2012 The Year of the Dragon

Happy Chinese New Year everyone! This week marks the 15 day celebration which began on January 23 and ends on February 6.  This is also known as their Spring Festival and preparations begin a month before the celebration.  Houses are cleaned from top to bottom to sweep away any traces of bad luck and doors and windowpanes are given a new coat of paint, usually red.  Doors and windows are also decorated with red paper couplets printed with themes such as happiness, wealth and longevity.  In China, red is the color of luck and royalty.  Children are typically given money in red envelopes for luck, prosperity and to buy treats at the festivities.  Other traditions include feasts, fireworks, parades and more. 

2012 marks the  year of the dragon according to the Chinese zodiac calendar.  The dragon is the 5th zodiac sign which stands for power, good luck, success and happiness.  Characteristics of someone born during the year of the dragon include being flexible, passionate, generous and free spirited.  Chinese traditions are swathed in superstitions.  It's amazing to me how cultures are so different all around the world!  Our Maggie was born in 2010 which was the year of the Tiger.  The characteristics of someone born in the year of the tiger include a good dose of courage, prone to be impatient, sometimes short-tempered, passionate, very cautious, and can be trusted in all things.  Truth or superstition?  I guess we shall see. 

Currently in Guizhou, it's 35 degrees and snow flurries.  I can just picture my little munchkin all bundled up!  The chinese are known for putting several layers of clothing on their babies and children in winter.  Here on the other side of the globe, in Tennessee, we are having almost spring-like weather.  Sunny, 60 degrees, and very different from the last couple of years.  My kids are itching for some snow!  I have to say I am too.  I like days that we can stay home from school, play outside, drink hot chocolate and "nest" with my family. 

The million dollar question is still, when?  I wish I could say that we knew, but we don't.  I know that February is looking impossible (unless God steps in to change something) and it's looking more like early March.  With a document getting lost back in October and now the Chinese New Year has everything closed for several days, we are most certainly off course for February to happen.  Hopefully we will at least get our TA (travel approval) in February.  From there our travel dates will depend on our appointment date with the consulate in Guangzhou to finalize the adoption.  So close, yet so far!  Some days this waiting feels like it's going to drive me crazy.  Other days, I feel like time is running short.  There are several projects at home I wanted to get done before we go and I haven't started a single one!  (I'm the world's biggest procrastinator)  Mostly I'm just feeling blue    :(   Sometimes I go out for a little "retail therapy" to make me feel better.  Even if it's just a stop at Wal-Mart to get her some pj's or something I know we'll need on our trip.

 A care package was sent to her earlier this month with photos of us, our home, her bed, the dog, etc.  I'm praying that her foster mama or her orphanage nanny is showing them to her each day so that she is at least familiar with our faces.  At this point, we don't know if she is back at the orphanage or still with her foster family.  It worries me either way!  I am having a lot of anxiety myself about us meeting her.  From all the adoptive training material we've read and families we've kept up with, we know that the first few days will be difficult to say the least.  She will be whisked away from all she has known and given to some strange talking white people.  No wonder adopted children have a grieving process!  Pray for me.  And for us as a family to bond and connect with her.  I know this is not going to easy on her and most likely not for us either.  She's too young to understand all that is going on.  And at the same time, I literally feel like a piece of my heart is on the other side of the world with her.  The closer we get to traveling, the more I feel my connection with her.  I can't explain it, I just know that it's there and that it has to be God.  I never knew I could feel this way and love a little person this much.  A little person who is not my flesh and blood.  But I know I am her mother.  I find myself worrying over this sweet girl that I've only seen in pictures.  I think these emotions are showing me the bigger picture all the time of God's heart for us as His adopted children. 

This time in January last year also marks when God began to stir something in my heart for adoption.  What a roller coaster this last year has been!  I would do it again in a heartbeat if the Lord asked me to.  What we've experienced and learned is priceless!  As my impatience and frustrations have increased lately, he is teaching me to "Be still and know..." and to "Rest in Him".  His timing is perfect.  I don't know and may never know the reason for the delays, but I have to trust.  Have I mentioned this is extremely difficult? :) 

As you think of us, please pray for our travel to be here before we know it, for Maggie and the transition that is before all of us, for everyone's safety as we travel and our 3 little munchkins we're leaving behind and for the rest of the paperwork and money that is to be paid to fall into place according to His plan.  We love you all and appreciate all the love and support on this journey in our lives.  To God be the glory!

