The photo album that we created for Hong Li was received in China. This is the special birthday gift that will go to the orphanage, along with a birthday cake that she can share with all of her friends. We included a self addressed stamped envelope, in hopes that she will somehow be able to communicate back with us (with assistance).

On a sad note, we found out today that our neighbors who are from Beijing are moving! It is very sad for Emma, who is good friends with their daughter, Lynn. Along with losing very good neighbors, we were hoping that they would be able to help us with translation issues when we returned from China. They actually translated Nina's photo album before we sent it, and we were so grateful. We do have their cell phone number, and they are just moving to another part of Lexington, but for any of you who have lost good neighbors, you know what I mean.............

New Measurements!

We were notified of an update in our daughter's measurements today!

She is now 40.16 inches and 32.6 pounds. Her foot is 6.7 inches (size 7?). Just to give you some perspective, Emma is 43 inches, weighs 42 pounds, and wears a size 12 shoe! Wow! Nina is so tiny! She is on the Chinese growth chart for weight (3rd percentile), but not for height. Her head is in the 50th percentile at 49 cm.

I need to figure out Gymboree sizing, but I still think that she will be able to wear Emma's size 4's by the time we get her. We sent a birthday present to her via redthreadchina.com. The vice director at her orphanage told our contact that he was thrilled because Ji Hong Li's friends have been adopted and received gifts, but Ji Hong Li has never received anything. Boy, that girl is in for a shock when she gets here! I feel like I'm living at Toys 'R Us some days! Definitely NOT a good thing!

We pray that everyone has a very Merry Christmas, and we are looking forward to a wonderful New Year as a family of 5!

One Step Closer to DTC!

We were fingerprinted in Cincinnati yesterday. It only took 15 minutes total, which was great! I guess we are officially in the 90 day wait for the I-800? Next week, Roger will take the paperwork to the County Clerk to be certified, then on to Frankfort the following week, God willing.

Please continue to pray for us!

Appointment!

We found out on Tuesday that our fingerprinting appointment was scheduled for next Friday, the 21st! We are thrilled, but very surprised that we will be going to Cincinnati instead of Louisville to be fingerprinted! It seems as if the wait to LOA from fingerprinting is decreasing a bit, so we're hoping that its no longer than 90 days....stay tuned!

Prayers Answered in the Affirmative?

Ok, I've chatted with many adoptive parents on a couple of the groups, and everyone agrees that its kind of a "don't ask, don't tell" issue. Apparently, the Hague approved agencies have to tell their clients that they cannot have contact with their child. However, there are other "businesses" who will facilitate that contact, such as "Blessed Kids," etc. I have communicated with the owner of this particular business, and she told me that she has delivered care packages to this orphanage before. She said that the staff is very receptive, so that is good news! We will pray about the risk involved before making a decision to move forward with a care package along the way.

On one other positive note, we received our notice from the USCIS that our fingerprinting appointment is in the works, and we should have it soon! :)

I Love This!

...once our eyes are opened we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act. (Proverbs 24:12)

I have some sad news....I heard from our China coordinator, who informed me that we were not allowed to have any contact with Nina prior to our adoption due to the Hague treaty. I have never heard this before, and have NEVER known a couple who was not able to send pictures, letters, etc. all during their wait. I've asked for reconsideration, but I don't know that it will help. Please pray for us, and for Nina! I cannot imagine that having no communication wouldn't make for a much more difficult transition.

THE NEWS WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR !!!!

We received news today that China APPROVED our petition to adopt Ji Hong Li!!!!!!!!!!! We are overjoyed, and praise God for His Goodness and His Faithfulness!!!! We are still waiting for our fingerprinting appointment...stay tuned!!!

Mailed!

I was notified by our social worker that our home study was mailed yesterday! Now, we are awaiting a fingerprinting appointment. Meanwhile, we've figured out that Roger's blood test will expire before reaching DTC. Our coordinator is trying to help us figure out how to remedy that situation. Stay tuned!

Pre-Application Sent!

We got some very exciting news last night...our pre-application to adopt Ji Hong Li has been sent to CCAA electronically! Yea!! That may seem minor, but it means that in a couple of weeks, China will let us know if we are approved to bring her home. At that point, she is fully ours and we can post her pictures!! Our coordinator said that she foresees no problem with our being approved, so that's a relief.

The homestudy is with BAAS awaiting approval. Once its approved, we will be taking all of our documents to Frankfort for authentication, then we just wait for the fingerprinting appt. I really pray that we are logged in by November, but realistically it could be December. The way that it looks now, it could be May before we travel. We really don't want to have to travel in the heat of summer, so we would MUCH prefer March or April. God's timing is perfect, however, so we trust in His divine timeline!

