Chicago and Snow!

This is Elliott ( Katri's oldest son) and I am the one that mother has put in charge of updating her blog with pictures and such until she is able to get to a computer.

The family ( Mom, Dad, and Ethan) are now in Chicago. There flight went well from New Orleans, and they are waiting FOUR HOURS until their flight out of Chicago to Beijing! It is snowing in Chicago now ( something that doesn't happen AT ALL in southern Mississippi).
Continue to pray for their safety as they start their 13 hour flight to Beijing in just a little bit. They will get in Beijing at 1 O'clock in the morning Central time but it will be 3 O'clock in the afternoon in Beijing (MAJOR JET LAG)!!

God is good and in just a few short days little Mia Grace Yunzhu Welford will meet her family!

Kunming or Bust!

Can't even begin to describe the past two days. Absolutely came out of nowhere and took the wind right out of me...in a good kinda way. But we've got tickets and a schedule! Now the test is to see how much we can get done before Wednesday! Yes - we've got to leave for New Orleans on Wednesday night. Early flight out Thursday, February 1st. We will fly out of Chicago and go straight to Beijing (13 hours). I'll post our itenerary later.

Pray that Ethan's visa's get processed in time or we're out $1K. His passport is "supposed" to be here tomorrow and we'll turn it around and overnight it to VA to get the Chinese consolate to stamp it. I'm trying to prepare lesson plans and get my classes taken care of - Mike has the store to secure. And there's our Michaela. She's so excited and is being so brave about the whole thing. It's gonna be a long 14 + days without her. Thank you to all who are cheering us on. We feel your love and support.

Mia, here we come!

TRAVEL APPROVAL!

Just when you think you've got things figured out! I just knew I could wallow in this dreary January gloom feeling sorry for myself thinking we've got another month until we meet our Mia. Boom! The sun came out this morning. I was singing a happy tune all morning, then when I was walking back to my room from the school cafeteria, I saw Mike's truck parked in front of my building. Is someone hurt? What's wrong? Nothing - except our agency called to ask if we're ready to leave next THURSDAY! Can we do it? I don't know, but we're gonna sure try. My prayer warriors sure pack power. We should know tomorrow if we're in for sure. If not it'll be okay. All in His perfect time.

Translated Documents & Red Threads

We received a translation of Mia's growth record. It seems to have been done in October, 2006. That must have been the time her documents were submitted for International Adoption. How my mind ponders questions like who decides to pick her? Why did they select her? International Adoption makes up only a small fraction of all children available in China. We are blessed to have been given this child. She seems like a little bundle of joy and sounds like someone knew she'd fit in perfectly in the Welford's household.

During this entire process I have prayed for our "Red Thread" to be made known to us. The chinese have a saying that we are tied by a red thread to someone we are destined to be with...it may tangle, stretch and knot but it will not break. The date we felt the pull of this red thread was on November 11, 2004 at a Stephen Curtis Chapman concert. Nine months later our little Mia was born. I have been praying that God would confirm this adoption to me and He has, over and over again. When I look into her smiling face and read the pages of her growth and personality, I know she is ours and was meant to be.

Her foster family obviously gave most of these details in her report. It is said that "
The child was found on June 20, 2006 by the local people who reported to the police. After the investigation by the authoritative police station, the child was confirmed to be an abandoned baby and was brought in to the orphanage the same day. They determined then that her birthday was around August of 2005 and gave her DOB as the 2oth. She would have been 10 months old. It doesn't say how long she stayed in the orphanage before going to a foster family. The file also describes Mia is "outgoing, clever, active, cute, smiley, sociable, like outdoors, likes to be held and accompanied. Wave hands and kicks when happy. Likes to play games with other children. Gets along well with other kids. Likes to play with toys she’s never seen. Positive response to the strangers and new stimulation." I'm just going nuts to hurry up and meet her!

We are waiting for travel approval and consolate appointments and figure the likely time to travel will be the last of February and first week of March.

