.                                     James 1: 2-3

......He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion......    Phillipians 1:6

Please help us pray that this document will be delivered to the right hands, that it will complete our dossier and we will get our approval in order to move forward in the steps of arranging travel.  On a happier note, here's a pic of my 3 little munchkins on Halloween.  They had a ball at our church's annual fall festival.  October has officially come and gone with no RA and somehow I'm okay with that.  And in the words of Scarlett O'Hara, "After all, tomorrow is another day".

Gods Heart: Adoption

Where Are We Now?

Some of you may be asking, "Do you really want to add more children to your family?" or "Aren't your lives chaotic enough?"  The answers are yes and yes!  The topic of adoption has never come up in our lives until now.  It was always one of those things that we thought was a great thing for other people to do, but probably not something for us.  Oh how God can change your heart!  A funny thing is.....after Sydney was born, people would ask if there would be anymore Dye babies for us and I would jokingly say, "Not unless we go to China and get one".  To that Kevin would quickly add, "I don't think so!".  Oh be careful what you say! 

To get everyone up to speed, we are waiting.  Waiting for referral acceptance (RA) which is basically the final approval on our dossier.  Typically this approval takes 2-4 months after dossier to China (DTC).  It's been 2 months, so literally it could be ANY day now that we get the phone call to say our agency has received our RA from the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA).  Am I on pins and needles?  YES!!!  Until we have this approval, we are not allowed to post Maggie's photo on anything public like this blog, facebook, etc.  Once we have RA, her sweet face will be at the top of this page!  We received an update on her today (another answered prayer).  So happy to get it!  Right now she weighs 21 lbs. and is 30 inches tall.  She is starting to be enthusiastic about the company of other children (good thing) and spends most of her day walking around and playing with toys.  Her foster mama describes her as cute and shy.  She is now 20 months old and has only been walking since about 15 months.  We know that she likes rice paste (guess I'll need a recipe for that one), she loves bath time and likes to dance when she hears music.  She stays very close to her foster mama and is very trusting of her.  You don't know how blessed that makes me feel!  Before we even knew who Maggie was we prayed that she would be fed, loved, talked to and treated like a biological child by her caregivers.  At that point we assumed she would be in an orphanage.  When we got her referral it turned out that she is with a foster family. She has been with them since she was 5 days old.  The person who gets our monthly updates says she is the cleanest child in the area and that the foster family cares for her very much.  Isn't God AWESOME???!!!  Only He could answer my prayer like that!  Lots of little things like that have happened in this journey that just confirms to us that we are in the center of God's will and that she is handpicked for us!

Okay, so after RA comes TA (which is travel approval).  Typically that happens around 10 weeks after RA.  China has to give us the "OK" to come to their country to finalize everything.  In the meantime, we have more paperwork circling the globe for visas, passports,etc.  Our agency will make our travel arrangments for airline and hotel.  At some point after RA, Maggie will go back to the orphanage.  I have no idea why its done this way, but it is.  Please pray for me regarding that.  It makes me sick to my stomach thinking  about her going from her foster family (all she has known) to an institution where there are lots of other babies and very few nannies to give them the attention they need.  This is one of the times that I knew in my heart that she is my daughter.  My heart and everything in me grieved when I found this out.  All I know is that I want her here where we can love her, care for her and be a secure family for her.  Who can take someone's heart and tranform it from thinking adoption is okay for "some people" to making it ache for a child they didn't give physical birth to?  Only God!!! 

So as we wait, please pray for us.  This wait has been the hardest part.  I know the Lord's timing is perfect.  There is so much he has shown us in this process and so much more to be learned.  Every week on the calendar seems like a year.  Lord, help me to wait on your perfect plan!

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
                                                                              Psalm 130:5

For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by.
                                                                              Psalm 90:4

How Did We Get Here?

That has been the million dollar question!  We've gotten lots of other questions as well (I may blog about later) but this one has been the most popular.  For the most part, I've been a stay at home mom for the past almost 11 years now.  I was fortunate enough to be able to quit my full time job when our first child was born and since I've worked mostly PRN (as needed) or part time here and there.  Staying home with my kids was at the top of my list and after lots of prayer and financial adjusting, it worked out.  Fast forward to 2010.  By the end of that year, I'm thinking that I need to go ahead and find a full time job or at least a regular part time job because our youngest would be starting kindergarten in the fall of 2011 and at that point it should be do-able for me to work more outside the home.  Piece of cake, I thought.  I know enough people in the medical world to land something.  I'll be contributing more to our household, my hubby will be proud, I'll find myself in an adult world again, we can take trips and do lots of things with the extra money.  All was well.  I prayed like everything for job opportunities to come my way.  After all, this was probably God's plan too, right?  I had always assumed that once the kids were all in school, I'd be back in the workforce.  Several job opportunities came and went.  I had interviews that went very well, good references, etc.  But, for whatever reason, nothing worked out.  It mainly boiled down to not being worth it in the long haul.  The drive would be too long, the hours too late and paying someone else to cart my kids around.  This whole dilemma really weighed heavy on me.  I wanted so much to get out and work and feel like I was somebody again.  In the meantime, I continued to work at my little "as needed" jobs a day or two here and there and all the while praying for something to come along that would be perfect for me. 

