Update

We got new pictures of the Panda eating his birthday cake with his nannies and friends.  Very cute, but until I figure out how to blur out the faces of others for their privacy, I can't post them....  The cake was the most beautiful one I've ever seen.

We also heard from our agency that our I800 came back, although we haven't actually gotten it in the mail yet.  Good news!  Things are moving along well.  The packing lists are intimidating, though...  :)

New pics

We received these pictures with a short written update about our Panda this morning as a follow on with the RA.

Pictures

RA!!!!

Our agency is FED EXing our RA right now.  Praise God!


Proverbs 25:25
Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

Birthdays

Summer starts "birthday season" here at the zoo.  Dad first.  The Panda wedged his way in between Mom and Dad.  I have to say that passing by his birthday without him was really hard for me.  After we get our LOA, I can send him a package and a birthday cake.  I spent that day thinking a lot about him.  My dad and the kids and I got to be with my very dear cousin that day, which was a huge help.  She was very encouraging, and I know that her prayers are also with my little guy.  After my birthday, all three kids come pretty fast.

The girls are trying to plan their parties, and Matt and I still think we should do that...  we shall see....

Tomorrow is Day 50 in the wait for the LOA.  I've got my lesson plans pretty much done for the year (I only teach half a day at a homeschool co-op).  I800 is in an envelope ready to go in the mail.  Packing lists are ready.

I think this is the calm before the storm- my last breath before taking a swim in the deep end.  I have serious nervous excitement- there is a tiny bit of fear of the unknown in there.  Travel, meeting someone that I LOVE, but don't know, coming home to surgeries and adjustment.  Fear is so swallowed up by the desperate need to put my hands on my son and watch him grow with his siblings.  For someone who is usually a chicken, I am so ready to go.


1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Ok, so I'm not perfect.  This is not news.  :)    

But God is at work, already knitting our WHOLE family together in love, and working out the plans that He made from before the foundation of the world.  He is perfect, and full of perfect love.

More Paperwork

Matt's last post mentioned something about "wrapping up" the paperwork.  Haaaaahhhhhaaaaaa.  Last week I spent 18 hours putting together the I800 packet that we will send when we get our Letter of Acceptance (sometimes LOA or RA) from China.  Could be soon.  Maybe I'm just bad at paperwork, but that was the worst form ever.  If you are in the adoption process, do not procrastinate on this one.

When we get the LOA, we can show everyone pictures of this cute little fellow, and then we'll actually let people read this blog.  Exciting for us that you all get to meet our new baby.

I was forced to de-clutter a lot around the house lately.  We had a little water get into the storage room (snuggle puppy + garden hose + vent to hot water tank = mess).  This led to a big de-clutter of the storage room.  I couldn't find some receipts that I needed info from for the I800 form, so this led to a de-clutter of files and junk drawers.  I'm sure I could de-clutter endlessly, but I was glad to get those unexpected nudges to get it done.  While I was in the storage room, I looked at every tiny little 18 mos and 2T outfit.  How I wish  the little guy were already here to wear them.  They seem impossibly small.

Also, we are getting ready for Backyard Bible Clubs (a new direction instead of VBS for our church this year).  IMHO, VBS week is the most fun week of the year.  Tiring, but thrilling.  I guess I just love to tell the story...  This year, we are focusing on the "I AM" statements that Jesus made about himself.


John 6:35  "I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger"


Ok, so truth time....  I have a big worry that my little guy doesn't get enough to eat.  I know in my head that orphanages care for the children and I have huge respect for those nannies who are tasked with the impossible.  If you've taken care of just one or two babies, you know it is work.  I can't imagine how it would feel to be in charge of a lot of babies.  


Matthew 4:4  “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

God can provide for and sustain and protect my baby, and the millions of other orphans.  My head knows it, but my heart still picks that worry up sometimes.

Please pray for orphans, and please pray for the nannies and caregivers.

Wrapping up the paperwork

OK, so we decided to take a break until our next milestone.  This week, we are finalizing the last of our paperwork (I-797) and sending it to AWAA.  This marks the end of our approximately one year paperwork chase.

We started with AWAA in June 2010 and immediately got identified thatwe had to do an alternative process due to something from about 30 years ago.  Little did we know at the time, but this alternate process requires that we get pre-approved before beginning the home study and dossier.  So, we did the additional paperwork and were referred to a child on August 24, 2010.  We agreed and were pre-approved for that child in October 2010.  So, now we had to start the paperwork knowing a little about our future child and seriously stressing over every day longer it took than it had too as he is sitting in an orphanage half way around the world waiting for us to come get him.  Since then, we have struggled through the mass of paperwork for the home study and dossier and all of the tons of notarizing and certifying copies of everything.  We finished all of that paperwork in February 2011 and then had to wait for the I-800A and fingerprinting appointment with USCIS.  We received that paperwork at the end of March and had the fingerprinting appointment in mid April.  We then waited about 6-weeks for our I-797 to come.  It arrived this weekend and we are getting it notarized and sent to AWAA this next week.  We tried to find a federal notary as AWAA told us this may save us about two weeks, but noone we know (military, bank or other notaries we know) has even heard of a federal notary.

Now we are in the home stretch and are waiting for our RA (Referral Approval) and TA (Travel Authorization).  We were originally told this was about two months, but AWAA recently told us they are seeing up to six months for this right now.  We are praying for 2-4 months.

Proverbs 16:9
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

Psalm 5:3
In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.