Praying for news

     You probably didn't need me to tell you this, but we have no news as to when we will travel! FTIA received 3 LOA's on Wednesday, but we did not have one in that batch.  They said they weren't surprised by this.  They think our LOA and our TA will come together and it will not be with  any others.  Thursday they were asking (China) for the status of our paperwork.  That has made for another long weekend.  The weekends are actually getting longer.  Why??  Because the longer we go without LOA/TA, the closer we get to the Olympics.  The closer we get to the Olympics the more expensive airfare and hotels.  Also, it probably means we won't either A).  make it to Beijing (how disappointing to go all the way to China and not get to see the Great Wall!)  OR   B.) travel at all.  No one knows what is going to happen to adoptions during the Olympics because nothing is scheduled that far out.

     And, even if we can go later in August, it still isn't the best timing for us.  I wonder if God knows this?  Paul's needs to be on campus when school starts.  (For those of you who don't know, we do college campus ministry.)  Also, Paul's parents have paid for us to go with them to the beach the very beginning of September.  Plus, Emme's birthday is August 30.  I can't miss her first birthday.

     So, will you pray with us?  Will you pray our papers come this week?  Will you pray we can get in with the next travel group and get a consulate appointment for Aug 5.?  The group from FTIA is scheduled to leave July 24 and return August 6.  We would love to travel with this group.

     We look forward to having great news to share with you this week!!

Heartaches we go through are often blessings in disguise

There's nothing like the warmth of a summer afternoon
Waking to the sunlight, and being cradled my the moon
Catching fireflies at night
Building castles in the sand
Kissing Mam's face goodnight
And holding Daddy's hand
Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more

Running barefoot in the grass
A little hide and go seek
Being so in love, that you can hardly eat
Dancing in the dark, when there's no one else around
Being bundled 'neath the covers, watching snow
Fall to the ground
Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more

So many things I thought would bring me happiness
Some dreams that are realities today
Such an irony the things that mean the most to me
Are the memories that I've made along the way

So if there's anything I've learned
From this journey I am on
Simple truths will keep you going
Simple love will keep you strong
Cause there are questions without answers
Flames that never die
Heartaches we go through are often blessings in disguise
So thank you Lord, oh thank you Lord
How could I ask for more

     I heard this song yesterday while working on the girls' room.  It's a bit of an emotional song for me.  It has a beautiful slow melody.  And, it's a great reminder of the things that really bring happiness.  Often I need to slow down and enjoy the journey on the way to the destination.  

     Another reason for the emotion- it's an older song.  I used it in my wedding when showing pictures of our families.  It gets me a little choked up every time I hear it.  While listening to it, the last line really hit me.  A month ago I was so distraught.  It seemed liked the world was falling apart and God had forgotten that he told me to adopt a little girl from China.  When I look at her little face now, how can I argue that heartaches we go through are often blessings in disguise?  Thank you Lord!

(Cindy Morgan is the artist who recorded this song.  Ironically enough, when I taught school, I had her little cousin in my class!  Small world!)

Emme's shaved head

   While I didn't get any information about travel yesterday, I did get something really good!  Good enough so that I was not depressed the whole day about not receiving LOA or Ta!  I got updated pictures of precious little Emme!  I was a bit surprised.  Remember that head full of hair??  It's gone!  Shaved!  Mylei had a mohawk.  Emme has a reverse mohawk.

    I have received various information about why they shave the heads of these beautiful little girls.  1)  They want it to grow in thicker and fuller and even.  2.)  It's cooler.  Especially for her, she lives in a tropical climate.  3.)  It's a sad fact of institutional life.  Easier to keep clean from dirt, bugs, lice, etc...

    

     One of my little internet friends casually told me, "Oh, yeah, I asked them not to shave our daughter's hair."  That would have been a nice thing to know I could ask:-)

     Oh well, she's beautiful... really... even with a shaved head!!  I am going to wait until tomorrow night to post her new pictures.  I need to have something to look forward to doing to get me through until Monday.  Who would ever think I'd live for Monday's?? 

 

     We also received updated measurements.  I have a hard time believing they are correct.  However, her SN is slow growth so maybe they are accurate.  They said her weight is 12 pounds and her length is 24 inches.  On Monday, she will be 10 months.  That seems a bit small to me.  I told you she was a peanut!

    I have to go rest my weary bones now!  I was cleaning and painting the girls' room today.  I started at 10 am and finished at 6:15 pm.  I shouldn't say finished.  I should say, I got the first coat applied ( 2 more to go.  I am doing a linen weave).  Getting Emme has been a great reason to redo their room.  Shelby and Gracie have had the same decor since Shelby was born (She's 10 now.)  We are making their room a Hawaiian room.  I think it's going to be really cute.  We have bunk beds with a trundle on the way so that all 3 can share a room until one of them is brave enough to sleep in the bedroom downstairs.  Emme will sleep in a crib for awhile.  Of course, I'll post pictures when it's done!

    Come back tomorrow to see new pictures of Emme!

Here she is GUO SI LIAN.... AKA Emme Mei Kathryn

This morning we received a call that we received a Pre Approval (PA).  I am happy to be able to show her picture, but we were told we would skip this step.  I thought we would skip it and get LOA and TA at the same time.  This is a very long difficult road!  The waiting is driving me insane.