We are going to tell my parents this weekend, so please pray for God's hand in that as well.

Beautiful Understanding

Every call has a beginning
A quiet moment when God whispers a promise to a mother’s heart
A holy place where a father bows and faithfully accepts the journey set before him.
A miraculous morning that unexpectedly dawns…
Casting its first light on a chosen threshold.
A gentle knock..a closed door opens.
A sacred invitation sent by the Father..
Leads to the other side of the world.
Where lonely hearts stare out orphanage windows
Praying for someone to care...
And then one morning,
On an ordinary day
An orphan’s life changes...
God sends them a second chance...
Through you..

Home Study Complete

Everything has been sent to BAAS for approval! Yea!! We really need to get the I-800 moving so that we can get our fingerprinting appt. I'm starting to stress about the financial aspects again, so prayer is in immediate order! I know that God is faithful, and we just have to take one step at a time.

In the meantime, I've been doing some Christmas shopping early. It will be easy to space the cost of the holiday over three months, which will be important as the adoption expenses start coming due.

I really pray that we will be logged in early enough to send Nina a Christmas gift, or a birthday cake. I cannot wait to be able to communicate with my new daughter!

Ending the Homestudy

We had our last visit this weekend, and we are rounding the corner on our homestudy! Yea!!! Roger's paperwork has been sent to California for authentication, and is on its way back. Now, we are waiting to hear from our I-800 application for an fingerprinting appt. Once we receive our hs, already notarized and county clerk certified (thanks to Adoption Assistance, Inc.), we can take our paperwork to Frankfort for authentication. We have hopes that we will be submitting our dossier in a couple of months....its in God's hands, however, and we know that His timing is perfect!

2 Down, 1 To Go!

We made it through our second homestudy visit tonight. Roger and I met individually with our social worker, then together. We will meet again next week, with Parker, then that should be it! Thank heavens! Now I have to get to the task of authenticating everything.....man, you forget how exhausting this process can be! I have a BUNCH of reading to do also! Better get to it!

Home Visit #1--Check!

Well, we survived our first homestudy visit. The social worker came to our house this evening, and things went very well. We're only missing a few items of paperwork, so I expect things to be finished in about 1 1/2 weeks. The next step will be for us to mail the California documents to be authenticated, shich I hope I can take care of this week! Yeah God!

Still Chasing, But Moving Along

Nearly all of the required documents together, and our social worker is scheduled for Wednesday evening. I have my physical scheduled for tomorrow morning, and I'm a wreck! I always hate these things. I'll check in when our meeting is over.

The Paperchase Begins

With all applications mailed and paid, we are currently paperchasing while working on our homestudy. We are using Adoption Assistance, Inc., who has agreed to handle our homestudy as an update! That's about $600 worth of good news! :)

We are praying for an abnormally fast homestudy and approval by the U.S. government. Roger has told his family, and they graciously agreed to help us with all of the preliminary fees involved. We will start applying for grants as soon as the CCAA gives their approval.

We cannot wait to post a picture of our new daughter!

Kristina

I think this is going to happen!

Ok, the signs are everywhere. Roger has commented that everywhere he has been this week, the subject of sermon, lecture, discussion, etc. has been faith! Tonight we received word from his wonderful parents that they are going to help us with the initial financial expenses for Ji Hong Li's adoption. This is such a blessing, as it will allow us to move ahead in the process and see us through until we can apply for grant money. Yea God! He is so good to us!

We are thrilled, and can finally "breathe out," knowing that our journey will be so much less stressful, and so much more possible! That little mustard seed is moving mountains for us! Thanks be to God!

Ready, Set, Jump...

Well, we have the application in hand, and have informed the agency that we wish to adopt Ji Hong Li! Thursday night, we read the Bible and prayed together, and came to the conclusion that this is a leap of faith, and that we are ready to trust God and move forward. We seriously have NO idea how all of this is going to happen, but we both feel that we are doing what God desires for us, and for our new daughter.

Dr. Taylor has reviewed all of her medical information, and believes that her birthdate may be wrong because of her small size. In her province girls are historically very small, so its hard to tell. Our most recent update revealed that although small, she is growing!

I can't wait to post her picture! I'm waiting until China approves our "pre-application," as directed by BAAS.

Stay tuned!

Praying, Waiting, Wondering....

So, here we are again...wondering what God has in store for us this time! We believe that He has led us to a wonderful little seven year old, healthy girl in China. Having prayed and thought about adopting again, we are anxious to get started, but fearful about the finances involved. We trust that God will make a way if it is His will for this to happen, but we are moving faithfully forward.

We are awaiting a good word from Dr. Taylor regarding this little one's paperwork. Her file is on hold with BAAS. And we pray....

May God's will be done in her life, and in ours, always.

Kris