"Paper Pursuit" is over! :)

"There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart...pursue those." - Author Unknown

I'm happy to update that our dossier was submitted to our agency this morning! Michael delivered it and now it will begin going through the "critical review" process. Our agency will check it to be sure that everything that needs to be there, is there. (As if! I only checked over it a gazillion times before releasing it-ha!) Then, it will be overnighted to the main office in Colorado where all of our photos will be mounted , paperwork translated, and bound into a nice red folder like the CCCWA (Chinese Center for Children Welfares & Adoption- central government organization that manages the international adoption process) prefers. Once our dossier has made it through the "critical review" process it will be international airmailed to Ch!na! 

Here are some pics of our dossier getting checked in:

 

The night before he submitted the dossier:

We made a mad dash to the UPS store to make the last photo copy needed (the authenticated 797 from the Houston consulate).

 I checked, double checked triple checked, well, you get it!, a dozen times all of our paperwork to be certain nothing was missing before wrapping it up in its pink folder....

 

 This is what it looked like! :)

 

 

It is hard to believe that it took 6 months to get all that documentation together. Looking back, it wasn't that hard to do. Yes, it took time. Yes, it required resources and TONS of patience. But, I couldn't imagine NOT doing it for our daughter.  The hard part, for me, was having to rely on other people to do what they needed to do.

 

 I have to remind myself hourly that I am not in control and that this is a  FAITH journey. I have to remind myself hourly that He is the one that equipped us to run the race, and that through Him this journey has been birthed. I have to remind myself hourly that He will continue to provide for Lia Grace until we arrive and that He has a hedge of protection around all of us until we unite. At the end, there is a beautiful beginning. Until then, please keep the prayers coming, and thank you all for your continued encouragement! 

XOXOXOXO.....