In the positive side, isn't she so cute???  

Hopefully, this is the last long weekend

     I am optimistic that this will be our last long weekend.  It will be much, much better than last weekend.  And, for that I am so thankful.  Now, I just want to know when we are leaving.  I feel like I am one of the most impatient people in all the world.  I thought for sure that once I KNEW they were REALLY going to give me a new referral, I would relax.  That precious little referral came Tuesday.  Now, I can't stand it.  I have got to get my hands on her!  I just want to know when I am leaving!!!  I told you I was impatient!  Wait until you see her, then you'll understand.

    At least 10 times a day, Paul and I pull her picture up on the computer and just stare and smile.  I could just eat her up!

     Enough of that, here's what we do know.  On Wednesday, I had to overnight money to FTIA (Families Through International Adoption).  I highly recommend them, by the way!!!  They were going to send over our paperwork and then wire the money.  They keep telling us it's going to be quick.  Now, that may not mean a lot to you.  But, if you are with FTIA, then you know it means a great deal!  I love FTIA and I would use them again!  But, they are not going to hold your hand and console you or even give you a glimmer of hope.  To be honest, at times, it's a bit depressing.  However, they don't make false promises.  And, when they tell you something, you know it's true.  So, for FTIA to say something's going to be quick, I believe it!!

     It also hit me Wednesday night that I never sent a dime for Mylei.  I was working on adopting her for 3 months and never sent any more money than I had paid 2 years ago.  I had been working on Emme for a day and I had to overnight money so they could wire it to China.  So, Wednesday night, I panicked!  I thought this is going to happen fast and I don't have one thing done to adopt this child.  I don't have any clothes because Mylei was 18-24 months and Emme is only (almost) 10 months and she is a peanut!  I have the wrong size diapers, no bottles, no baby toys.  This is on top of ordering new money (the $3500 orphanage donation has to be in new money as well as the rest of the money for fees and spending.)  At 4:30 in the morning, I found myself lying wide awake starring at the ceiling.  Finally, at 6 am, I got up and began working!

Maybe.... it won't be a long weekend.... if I sleep!:-)

     

Celine Dion

We just returned from the viewing and funeral of our friend.  Thank you so much for all who prayed; I think that is the reason the family was holding up so well.  It was very sad, but went very well.  If you think about them more, please pray that my friend, Sue, would allow herself to grieve.  I think she is but she's also trying to be strong for her children and the rest of her family.  I think she's trying to be too strong. 

On the adoption front, we overnighted some money.  They will wire it to China tomorrow.  From there, things should be set to roll.  I believe we will skip PA.  Our LOA and TA will be expedited.  They could come together or come very close together.  My apologies for thinking they (China) were buying time on Friday.  I believe the person working on our case really was out of town because they have been ON TOP OF IT!!  Everyday we have received information.  I really do believe things will move quickly!

Now, we are having debates about names.  We decided we can no longer use the name Mylei.  Man, that messes up my whole title of my blog!  That was the other little girl to us.  We need a new name. The first name we decided on, 2 years ago, was Emme. Then we switched to Mylei.  I think we should go straight back to Emme.  Paul wants to be difficult.  He think several things.  1) We don't need to jump into a name.  Well, I can't stand not calling her a name and we don't even know how to pronounce her Chinese name.  He keeps calling her Celine Dion (Her name is sorta like Celine but vastly different!).  It's driving me crazy.  2)  Instead of officially naming her Emme, he wants to name her Emma or Emily and call her Emme.  3)  He wants to find some name with lots of meaning. Well, that's all good and fine, but continue reading.  He tried to find a name that meant promise and guess what came up- Promise.  I AM NOT NAMING HER THAT.  Besides, she looks just like an Emme.   I wish I could post her.   I want so badly to show her off, but I asked and I am not allowed- yet!  I think all the girls would agree that she is an Emme!

Anyway, names are difficult for me.  I don't like a lot of names, at least names I want to name my children.  For you teachers out there, teaching school ruins lots of names.  For all you dog lovers, I think you should be fined (or shot) for naming your dogs with people names.

Any suggestions??

He gives and takes away

“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

For reasons not completely known to us, the first precious little girl we wanted to adopt from China was taken away.  Part of the reason (see last post), I believe, is because God also knew that some very dear friends of ours was going to have a relative taken away from them and we needed to be here.

However, the Lord is faithful and he also gives!!

Today, we were given a very precious gift- we were given a new referral.  I am not allowed to show a picture of her right now.  I am also not allowed to say much about her.  But, I will tell you that she is an absolute doll!  She could not possibly be any cuter!!  And, she is 10 months old with a very minor (in our opinion) special need.

We do not have any other information right now.  We are unsure of how our papers are being processed.  That would help us get a better idea of when we will travel.  Our agency has already submitted those questions for us and we hope to have answers really soon.  We immediately filled out the paperwork we needed to in order to say that we accepted her.  We have  already mailed it!!  We didn't need 10 seconds to decide if we would accept her.

I could never begin to thank all of you who have prayed for us and encouraged us.  I am certain God has answered those prayers.  We are beside ourselves happy tonight!  I think I will sleep better tonight than I have in a long time!

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name