After lots of waiting, we are finally able to answer the question we have been asked so many times - "when are you going to China to bring your daughter home?" We received our travel approval on Friday and it has been such a blessing to be able to share our travel dates with our friends and family.
It was an extra special blessing that on the same day we got our travel approval, our family and church family threw a surprise shower for us. Friday was an awesome day!
We have a lot of preparations to take care of before we head to China - we would appreciate prayers that we would be able to get everything taken care of with minimal stress. We would also appreciate prayers for safe travels and that the Lord would lead us each step of the way as we become parents in another country and then bring our daughter home. It is amazing to be at this point in our journey and we are nervous and excited to become parents and start this next step in our journey!
Monday, May 26, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Visa's, Fingerprints, and many blessings!
Last week, Jen and I received our Chinese Visa's and just yesterday we had our fingerprint appointment to renew our I800a immigration form when we travel to China to bring our daughter home. We are now waiting for our travel approval or TA. Once we have that, leaving on a jet plane to China will not be too far off.
Jen and I are continued to be blessed and humbled by our church family, Riverside Community Church, with their love and support and many blessings of financial gifts. We cannot thank everyone enough for all the kindness and generosity that we have been shown.
We are planning on painting the bedroom that has been designated LC's nursery the first Saturday in April and prepare for the day we bring our sweet pea home. So much to do, so little time, but with God in control and Jesus the center of our lives, we're ready, but also know we need to focus on today and not tomorrow or the day after that, etc...
Jen and I are continued to be blessed and humbled by our church family, Riverside Community Church, with their love and support and many blessings of financial gifts. We cannot thank everyone enough for all the kindness and generosity that we have been shown.
We are planning on painting the bedroom that has been designated LC's nursery the first Saturday in April and prepare for the day we bring our sweet pea home. So much to do, so little time, but with God in control and Jesus the center of our lives, we're ready, but also know we need to focus on today and not tomorrow or the day after that, etc...
Sunday, March 2, 2014
We are so blessed!
We had a movie fundraiser on Friday night with another couple from our church who is adopting and we just want to thank all those who participated in the event and/or donated as part of this fundraiser - we have been repeatedly blessed on this journey by others' generosity and it is very humbling and honoring to be the recipients of that generosity.
We also feel very blessed by a couple we met through our adoption agency. They have adopted two girls from China and have been such an incredible resource to us as we have gone through and continue to go through this journey. While we know that each adoption experience is unique, it is so very helpful to talk to those who have experienced their own journey and we are so thankful to have this couple who has willingly answered all of our questions and shared their experiences with us in a way that gives us comfort, wisdom, and assurance as we face such a new adventure.
Thank you!!!
We also feel very blessed by a couple we met through our adoption agency. They have adopted two girls from China and have been such an incredible resource to us as we have gone through and continue to go through this journey. While we know that each adoption experience is unique, it is so very helpful to talk to those who have experienced their own journey and we are so thankful to have this couple who has willingly answered all of our questions and shared their experiences with us in a way that gives us comfort, wisdom, and assurance as we face such a new adventure.
Thank you!!!
When?
Last month Jen and I had the opportunity to share with our church family and other friends and loved ones that we were matched with 10-month-old girl and that after our consultation with a pediatrician from CHOP and a friend who is a doctor, we had decided to move forward and accept the referral of the baby girl The Lord has called us to adopt as our daughter.
We feel so blessed and grateful to our church, Riverside Community Church, in Horsham, PA and our friends and family with all the support and encouragement we have received as we continue our journey with God and the child He has called us to adopt.
Now that we have gone public, the next question we have been asked frequently is when are we going to China? Well, that is still unknown at this time. We have to submit our Visa applications and get re-fingerprinted and once those items have been submitted we should receive our travel approval or TA and then it will be 4-6 weeks at which point we'll have the travel plans finalized.
So in short, we will be heading to China at the end of April or beginning of May 2014. We ask for your continued prayers as we go through this journey that the Lord would continue to guide us each step of the way and that He would continue to be preparing to be parents and preparing our daughter for us!
We feel so blessed and grateful to our church, Riverside Community Church, in Horsham, PA and our friends and family with all the support and encouragement we have received as we continue our journey with God and the child He has called us to adopt.
Now that we have gone public, the next question we have been asked frequently is when are we going to China? Well, that is still unknown at this time. We have to submit our Visa applications and get re-fingerprinted and once those items have been submitted we should receive our travel approval or TA and then it will be 4-6 weeks at which point we'll have the travel plans finalized.
So in short, we will be heading to China at the end of April or beginning of May 2014. We ask for your continued prayers as we go through this journey that the Lord would continue to guide us each step of the way and that He would continue to be preparing to be parents and preparing our daughter for us!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Good things come to those who wait:-)
We had truly thought and hoped that we would receive a referral from our adoption agency before the end of 2013, so we were a little disappointed as we were approaching the end of the year that we had not heard anything (although we continued to trust in God's perfect timing:-)). Drew had reached out to our adoption agency before the end of the year just to see if we could get any idea of where we stood in the process. The information we received gave us the impression it would still be a while before we received a referral. Obviously, that wasn't really what we wanted to hear, but we reminded ourselves that the Lord would bring along a referral when He saw fit and we needed to continue to be patient and make good use of this time.
On Wednesday 1/8, I was at work and got a message from our contact at America World and she asked me to call her back. I first called Drew because I thought maybe she tried to reach him, but when he didn't answer, I figured I would call our contact back. I was completely shocked to hear that we were receiving a referral!!!!! We definitely were not expecting it so soon in the year. Once I got off the phone with her, I started crying and called Drew. When I shared the news with him, he started crying too. We had 24 hours to decide if we wanted to take the next step in the referral process, and after prayer and discussion, decided that we wanted to and we informed America World on Thursday. The next step is to consult with a doctor regarding the medical reports, as well as consult others who may be able to give helpful feedback/input. We have two weeks to decide whether or not we will accept or decline this referral, so we are asking for your prayers as we go through this critical part in our journey. Both of us feel at this point that unless the Lord shows us a reason not to move forward, that we certainly hope to move forward on our journey. We will keep you posted! :-)
On Wednesday 1/8, I was at work and got a message from our contact at America World and she asked me to call her back. I first called Drew because I thought maybe she tried to reach him, but when he didn't answer, I figured I would call our contact back. I was completely shocked to hear that we were receiving a referral!!!!! We definitely were not expecting it so soon in the year. Once I got off the phone with her, I started crying and called Drew. When I shared the news with him, he started crying too. We had 24 hours to decide if we wanted to take the next step in the referral process, and after prayer and discussion, decided that we wanted to and we informed America World on Thursday. The next step is to consult with a doctor regarding the medical reports, as well as consult others who may be able to give helpful feedback/input. We have two weeks to decide whether or not we will accept or decline this referral, so we are asking for your prayers as we go through this critical part in our journey. Both of us feel at this point that unless the Lord shows us a reason not to move forward, that we certainly hope to move forward on our journey. We will keep you posted! :-)
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