What we're learning

Mia may have been here at one point but we know that she is in foster care now. From what I am learning, foster care is in village- type housing surrounding the orphanage. Her surname, Guan, is commonly given to children that are found in this inner-city area by the same name. We took some of her paper-work to our local chinese restaurant to have it translated. Even though our agency is translating most of it, we didn't want to wait the extra week to find out more about her. From what we understood, she is able to feed herself and likes to go outside. Her favorite toy is a rattle. I am anxious to see if what they said about her abandonment is true. The girl seems to think that she may have been left on June, 2006. If that's true, she would have been with her family for almost 10 months of her life. The girl at the restaurant may have misunderstood this so we will have to wait for official translation. My prayer is that she is able to bond as a result of the nurturing she's received as an infant.
Our agency says we will probably travel in March. I've been on pins & needles again because of a new law regarding our Citizenship and Immigration paper. Ours expires on the 21st of this month. We can't bring back an "alien" orphan into this country without it. The new law says that we can't even get consolate appointments without it being current. We've been waiting on this renewal since the last of October and haven't been able to speak with a real person until today. I was assured by the officer that she would get it in today's mail. I pray this is so.

Maybe Mia Grace YunZhu?

Yun (Cloud) Zhu (Pearl)

I think Mike wants to call her Mia Grace. Can she have 5 names?

Announcing our Mia!

We are in love!

For unto us a Child is Given!

With this baby we are blessed!

Guan Yun Zhu
Born: August 20th, 2005
in Yunan Province - Kunming CWI- Foster Care

She weighed 22 lbs in October! (okay to all those who know their dentistry! :-) Our Family coordinator said she see's two teeth shining on the bottom - that's probably not all the teeth she has!) We will have pictures and more information to share tomorrow!

God is so good. We are overjoyed. Thank you for your prayers as you've journeys thus far with us. We covet your continued presence.

This time tomorrow

My last day at home before school starts and I've tried to stay busy. Finished packing away all the decorations and nicely tidied the house. Michaela and I dashed off for one last shopping jaunt just to pick up a few necessities and have her baby-doll "check-up" at the local mall. Anything to keep our minds occupied. While we were there I bumped into someone I've been wanting to meet for along time. We've spoken on the phone a few times. She's a veteran adoptive mom and waiting again for her third girl from China. If you believe in coincidences then it was no big deal, but for us finally to meet on the eve of referrals is a blessing to me. She was with her two daughters trying to pick up a few clothes for their waiting child. They've requested a girl around age 6-7.

I've found out from another agency that referrals had landed in Los Angeles this afternoon and people on the West Coast have started getting their calls. I expect our agency to open up tomorrow and I think DHL (the carrier) will deliver before noonish. I'll be on pins and needles by 3 p.m. I'll freak out if I've not heard anything by 5 p.m. Please pray that we won't be forgotten. I've seen alot of sad stories in the past 15 months. Families that have sat by the phone and it rings only to say the worst. It is rare, but it is possible.

But there's a God in heaven who watches out for us and I pray His love and care will provide.

Thank you to all who wait with us.

Referrals in Europe!

Are packages already at the Agency? Will someone go in and check? I return to school tomorrow.....will we get the call tomorrow?

Maybe he'll sign-off on our papers soon

...this post is taken directly from the CCAA's website - it rarely changes so it was nice to see some activity. Our friend Sheila and her husband just got back with their new daughter, Anna. They are doing great and give me hope that the wait does end in time. I pray that "Everything is indeed for the Children." New Year Greeting

