Meet Abbie from Belgium...she is helping us during the wait. We've 'bout rubbed all the fur off her!
Friday, March 31, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Korean Choir tours U.S.
This is the second time in one year we've been able to host member of this talented and inspiring choir. Elliott, Ethan and Michaela really love spending time with and getting to know them. They actually did not sleep at all but had fun talking all night. The next morning they were like zombies but knew they were going to sleep on the bus. We, however, were pooped.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Our Sixth Month of Waiting
For the first time in many months I've got exciting news! The group before us has gotten official word from China that they are finished reviewing their documents and are ready to be matched. That means our group (September 2005) is now being actively reviewed. I know, it may not sound like much to you, but for this depressed woman it's a step forward.
Winter has never been my most productive season. I tend to burrow down and hybernate. The dreary February days have rolled on into bleak, windy and unpredicatable March. March is almost gone and our household has gotten almost comfortable with the wait. But for me it has been like silent screaming. We know that the adoption will happen, but it may take upwards of another six months. Everything I understand points to a slow-down in the next few months so I'm trying to prepare myself for the possibility of a September referral. Why the lengthy wait. From all I read it stems from many factors like; 1) the numbers of abandoned children have decreased - this is good news for the children. 2) the number of domestic adoptions have increased - this is also good news for the children. 3)the number of paper-ready children has decreased - this sounds like bureaucratic red-tape - not good for kids. 4)the increase number of people wanting to adopt from China - again, good! 5) the investigation of possible illegal baby traffiking in Hunan province - its good that there is a thorough investigation! 6) the CCAA - China Center for Adoption Affairs has been disrupted because of moving it's facility - maybe they'll speed up once their system is set up. All of these things I read about and understand. It doesn't make it any easier, but I know that China has a reputable adoption program. I am now feeling a little easier knowing that our file isn't just "floating" around the hallways somewhere in China, but now I am really anxious to see how big this next group of referrals will be. Please pray with me that the group from June 2005 will get babies this next week. I hope you'll pray that we all stay encouraged during the wait. My next goal is to post of few updated photo's - if I can get my camera and family to cooperate. Happy Spring!
Winter has never been my most productive season. I tend to burrow down and hybernate. The dreary February days have rolled on into bleak, windy and unpredicatable March. March is almost gone and our household has gotten almost comfortable with the wait. But for me it has been like silent screaming. We know that the adoption will happen, but it may take upwards of another six months. Everything I understand points to a slow-down in the next few months so I'm trying to prepare myself for the possibility of a September referral. Why the lengthy wait. From all I read it stems from many factors like; 1) the numbers of abandoned children have decreased - this is good news for the children. 2) the number of domestic adoptions have increased - this is also good news for the children. 3)the number of paper-ready children has decreased - this sounds like bureaucratic red-tape - not good for kids. 4)the increase number of people wanting to adopt from China - again, good! 5) the investigation of possible illegal baby traffiking in Hunan province - its good that there is a thorough investigation! 6) the CCAA - China Center for Adoption Affairs has been disrupted because of moving it's facility - maybe they'll speed up once their system is set up. All of these things I read about and understand. It doesn't make it any easier, but I know that China has a reputable adoption program. I am now feeling a little easier knowing that our file isn't just "floating" around the hallways somewhere in China, but now I am really anxious to see how big this next group of referrals will be. Please pray with me that the group from June 2005 will get babies this next week. I hope you'll pray that we all stay encouraged during the wait. My next goal is to post of few updated photo's - if I can get my camera and family to cooperate. Happy Spring!
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
"The Sound of Silence"
January is supposed to be a reflective month anyway, but this year was ridiculous! Last year we took the family on the Carnival Cruise to contemplate this adoption and the whirlwind began. We were extremely busy getting all the mountains of documents ordered, prepared, and authorized. Now .....nothing....silence. Except........the clatter of my fingers on the keyboard. My nightly ritual is now to check the message boards of yahoo to see what's the latest news. You see, I'm on about 5 yahoo groups. We talk about how we are preparing for this baby, we give and listen to advice, we share news stories and photos of our nurseries. The ladies and a few gentlemen even open gifts on "cybershowers" we oooh and aahh over this months referral pictures. This months referrals! What an awesome time it is as child-less couples are greeted by fed-ex with these little ones they've long for for so long! I'm now good friends it seems with a blessed Christian woman named Edi. She shared her story with us all how her relative prayed for her to marry a Christian man only a few years ago and as he prayed a blessing for God to bless her with a man he prayed also that she be blessed with children. Edi is now the proud mom of a two year old daughter that was conceived around the same time as this prayer was voiced. You can see this same story at http://www.christianadoptionmoms.com/article_godsredthread.html I am just overwhelmed at the blessings I am receiving from these groups. Our agency received 39 babies (ages 7 mo. to 23 months - Edi's). We are praying that referrals will begin to speed up after Chinese New Year. It seems that this holiday goes on for about 2 weeks and closes everything down. Please-Please pray that AWAA groups 214 - 219 will get referrals next. We are group 230 and if the groups stay together by months we should know who our baby is by May or June! The sound of silence is deafening!
