DTC!!!

We got some very exciting news today. Our dossier has passed all its inspections and authentications that have to be done in the United States and the original documents are on their way to China. This is what the international adoption world calls DTC (dossier to China--which really is a mouthful to say over and over so it's nice to have an acronym). As with all other steps in this process, we now begin another season of waiting. China will translate and review our documents and, assuming they pass inspection, issue us official approval to adopt the 2 children for which we are already pre-appproved. This is currently taking anywhere from 40-70 days, with an average of 52 days. With this in mind, we hope to receive our approval mid to late April.

All this just means we are one step closer to bringing our children home. In the meantime, we are glad to have all of you praying with us. We pray the rest of our paperwork goes through quickly and smoothly. We pray for the Lord to prepare the hearts and minds of Eleanor and Steven for this big adjustment. We pray for inexpensive airline tickets when it's time to book our flights. We pray for good health and a strong immune system before, during and after travel. Pray for our current family as we will be separated for 3 weeks--this has mama stressed out! (Daddy too, I think.) I would appreciate prayers for clarity of mind and memory as I continue to learn as much Mandarin as possible before we travel. We are doing everything we can to ease their transition from China to the U.S. I could go on for a couple more paragraphs. There's a lot still to do, but each time we reach another milestone our anticipation grows! Thanks for reading along!

Happy Birthday To You!

I think of you often, of course, but last night was extra special. As I headed up to bed, you were waking up to February 19th, your birthday. Thinking of your birthday brings a little sadness because I can't be with you, but it also brings excitement that you and I will get to share a birthday celebration next year with our birthdays being a day apart. I'll let you pick the cake (though I hope you like chocolate because Miranda bakes THE BEST chocolate cake ever! There's one in the oven right now and I can't wait to eat some.).

We sent you a letter last week, though we don't know exactly when you'll receive it. Since we told you what we've chosen for your American name, I guess it would be okay to announce it here on the blog. It is one of our most asked questions, and it has been one of the most difficult things to do. We hope you will like your American name, but no worries as we will be keeping your Chinese name as well. We've chosen Eleanor Leann, which means "full of compassion and grace."

So Eleanor Leann Ping Lei Watson, we love you and miss you and cannot wait to come get you. Happy 11th birthday!

We All Can Pray

Can I just tell you how hard it is to see the faces of new children, waiting to be adopted, every single day, and not be able to do anything else about it? Even though we are working on bringing 2 of them home in a few months, these faces pop up in my facebook feed or my email and I think, "Am I sure I couldn't handle 1 more?" I know better. I know this is all I can handle right now. But who is going to snatch up that 13 year old boy, who ages out in June? How is that 11 year old sweet girl with an eye condition going to get the vision help she needs sitting in an orphanage?

As much as my heart goes out to these children, and sometimes I want to look away because these stories bother me so much, I am thankful for the daily reminder to pray for orphans all over the world. I pray they will have their basic needs of food and clothing met. I pray they will find the love of a forever family. I pray they will be protected from physical and sexual abuse. I pray they might find care for the medical needs many of these children have. I pray for those children who are nearing the point of aging out and must take on the life of an adult, whether they are ready or not. I pray for the nannies and foster families who care for the children on a daily basis--they need patience and compassion. I pray for the governments who close off their countries from international adoption, making it nearly impossible for some of these children to ever find homes. I pray for the governments who, like China, have some extreme qualifications for adoptive parents, turning away parents who are perfectly capable and willing to care for a child. I pray for the agencies who facilitate foster placements and adoptions, that they will remain focused on the good of the children.

Will you join me today in praying for these needs?