Date of Post:December,31 2006　　Source:CCAA

As the light of springtime emerges gradually, it is a fresh start for all living things. With the advent of the New Year, I would like to, on behalf of the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA), thank leaders of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, related departments and fellow institutes for the concern and care you have given to CCAA, thank all governments of receiving states and adoption organizations for the sincere trust and good cooperation we have received from you, thank all circles of society for your warm support and deep-felt care to the orphans and handicapped children in China. We wish you have a harmoniously life, good health, happy family and good luck in everything in the forthcoming year. Packing off 2006 which is full of achievements and fruits, we welcome 2007 which is full of hope. The CCAA will continue to follow the principle of “everything for the children”, develop the inter-country adoption work in China towards the direction of being more consistent with international convention, being more reasonable with the reality in China, working harder in accordance with law and regulations and making a better protection of the rights and interests of children and contribute more for the orphans and handicapped children to make sure that they can grow up healthily and happily in the same world and under the same blue sky! 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Director General of CCAA:Luying 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　December 31, 2006

What's another week?!

We celebrated Christmas with everyone of our family members! What a feat to get us all home at the same time. It was the first time ever to occur and it may never happen again. We cheered with joy at the announcement of my niece's pregnancy. It was understandable that everyone is still a bit hesitant to be excited over our adoption. This wait is incomprehensible even to me. My sister-in-law so thoughtfully brought our Mia a gift for Christmas too, a chinese baby-doll. So many are scared that this may end in failure, a miscarriage or sorts. How precious is life and the relationships we build.
It was so nice to begin the Holy Day with a Christmas Eve candlelight service at our church with the pew lined with our family. The next morning was wonderfully delayed as we all slept 'til 7 and leisurely admired each others gifts. Somehow I talked the whole bunch into going to see "The Nativity" movie and even Mike's mom went along. The biggest joy was when Ethan admitted that it was really good. He's quite the movie critic.
We are in the homestretch and we've completed 16 months of this wait. Our dossier went to China on September 26, 2005. It's kind of like the re-entry story of the Apollo 13 module. If you haven't heard from us by this time next week - well.....we're coasting in outer-space. Pray that we hear soon. Holidays have our agency shut down until Thursday & Friday. If we haven't heard before the 4th or 5th I'll be nuts! Another week? God be merciful.

Hark the Herald is quiet

No, I don't feel guilty for not sending out Christmas cards this year. Every year Mike begins to sift through the ever increasing display of the yule-tide greetings, photo's and newsletters and I know he's thinking, "When are our cards going out?" Well, I refuse to be bluffed this year. In fact, I am quite staunch in my resolve to hold out on cards until the news of our referral comes. I have visions of a grand announcement in the New Year.
The heavens were silent for some 300 years prior to the coming Messiah. But upon Jesus' birth heaven burst open and out flowed The Word. His arrival was heralded in majestically. Words alone were not enough. Only the serafs and angels could do justice to this miraculous event. I've spent my entire life trying to understand His impact upon my being.
How inadequate I feel to describe our wait for this child. How empty our world feels knowing that we cannot predict the timing. We mortals love to be in control, yet our dominion is an illusion. Peace is found knowing that His love is perfect and in the fullness of time His plan will be completed. Our family is blessed to have been given this opportunity. Another life to enrich our path. God's fullness is limitless. We can not begin to imagine the things He has planned for each of us. My prayer is that, like the serafs, we reflect at least some of His splendor.

Soon a plane will carry packages from the China Center of Adoption Affairs containing the dossiers of many children already matched with a family. Once they are delivered to the different agencies, it will take several days to deliver the bundles of joy. Some agencies are anticipating referrals to come right before Christmas, some right after and some the first week of the New Year. I can hardly think of this time now without having my chest tighten and I can't imagine how I will hold up when it actually happens. If I could blow a trumpet to proclaim our delight, I would! The phones will ring and the blog will post. Stay tuned......Whenever we get the news that we have a child, the heralding will begin!

Silent Night, Holy Night
All is calm, all is bright
'Round yon virgin, Mother and Child
Holy enfant, so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

4 MORE WEEKS!

The bad news is...we missed by ONE STINKING DAY!
The goods news is.....NO MORE GUESSING. We are definitely gonna be in the next batch.
I can finally relax and know that the new year will be bringing us a baby girl.
I really didn't want to be in Bejing in the cold winter anyway.
God is Good!

