In The Mail and Waiting

We have worked so hard and so long on getting paperwork complete!

Last week we sent almost our entire collection of 

dossier documents

(twenty documents to be exact), 

to be state certified.  

It really felt like we put a chunk of our hearts in the mail.  

Our little girl's future was put in an envelope and sent off away from home.  

I just checked the tracking information and found out that all of the documents had been received by the California Department of State.

Once they are all certified, they will send them back to us and

then we send them to the Ch*nese Embassy here in CA to be authenticated.

Then they can be sent off to CH*NA and we get a Log In date!

Also off on the same day, was our application to immigrate our precious little one 

and give her US citizenship.  

So, another chunk of us was mailed to Homeland Security.  

They will hopefully approve our application quickly 

and give us appointments for ANOTHER set of fingerprinting 

for all four of us 

(Connor and Christopher need to be screened also because they are 

considered adults living in our home.).

That application was delivered also!  

More waiting.

More waiting.

More waiting.

And

more waiting.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

Psalm 130:5-6

Loaves and Fishes

We have had amazing results with our garage sales.  

God just seems to multiply what has been given to us -- it is really amazing.

The first couple of sales we had some pretty big ticket items, 

and were tickled to make $700 - $800 each time we had one.

So, you can imagine our delight yesterday when we sold $850 worth of things 

and our biggest ticket item was $40!!

Really!

And, at the end of the day when it was time to put things back in the garage, 

we coule barely fit it all in.

It really does seem like loaves and fishes!

So, next weekend, we will be at it again.  

In fact, more things were just dropped off this afternoon.

Anyone need leather living room furniture?

Collecting

So far we have collected

letters of recommendations,

police letters, 

doctor letters and forms,

employer letters,

copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates,

back ground checks, 

passport photos, family photos,

financial statements, 

and more!

I've also collected a few other things that are way more fun.  

And although I have now promised Paul that I won't do anymore shopping until we know what size she is, I just couldn't resist getting a few things.  

They were all on sale -- I promise!!

Things Are Moving Along

Its so fun to actually feel like we are getting closer.  

The past couple of weeks have felt like that.  

We have received unexpected financial gifts that have allowed us to start our home study, pay our second agency fee, and get fingerprinting done!

We got our police letters from the sheriff's department.  Our dear friend and traveling notary accompanied us.

We had a garage sale with all kinds of great donated stuff.  We sold lots and still have a few great items to list online.  

Wish I had taken pictures of all these things!!

We had our first appointment with our social worker.  He will be back two more times in the next couple of weeks.  Once his rough draft of our home study is written, our agency will begin the matching process.  

They look for a little one from the Waiting Children list that match the list of special needs that we have indicated we are open to.  We really see ourselves with another baby girl with a cleft lip and palate.  Can't wait to see her face.     

Here We Go Again!

When we had our first child almost twenty two years ago, 

I would have never believed that we would be adding to our family by adoption.

I never imagined having more than two or three children.

After Sarah was born, I was sure we were done!

I was prepared to wait for grandchildren.

God Had A Different Plan!

And, I am sooooooo glad that He did.

Had we not been open to what God had planned, we would never know the blessing of Olivia.

And now, we can't wait to see what God has in store for us this time around.  

We have been accepted in to the American World Adoption Agency and plan to adopt again from the Waiting Child Program in China.  

We have already decided on Jessica as our little one's name.  

Don't Livi and Jessie sound like cute sister names?

So, dear sweet Jessica, we don't know your face yet.  But, our Lord God in heaven does.  

And we can't wait to meet you!