Christmas at Grandpa and Grandma's

I didn't expect to post again so soon but knew I would need to once the older kids admitted that they had "packaged snooped" and found a gift for Lia Grace tucked under the Christmas tree at my parent's house.                                                                                                                                       

 

We let the older kids open her present in her absence this year.

 

I know I had mentioned to my mom that we wanted to get Lia a nice baby doll for her arrival home but we didn't aggressively look for one as we knew that we still had plenty of time to shop for one for her. The doll my parents got her is perfect and beautiful! Her name is Calin Yang, and we will keep her in her box until Lia is home to receive her.

 

So, I guess in a small way, we did have a "mei mei" home with us at Christmas. We are looking forward to next year and can't wait to share Lia Grace's first Christmas with her!

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

"We all have a past, but thank God, we all have a future."

Joyce Meyer

 

Merry Christmas! As we have prepared for the season and celebrated with family, we have not forgotten about the daughter who is not here with us this year. She has a tree in her room just like her brother and sister, she has a stocking hung, and she even had some presents under the tree waiting for her. (Santa delivered early this year due to our travel plans, and Lia Grace was not forgotten. Santa delivered her a new mini back pack, a ladybug sippy cup, and the board book Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You for the long plane ride home from Ch*na.) She is part of our conversations and preparations, and there is no doubt that we all look forward to next Christmas with Lia Grace home.





Lia's tree topper is her first "mei mei" plush toy that will be sent to her in her first care package.
 



I ordered these beautiful handmade wired ornaments from Scarlet Threads for her tree. They are the Chinese characters for Grace, Family, Faith, Blessing, Love, and Hope.

 

 

Lia's stocking was also hung by the fireplace with care. :)

 

But, at the same time my heart hurts so much. I hurt because I know that a world away there sits millions of orphans in institutions who don't know what Christmas is about. They don't know anything about our Savior. They don't know the word love or what it means to be loved. They don't know what family is or what it means to be a part of a family. They don't know what it means to feel safe. They don't know if their needs will be met or how long they will have to wait for those needs to be met. They don't know what it is like to have something to call their very own.

 

I placed the quote from Joyce Meyer on this post because I want our daughter to understand that our past does not define us. She doesn't have, or even know about the joys of Christmas now, but she will. Boy, will she ever!

 

We cannot wait to point her to the throne, teach her about Christ, and help her hide away His words in her heart. We cannot wait to decorate trees (all of them! If you know us, you know we have ALOT!), bake cookies for Santa, visit and take pictures with Santa, open gifts, and listen to the giggles that come with it. We cannot wait to tell her the words, "We love you.", give her hugs and kisses, and prove to her that no matter where we go or what she does, she will NEVER be an orphan again. We cannot wait to introduce her to her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, and friends. She has no idea how many people love her already and have been praying for her. We cannot wait for Lia Grace to see that she does have things that she can call "her very own".

 A friend sent this to me and I wanted to share it. It is a beautiful tribute to all the children and families who are waiting.

 

As always, please keep praying.

And from our home to yours...

 

Merry CHRISTmas!

Matthew 1:18- 2:23

 

 



LID

Wow! That was fast! As of today we are officially logged in with the CCCWA. *insert happy dance*
What this means is that we are ready for a referral now from Ch!na. I think I'm still in shock that we actually got this news so fast. Stay tuned...I'll update more soon! :)

DTC!

  The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it. 

1 Thessalonians 5:24
 

 Yes, He will. It's hard to believe that we are at this point now and that I can actually write that our dossier is on its way to Chin@. Seriously, someone pinch me! :)
 "THE" email:
 

The news came as I was waiting in the hair salon this afternoon. As soon as I read the words, the tears came. I could not even finish reading the whole email before I had to text the good news to friends and family. The sweet receptionist asked if I was okay, and I had to assure her that my tears were tears of joy. 

 

We celebrated by eating Chinese take out for dinner, of course!, and we planned to send a pink and purple lantern off into the night sky (to Ch*na with the dossier) with wishes for Lia Grace written on them but it was too windy. We will send them off another evening this weekend. Our neighbor, Jen, was so gracious and took the photos for us to document this milestone. Thank you, Jen, for blessing us with this gift! We are so appreciative.  



When I look back on this journey, there were days when I wondered if we'd ever make it to this point. The time seemed to stand still. It was during those idol hours that the questions and doubts crept in and it was in those same idol hours that I could hear the voice of God even louder. The doubts and hesitations were removed just as quickly as they came and the peace was restored.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

 

*For Lia Grace:
Your big brother and big sister painted the letters DTC and made the date for you. They are so excited to meet you and can't wait to do all the things that siblings do together. Your brother says that he can't wait to "teach you things" and your sister says that she wants "to be in charge of your clothes and your hair". Yes, Emma is dressed. Your brother and sister saw that costume and wanted her to wear it for Halloween this year in honor of YOU! We decided to wait until this milestone to actually let Emma wear it so that it would not get damaged. Lia Grace, have I told you lately how much you are loved?



What I Am Most Thankful For Today

"Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like You have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks Yours

Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity"

~"Hosanna" Lyrics (Hillsong)

As I reflect on all that I am thankful for, the one thing that I am most thankful for is: broken hearts. It is our broken hearts that saw the need, heard the call, and are now stepping out in faith, and in obedience, to answer the call to adopt. These are some of the (thousands of) images that broke our hearts.

Orphans spending most of their days in cribs like these with only 1 nanny to care for so many children at a time.

The children often lay on wood, or particle board, so conditions are kept more "sanitary". The children really do not have any toys or belongings to call "their own".

 

 

So why would I be most thankful for broken hearts? Those hearts led us down this path. Without them, we would not be on this journey. We would still be making excuses as to why it "didn't make sense" or why it "wasn't a good time" to adopt. Because of our broken hearts, we are constantly, like in every breath breathed constantly, reminded of our TOTAL reliance on our Heavenly Father. We would not be learning all the lessons we are in patience, and for those that know me, this is so hard!  We are reminded to fully trust in His timing and not ours.  We are reminded that He will provide for us and our daughter. We would not be able to share the good news and minister to others about adoption (We are ALL adopted! Ephesians 1:5, Matthew 18:5, 2 Cor. 6:18- to name a few), and because of our broken hearts, there will be "one less"!  

 

"The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted." ~ Mother Teresa

 

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Although we do not have Lia Grace's referral yet, I am thankful, and hopeful!, that this will be the last Thanksgiving that she will be without her forever family. And, I am thankful for broken hearts.  



 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Psalm 107:1

 

DT....CO! :)

Dossier to....Colorado!

 

 Wonderful News~ I just received the call from our agency that our dossier has officially made it out of critical review. It is on its way to Denver where it will be bound (all documents ordered and lined up and all our photos mounted) in the "red folder" and then translated into Mandarin for the CCCWA. Once the translation is complete, it will be international express mailed to Beijing. So excited!

For Lia Grace....

Lia Grace, you are so loved baby girl. We can't wait to meet you! 

"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.....