Addie Grace in 2009!!!

Our prediction for LID 2006-03-07

China has 7 days of dossiers to be processed before they get to your dossier. China currently processes about 6.1 days of dossiers each month.

Our best guess: 2009-02-03

Since China generally sends out referrals in a batch about once per month, your referral date could easily vary +/- one month depending on whether you just get included or just get missed in a particular batch.

It Looks like a March Referral for us!!!

For the first time in 3 years, I can say without a doubt that our baby girl has been born!!!

I can't begin to process the thought of where she is at the moment (in an orphanage), but with only 7 more Log-In-Days from a referral, and the fact that we've asked for a 6-12 month-old...she's alive!!! Many thoughts flood my mind, as well as scriptures on not "worrying".

I am so thankful for my friend, Kelly who posted a story on her blog about their son they just adopted from Ethiopia. He is 4, so once he learned English, he was able to share stories from when he was in the orphanage. Here is an amazing story that Nathan shared "out of the blue" that has given me such amazing peace knowing that our Addie Grace is being taken care of by our Father:

"In my last post I mentioned that he (Nathan) walked in holding the cross and said "Jesus" and then blessed himself with the cross. Well the other night we got the full story. He even acted it out for us. His little mind took him right back to that place. It was as if he was really there as he explained. He laid down on the bed and said he was at Nebiyu's house when he heard someone say "wake up, wake up". He said when he woke up it was Jesus standing in his room and Jesus said, " I'm here". He said that Jesus was the one that picked up the cross and then he showed us how Jesus tapped him on the head and then the right cheek and the left and then he took it under his chin as well. He said after that, Jesus flew up in the sky. He then said that Jesus came "two 5 minutes". That means two times. He acted out Jesus telling him to wake up again and then he he made a "whoosh" sound and showed us how water went all on top of his head. He said after that, Jesus flew back up in the sky. I asked him if he was the only one who saw Jesus and he said no. He said that Jesus came in and woke up him and Nebiyu and Asigood(sp) and put the water on all three of them. He also said that Jesus flew in the sky and showed him his home in America."

This is Nathan explaining his meeting with Jesus. Can't be disputed. We serve a Father who physically walks into rooms and lets them know they are His. When there is no one around to share who Jesus is, He does it himself! I don't remember the last time Buddha did that for anyone. (sorry...I'll save that one for a later blog!!!) We serve a personal God who loves each person on this planet, that He pays them a personal visit to let them know He is there.

We can't be there for Addie Grace when she is crying herself to sleep, or discovering her hands for the first time...but I know Jesus is! I don't doubt that He picks her up and comforts her until we can do the same.

Thank you Kelly for posting that. His experience has given me peace unimaginable!

May 2009 bring you the gifts that you've been praying for, and may you be encouraged and hopeful, and most importantly know that there is God; a Friend, a Comforter, that wants you to know "I'm Here", and that He shows you your "America", promises, hope, love, a future.

Happy New Year 2009!!!

Chinese Orphans

It's been almost 4 years since we started the Adoption Journey to adopt a baby orphan from China, and 12 years since we began trying for more children. The "wait" has been painfully unbearable at times, waking up morning after morning to silence, and longing for the days when a hungry cry in the other room will jolt me awake. Some days it is all I can do to keep this wait from challenging me to analyze the "whys?" to a despairing fault.

I could not go through another set of Holidays (this will make the 4th Christmas without our baby) without the Peace from Jesus, who grants to me so freely and strongly. And the confidence that we truly know that He is in charge of everything...especially the things that are impossible for us to control!

I don't know who is responsible for taking this orphanage picture above, but when I pulled it up on a blog of someone else waiting for their baby...it gave me hope.

Not only is my family waiting for our sweet, precious baby....but all of these babies are ALSO waiting for their families. Looking at their adorable, expressionless faces, I see that they are in the same desperate need that I am in - waiting to love and be loved. To hold and be held. To laugh, to cry, to be played with, to be nurtured, cared for, to know that they were made lovingly by a Father who loves them and has a purpose for each of their lives, and they are not forgotten.

Thank you to whoever posted this picture. We will wait forever if we have to.

“If you are not too long, I will wait for you here my whole life”Winnie-the-Pooh

What to Give...What to Give...

"Giving presents is a talent; to know what a person wants…to give it lovingly and well."

— Pamela Glenconner

Scarf Wrapping

With the popularity of the many styles of scarves, and the warmth they bring during this chilly season, it can be overwhelming to try and figure out how to wrap these darn things!
Here are some pictures from "Anthropologie" on different wrapping styles..in case you find yourself standing in front of the mirror, until you are late for work, trying to figure out which way looks best!
(Click on any of the pictures to go to Anthropolgie to order...)