Be still and know that I am God....Psalm 46:10a

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.   Psalm 62:1

Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.   Isaiah 43:5

I will bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-   Isaiah 43:6b

It's Getting Close!

Well I guess it's time to hear from Dad since time is getting close. I have been very emotional the past few weeks because when I reflect on what all God has done and what He is going to do sometimes it seems a little overwhelming. I wish I could explain to each of you, who has followed us through this journey, prayed with us, cried with us and encouraged us when we were down, how we feel but all I can say is Thank You. One of the guys in my prayer group prayed the other night that Maggie will be a part of a bigger family than just ours, our church family and that's how we feel also. One of my prayers is that Maggie will grow to know Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior here and someday go back to China and use what God has taught her and make a difference in someone else life, I also pray that for each of my children. For His glory.

As of January 13, 2012 we received a letter from NVC(National Visa Center) stating that Maggie's visa application has been processed and forwarded to U.S. Embassy/Consulate General in Guangzhou, China-Mainland. We are very excited, very scared, very nervous and every other kind of emotion to go with that, all rolled into one. Please continue to pray as this is probably the hardest part, WAITING. Also continue to pray that when we get Maggie that her transition process would go smoothly.

   I know many of you have read our testimony of how we have got to where we are now but I would like to tell you a condensed version of what God has been doing in my life through the adoption process. It never ever ever even crossed my mind that we would even think about adopting. God can not only change your mind but He can also change your heart. God has put a love in my heart that I cannot explain for a little girl on the other side of the world that I've never talked too, never had any communication with and only seen very few pictures of. Most of you parents know the love that I'm talking about. The same love you have for an unborn child.  I am blessed with a beautiful, wonderful wife and 3 great kids and one on the way and sometimes I wonder why He chose to bless us again. When we first started the process we thought it would be a long process, maybe 1 1/2 years or 2 years or maybe even 3 years. So I started to try to figure out how we could come up with the money. Crystal and I felt that God didn't want us to borrow, raise or even ask for any money, just trust Him. While praying that this would all happen in His time, on June 3rd of last year God kicked it in gear. Crystal and I were on a conference call with our agency and  our coodinator was explaining all the details of the adoption process and even how long it could take. After hanging up we were a little overwhelmed with the whole process and all of the unknowns and not 5 minutes after we hung up my wife called me in tears. By this time I was in a store in Linden and I first thought that something had happened to one of the kids. All I heard was we have a file that our agency wants us to look at.  Crystal didn't want to look at the pictures until we had gotten the file but I couldn't wait to see her. Now who could resist a little girl in Tennessee orange.

   I knew without a doubt that God had done something only He could. After wiping tears for a few minutes even being asked if something was wrong by the store owner I got in my truck and burst into tears again. I thanked God for what He was doing and for the confirmation (again) for what He started. After coming out of the clouds I again wondered how God was going to come up with money to do this in such a short time. All I can say is that each point that money has been due God has provided. It's been amazing to be apart of.

  We are now at the end of all the paperwork, waiting and paperwork and waiting and even more paperwork and more waiting we are excited to be this close to  meeting our little girl. We believe that even though she was born from other parents God created her knowing that she would be in our family. Through this process God has showed me that He can do anything He wants too.  The US government nor the Chinese government nor anybody else can change Gods plan. We are not one bit worried about anything because we know that our family is right where God wants us to be and theres no better feeling in the world.

 Thank You again each of you who have went through this journey with us,  prayed for us and helped us financially. We are truly greatful. Please continue to pray for our family.

  So we ask you to pray:

1. For Maggie - health and transition

2. The flight (I don't like planes)

3. My children - being away for 2 weeks

Psalms 62:5-8

 

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".