Expecting- 433 Days Later

"It might take a year, it might take a day,

but what's meant to be will always find a way."

~Unknown

Or it might take 433 days...

This is the post that I have been waiting so long to write. We received the call on Wednesday, June 18th at 11:07 AM. There are so many details I want to include for our daughter and honestly don't know if I will be able to accurately articulate all of them like I need to but I am going to try. As another adoptive momma advised me, "Start at the beginning. " Settle in as this will likely be a long post. Lia Grace, you'll thank me someday. :)

From the start we turned this journey over to God and left it in His hands. I often said, "This is not in our time and it is not our story. It is in His time and this is His story. We are only a part of Lia's redemption story." I maintain this and want to make it very clear that God is to receive the glory for what He has done, not Michael and I. It was never about us. We were called to adopt and we stepped out in faith trusting in His perfect timing to provide our daughter. He is great and He is mighty, and can I just say that our daughter is absolutely perfect! As soon as I can give you the details about her, I will, but I must honor what our agency has asked and wait until we receive our official LOA (Letter of Acceptance) from Ch*na. This is standard protocol for all adoptive families and since we have been logged in for a while now our LOA *should* arrive very quickly.

Shortly after we were logged in I began connecting with many other adoptive families through social media, yes-positive plug for FB,  and the various support groups that are offered for both waiting families and families that are already home with their children. I became fast friends with a special group of ladies, and we began to encourage and support one another. I must say that these ladies have lifted me through some of my toughest hours and days through the wait. I did not blog much through the wait because I really did not have much to say or report, nor did I want to depress anyone or complain even though there were many days I honestly wanted to act like a two year old.

When this school year ended my parents took our older kids for a few weeks. This year unlike other years, I immediately, like the day after post planning, began de-cluttering and nesting like a mad woman. I told Michael that we needed to get ready for Lia even though our agency told me that the prospect of traveling this year was not even in the cards. I was even told that we would need to start our home study update and immigration renewal process this Fall. Yes, I was a hot mess after I hung up from that call and it was not a fun evening here.

Ok, here is where I hope I can articulate everything I want to. June has been a super tough month. Satan has used every single possible tactic to steal joy, cause doubt, insecurity, worry, anxiety, you name it! He has *tried* to tear me, and my precious group of waiting mommas, down. On Monday, one of our friends was especially burdened and feeling sad. Our time lines are very close although she has been waiting longer. Anyway, we all wept for her and with her and began crying out to God. My prayers were for God to show up and show off! I reminded Him of His promises, of His might, of His ability to do far greater things than what we could ever imagine. Here is what I said during one of our group chats Tuesday morning, "Lol. But beach friend is right. It's not our stories not our time. It is His story and it'll happen in His time. I just need reassurance that it'll still happen." (Yea, I told you Satan was causing doubt but we won't discuss that part anymore.)  I went to bed drawing HUGE, very focused, prayer circles and thanking God for all He has already done.

On Tuesday night, she, who I will refer now to as overseas friend,  got her call. I was at my monthly book club meeting when she received her referral. I wept when I opened up the group message and saw the announcement. I praised God for His glory and for restoring hope in all of our hearts, not just mine. It was an exciting time for all 5 of us and we rejoiced together with her. There were lots of happy tears. You can ask my book club buddies! :)  When I came home that night from book club I shared the news with Michael about overseas friend. I told him that I felt like we would get our call in September based on overseas friends' stats. He gave me my usual "It is not our time...." talk (eyes roll and sigh). Late Tuesday night beach friend and I were talking and I said to her, "God is so into the details" when I learned that she was close friends with another mom that I had met through our lil adoption community and one that I know has also been praying for us. Beach friend replied, "He really is. And He does like to show off so I would pee my pants if our paths all cross!!" This was my response to that, "I dare Him! Lol I'd welcome it!"  Again, my prayers were very specific that night when I went to bed.