One day I was driving home and almost out of frustration I said, "Lord what do you want from me?  I know you want something because nothing is working out here."  In my spirit I felt the Lord say, "I want your obedience."  Okay God, I thought.  But whatever it is that you want, you'll have to spell it out for me I don't sense anything right now.  A few days or maybe more went by and one night I was up really late on the computer and was searching for a blog I had been following.  Somehow I ended up on someone else's blog that was about a Chinese adoption.  The only reason it even interested me is because the family was from Franklin, TN.  They had 3 biological boys (teenagers) and adopted the cutest baby girl from China.  Their journey was 3 years long.  As I searched and read basically thru the highlights of the blog, that "check" in my spirit came back again and this time it said, "This is what I want you to do."   What?!  Okay, it's really late and I'm so tired I thought I just heard the Lord say he wanted us to adopt a child.  I went to bed and didn't think about it anymore.

That same week I was cleaning my house and this burden for orphans in China was so heavy on my heart that I figured God just wanted me to pray for them.  So I did and the burden almost seemed heavier for the little girls especially.  Okay, so there must be a specific little girl in China that needs me to pray for her, I thought.  Easy enough.  I prayed, the burden lifted and all seemed well again.  Day after day I could not get this family's story out of my mind and the orphans in China out of my heart.  I began to pray about it more and more.  This?  Are you sure, Lord, this?  It was getting clearer that this was definitely what God was asking of me.  I researched all I could about China adoptions, the Chinese history (why they have so many orphans) and the cost.  Oh boy, the cost!  How in the world, Lord, could we do this?  Better yet, how do I tell my husband?  He'll think I've flipped wanting to bring another child in to raise.  And more than that, he'll have 4 heart attacks right in a row when I tell him how much it costs.  God, if this is you, then YOU have to tell him because I can't!  If you tell my husband the same thing, then I'll know this is something from you.  If not, then maybe I've dreamed it up on my own.

I had already been telling Kevin that I felt like God wanted us to do something.  I just didn't know what.  So, at this point I shared with him that I sensed that I knew what it was, but I wanted him to pray and ask God to reveal the same thing to him if this was His plan.  No hints, no nothing.  Valentine's Day rolled around and we exchanged our little candy and cards.  The neatest thing happened.  We both signed our cards with, "The Best Is Yet To Come" at the bottom.  We looked at each other standing in the kitchen and Kevin said, "I know what it is now".  I figured he was pulling my leg, then he said, "Adoption?".  With tears in my eyes, I was speechless!  God you have actually, truly, honestly spoken to both of us!  Neither of us really knew what to think.  But my heart was leaping for joy!  Why would God ask us, of all people, to make another child our own?  Words can't describe how humbled we felt. 

For the next day or two I think we were a little scared to talk about it.  As we were going to bed one night Kevin asked, "Do you think it's China?"  More confimation, more leaps of joy in my heart!  I shared with him the burden about the children in China and particularly the fate of the little girls.  We knew then that China was the place and another girl it would be!  Next, we prayed and searched for a Christian based agency and found America World Adoption Association.  We applied to the China program, got accepted and began our "paperchase" in April of this year.  So far, it's been a roller coaster of emotions, papers, check writing, appointments and a LOT of waiting!  We are terribly excited to be this little girl's forever family.  God is awesome and His plans are the best! 

Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.
                                                                                                                             James 1:27

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future.
                                                                                                                             Jeremiah 29:11

About Us

If you're reading this blog, you probably know us pretty well.  For those of you who may not, here's a little about our family we'd like to share.

Kevin and I were married in 1995.  I knew when we were dating that God put the two of us together.  He's the most wonderful man on the planet!  He has a very gentle and kind way about him, he's the hardest working person I know and the most genuine person I know.  He is juggling four different jobs, one of which is a small businesses from home.  Not because he wants to be that busy or make a lot of money, he is simply taking care of his family. There's nothing he wouldn't do for me and the kids.  He loves me more than I deserve and I am more in love with him with each year that goes by.  We are members of the First Baptist Church where he serves as a deacon.  He takes his commitment to our Lord very seriously.  He is an example to me everyday! 