FIELD TRIP!

Are we in? Stay tuned!

We are currently under an ORANGE alert. The question remains, "Will we be included in this batch?" God willing - we will know by weeks end.

Sweet relief

There were no referrals for October. How cruel can this wait get. Especially for those who had been waiting fourteen plus months. The month as the hardest month ever to get through. Even though we all have different log-in dates, we all wait together. Waiting to herald in the newest bundles of joy and waiting to see if we are moving ahead any faster in line. Referrals have typically been going out during the last two weeks of each month, but there's nothing "typical" about this wait. October came and went and we in the adoption community were on edge. So many lives wrapped up in the events to unfold. Rumors fly. Hopes dangle atop a tedious roller-coaster. November 1st was sweet relief for us all. The CCAA finally gave news and agencies began confirming - Referrals were released! I feel like a proud sister now. Our newfound friends here in our hometown now are parents to a beautiful little girl. They were logged-in with the CCAA August 16th, 2005. They hold in their hearts a ten-month old from Guangdong province. They await travel plans. This joyful realisation brings anticipation for all of us in my group logged in September 9th, 2005: Are we next?

It's a month to begin planning for the holidays. A month of reflecting on our blessings. I'm meeting so many wonderful people this side of China, I can only hope for more as we meet face-to-face in such a culture-full country. I have grown to a newer maturity. Though I can't begin to imagine what it will be like for us to finally receive our referral, it seems like a far-off dream now.....stretching farther and farther away, I'm trying to visualize it. How will it feel to finally see her face? Maybe we're next. We've hopped back on the roller-coaster ride for yet another month of ups and downs. We will either set ourselves up to be sorely dissappointed if we don't make it, or we will be swept away in joyful surprise if God intervines, OR.....we will resign ourselves to December. I just so wanted to see my baby's face before Christmas.

Quiet before the Storm

We've not had rain in over a month now. Everything is very dry and desolate. I know, October is supposed to be dry for harvest, but this is different. The weather is beautiful, calm and still. Last night there was rumbling and flashing in the distance giving some promise of scattered showers but still no relief for the parched earth.
There's a similar situation with the adoption. No news. Rumors dry and desolate. Weary parents. Just a few rumblings in the distant to keep us hoping this is the quiet before the storm. We always look forward to the end of the month to see how many referrals will be released. I'm especially anticipating this months because another couple from our hometown are expecting theirs. They've been waiting since August 16th, 2005.
Could this be the month that the flood gates open and relieve this barren land of parents? If so, we'll get to see our "little pumpkin's" face in November!

Keep on Rollin'

Oh to be in the river of "Denial" is treacherous indeed, but I've now sunk in to the 'ole black waters of Mississippi reality. We've prayed that we would have our Mia before we reached our 12 month anniversary (Sept. 9th) but that's not going to happen. Our best case scenario now is a referral in November and travel in January. There....I've said it out loud. That's been the hardest part - admitting that this process is out of our control. It's just not as simple as signing up for a cruise or tourist adventure. I could try to explain it by politics or supply and demand, but there's no one simple answer. This one thing I do feel certain about. Well, pretty certain because I've learned that at any moment China could close the doors and our daughter would be lost. But, I am going to be here until they do and we will slowly but surely inch our way to the receiving line. Wow, what a reception that will be! Just thought of the old classic song and it's put me in a mood.
"Ole black water,
Keep on roll'in
Mississippi Moon won't you keep on shinin'
Old black water,
Keep on roll'in
Mississippi Moon won't you keep on shinin on me
Keep on shinin' your light
Gonna make everythin'
Sweet Mama gonna make everythin' all right
And I aint in a hurry,
cause aint got no worries at all."

Rollin Slow but at least I'm not on "deNile"!!!