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Our "State of the Family" Address 2006
What a year! Full of blessings and trials. Our Elliott is in his final semester of High School. We are so proud that he has decided to go to Mississippi State University in the Fall. He has been accepted into their Honors program and dormitory. His Spanish III class has been planning a Senior trip to Mexico for over a year now. He's will be going on an 8 day trip to several cities in April. Mostly he is excited because it will be his first time to fly! This summer will mark his fourth year with the Mississippi Baptist All-State Youth Choir and Orchestra. He plays the piano for our church youth band and also fills in for our worship services. We are so proud that he has such a passion for music. He's grown up so fast.
Ethan, who turns fifteen in February, has found more favor with his older brother this year as he has joined him on the Math and Science team at school. Eliott actually has discovered that Ethan does know this trivia (we all thought he made up his "facts")!Ethan is busy writing a novel - something to do with the Roman Empire. He is busier now than ever as Santa brought him a laptop. Already he has settled his mind to attend a Christian College close by - maybe William Carey but probably University of Mobile. He's still a little fickle. So time will tell.
Our little Michaela has grown so fast! She is reading extremely well but has had a challenging first grade year. She would rather work at the store with her Daddy and Nana or help Mamaw cook and sew. Michaela absolutely loves babies and is really good help for me every Wednesday night in the Church Nursery. She is so excited now about being a big sister. Maybe she'll even learn to sleep in her bed!
As many of you already know, we're in the process of adopting from China. During the last week of August we completed the last of our "paper chase" (quite a grueling process), and sent our dossier to China (via America World Adoption Agency in McClain, VA). It was mailed to China the Friday before hurricane Katrina hit. That was a miracle alone that it was able to get there before the storm. If it had not we would have been delayed much longer. As it is now, we are waiting. We know that our child is most likely already born and either in an orphanage or in foster care, but we do not know her identy yet. If everything keeps moving along like it is now we should have a referral (consisting of a biography, photo and health information) in April or May. Upon our acceptance of this referral, Mike and I both will travel to China some 6-8 week later to bring her home. We are praying that our travel will be in June but it could be later.
This has been and will continue to be a demanding and yet rewarding process. When we receive the referral, we will most definitely want to share our excitement with you. We're so grateful for everyones support and encouragement and we await Mia.
Ethan, who turns fifteen in February, has found more favor with his older brother this year as he has joined him on the Math and Science team at school. Eliott actually has discovered that Ethan does know this trivia (we all thought he made up his "facts")!Ethan is busy writing a novel - something to do with the Roman Empire. He is busier now than ever as Santa brought him a laptop. Already he has settled his mind to attend a Christian College close by - maybe William Carey but probably University of Mobile. He's still a little fickle. So time will tell.
Our little Michaela has grown so fast! She is reading extremely well but has had a challenging first grade year. She would rather work at the store with her Daddy and Nana or help Mamaw cook and sew. Michaela absolutely loves babies and is really good help for me every Wednesday night in the Church Nursery. She is so excited now about being a big sister. Maybe she'll even learn to sleep in her bed!
As many of you already know, we're in the process of adopting from China. During the last week of August we completed the last of our "paper chase" (quite a grueling process), and sent our dossier to China (via America World Adoption Agency in McClain, VA). It was mailed to China the Friday before hurricane Katrina hit. That was a miracle alone that it was able to get there before the storm. If it had not we would have been delayed much longer. As it is now, we are waiting. We know that our child is most likely already born and either in an orphanage or in foster care, but we do not know her identy yet. If everything keeps moving along like it is now we should have a referral (consisting of a biography, photo and health information) in April or May. Upon our acceptance of this referral, Mike and I both will travel to China some 6-8 week later to bring her home. We are praying that our travel will be in June but it could be later.
This has been and will continue to be a demanding and yet rewarding process. When we receive the referral, we will most definitely want to share our excitement with you. We're so grateful for everyones support and encouragement and we await Mia.
Why are we Blogging?
Hello family and friends and Happy New year! We've never been good about corresponding or even picking up the phone, for that matter, but we feel that an event like the one we're "fixin" to go through...well it's gonna be worth the effort. Our prayer is that during the next few months, as we go through this waiting phase of the adoption, we can answer your questions and receive your comments. But more importantly, as we travel to China and get our daughter, we will be able to send update messages and photo's to everyone quickly and easily! Please keep us in your prayers and let us hear from you.
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