As  for me, I am a full time wife and mother, a part time respiratory therapist and now helping to run the small home business.  Our children are young and they keep me very busy!  Our little family is my life and I wouldn't have it any other way! 

Our first born is our son, Bailey (2000).  He's my chocolate lovin', straight A makin', let's see how this gadget works little guy.  He is awesome!  A typical boy, of course.  He's into karate, piano and drum lessons and baseball.  He loves to act crazy with his friends and at the same time, he has a very gentle and kind way about him just like his daddy.  He loves his mama and the rest of his family.  He fights with his sisters often, but at the end of the day he protects them!  He will be a wonderful big brother one more time to Maggie.  God has a very unique plan  for your life my sweet boy!

Next is our daughter, Emily (2002).  She's my athlete and my social butterfly.  She's into gymnastics, karate and softball.  She is loved by all who meet her and is a friend to everyone.  She's my helper around the house and my shadow everywhere I go.  We are pretty tight!  She is beautiful, smart, shy and has so much more potential that she knows.  Whatever she does, she soars high!   God will use her to do great things!

And last (for now) is Sydney (2005).  She is our little firecracker!  She loves life and is ready to experience all that it has to offer.  She's into karate and softball.  Not a day goes by that we don't have laugh out loud moments with this girl.  She is a very strong willed child and I believe God will use this personality trait for her good and His glory one day.  She is also very tender hearted.  I see a lot of love and compassion come out in her as I see her interacting with other children.  She'll be great with Maggie! 

The last little member of our family is a toy sized Yorkie named Sally.  She came into our family in June of this year.  She is sinfully cute which helps to keep her out of trouble as we are still in potty training 101.

I couldn't be a more blessed woman.  We are a "real life" family with each of us experiencing a struggle of some sort at one time or another.  My husband's cell/work phone never stops ringing, someone is always hungry, the dog needs attention, the laundry is never finished and sibling rivalry is a constant.  Would I trade it for a life with none of the above?  No!  The life lessons we've learned and continue to learn are priceless!  To have a christian husband, 3 healthy and beautiful children and one Chinese daughter on the way is icing on the cake!

Sons are an heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
                                                                                                                     Psalm 127:3-5a

Follow us to China!

Ni Hao everyone!  (that's hello in Chinese)  This is our first official blog entry and it is all very new to me.  Our family is on a journey to adopt a sweet little angel from China in a few months.  So, this blog is to brag on God for how he's at work in our lives and for the ones of you who would like to follow our story.  We can certainly let you know how to be praying for us in the journey. 

Right now, we wait.  It seems as though everything has been hurry up and wait.  I can't complain, however.  Our journey has been much quicker than some families we know of.  Our paperwork started in April of this year.  We were told we would be waiting for a referral on a child most likely a year or more and that the wait time was growing.  God moved the first mountain for us.  On June 3rd, we received a referral of a little girl born on February 23, 2010.  We were not even finished with our dossier yet (that's the huge pile of paperwork that goes to China all about us).  We spent all summer on paperwork, official appointments and lots of overnighting paperwork back and forth to various places.  Finally, on August 19th, we were dossier to China (DTC).  A few days later we received our LID (log in date) which is August 25th.  The next step is to receive RA (referral approval).  We have our pre-approval for her adoption, now we get the final approval once our dossier is reviewed.  This process usually takes 2-4 months.  So, I guess you could say we're in neutral right now.  It sure feels that way.  After RA, we wait again for TA (travel approval) which will start a whole other set of paperwork for visas, travel plans, etc.  Our agency is guesstimating around February for travel.  It seems so long!  Now that we know who she is, the wait is torture!  In the end, if February proves to be when we travel, our journey will have been 1 year.  It was February this year when God started to stir something in my heart about adoption.  From referral time (June) to having her in our arms may even be shorter than a pregnancy.  (That makes me feel a little better)

I will blog more later about us and how we got to this place in our lives.  For now, we love and  appreciate each of you who are walking beside us in this, we covet your prayers. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to those of you who have given because the Lord asked you to.  May your obedience be richly blessed!  Pray for us as we wait.  That the Lord will continue to prepare our hearts and our home for this new little one.  Pray for the CCCWA (China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption) that the process to place these precious children might speed up for everyone.

Blessings,
Crystal, Kevin, Bailey, Emily and Sydney