Wednesday morning I woke up to my usual routine and decided to ask beach friend about the Letter of Intent (LOI) and what is involved with writing one. Always gracious, she explained. Here was one of my questions. "Could I start say a generic LOI now or is it a waste of time?" One of the other moms, whom I will refer to as swim lessons friend,  always prays for us and our needs during her children's daily swim lessons. On Wednesday morning when she asked for our prayer requests, this is what I wrote-

Prayers continue for beach friend, prayers now for overseas friend's daughter's heart and her transition (the precious daughter/grand daughter/friend that has no idea she's no longer fatherless-GLORY!), overseas friend and spouse as they prepare to welcome their first child, and for us and our daughters as we wait for God to reveal their sweet faces to us in His time. Above all for His perfect peace through the wait.

That was the last message I wrote then got on the treadmill.

I was just finishing my workout and was cooling down when I heard my daughter running and screaming coming up the stairs. She said, "Mom, mom it's Chinese Children!" I jumped off the treadmill and told her, "Pick it up!!! Hurry!!!" She handed me the phone and before I could even say hello the tears came. I knew it was our agency telling me about Lia Grace. When the lady from the waiting child department asked if "I had a minute, she had a file in front of her with our names on it", my reply immediately was, "Tell me all about my daughter." Her file was read to me, although I didn't really care, I knew she was ours. When we hung up I tried to call Michael. He was stuck on a conference call on his way out of town for meetings. I sent him this text, "We have our daughter!!!!" He finally was able to get off the call and pulled over on the interstate to talk to me. Early on, we promised that when we did get the call we would not open her referral until we were together. So, I decided to shower (ugly crying and praising God the whole time) and get ready until he could get to a computer and call me back. What would another hour wait hurt at this point to see her sweet face? I had already waited 10,392 hours for this moment. While I was on the phone with our agency, our oldest daughter was messaging my group of mommas sharing what was happening and how God had just showed off BIG!

Michael finally arrived to his destination and we both got to our computers. Satan, tried to cripple BOTH of my laptops by freezing them but I used my very smart phone instead. One for the Prince of Peace, zero for the enemy. Anyway, we opened the file at the same time and saw the most adorable, perfect face looking at us. Yep, she was ours no doubt. Here is the our older kids reaction when they saw her face for the first time:

I will spare you the picture my daughter took of me while I was on the phone with the agency. It was less than glamorous as I was a sweaty hot mess ugly crying. *winks* 

The rest of the day is a blur because I was busy trying to get her file in the hands of the right medical professionals for their review. We knew she was ours and it wouldn't make a difference but it is protocol, and we had to do this so we would know exactly what kind of care she would need when she returns home. Once things calmed down a bit, my overseas mom asked me where she was in Ch*na. Ok, are you ready for another detail that only God could orchestrate?  Our daughter is in the same location as her daughter. They are already buddies!

Michael and I heard back from all the medical professionals by Thursday afternoon and called our agency to tell them that she was ours. Actually, I emailed Thursday morning and told them that we were 99% committed to her but had a couple questions that we needed answered. By Thursday night, our LOI was written and submitted without those questions answered. I did mention she was ours already from the start.

Overseas friend submitted her LOI a day before us so we will likely travel together because our time lines mirror each other. Our daughters are friends in the same location, and overseas friend is from South Carolina and will be relocated back to the East Coast in October for good. So, our daughters will be able to continue their friendship once home too! Beach friend was already matched in the middle of May but is waiting for her LOA so it is very possible that we will all travel together, and she lives fairly close too!

Are you in awe yet? There are many, many more details of His goodness that I could share but His fingerprints are all over our daughter's story. We feel truly blessed and honored to be able to be a part of Lia Grace's redemption. I cannot wait to share her pics with you and more details as I can.

While we are waiting on our LOA, may I ask you to pray specifically for our youngest daughter and her protection, health, and the transition for her sweet heart? Please continue to pray for us and for God's guidance and provisions as we continue to navigate the final steps to bring our precious Lia home.

Lia Grace, you are so loved baby girl! You will be home soon now and we cannot wait to have you here!
We love and adore you,
MaMa, BaBa, Ge Ge Ryan, Jie Jie Ansley, and Gou Emma (the adorable Yorkie)