Our God is Amazing!

Well, it has been a little over two weeks since our last post, and God has been doing great things for us. He has shown over and over that He cares for His children, and He will provide in His time and in His way. Let me tell you about the past few weeks.

At work, a salesman that I had never met visited my office. Noticing a few pictures in my office, he inquired about our family and our adoption story. He called later that day giving me information about a grant his church offers to adoptive families. We are waiting to hear back from them, but we are grateful to the Lord and Montgomery Community Church for the chance to be considered for this grant.

Around the same time, my friend Stacey introduced me to her sister-in-law Christie. Christie and her friend Nicole, both adoptive parents themselves, were looking for a family in the process of adopting to sponsor through their businesses. Christie runs www.featherrefuge.com, and Nicole is a part of www.noondaycollection.com. Through this I was able to share our adoption story and meet more people involved in orphan care. The Lord provided encouragement for us through our contact with these ladies, and we appreciate the time they spent to help us out.

Yesterday, I was sitting in my company's budget meeting my phone alerted me to an email at 8:47. I glanced at my phone and noticed that it was an email from our fundraising partner AdoptTogether. I opened the email, and just stared. It was an anonymous donation for $11,000. Sitting here typing this I am simply blown away at God's goodness to my family. We certainly don't deserve that goodness, but are determined to honor Him because of it. To our "anonymous" donor, I prayed this morning that God would bless you for your kindness and generosity. This donation along with what we have been given previously brings our fundraising total to $24,000. This means that at least half of our total adoption expenses will be covered by support from all of you!

Lastly, after 43 days, we received today our final approval from China for our two children. Our original LOA documents are on their way from China to the U.S right now. This is a MAJOR step in the process, and as Lisa from our agency said today, "Things will really start to pick up now!" We have a few more steps in the process before we can schedule flights to China, but the longest wait should be over. We're hoping to travel late June or early July.

Waiting. In the meantime....

We haven't updated in a while simply because it would seem that there's not much to tell. Our dossier is logged in, and we can only sit and wait for a letter from China that gives us final approval to adopt our children. We are on day 25 of this wait for LOA (our confirmation letter). This wait is currently ranging from 35-60 days, so we're hoping to hear something soon!

Though we are waiting, we are still busy preparing our lives for this adoption. As much as we focus on the visible steps of getting through paperwork and various milestones, there are several things an expecting family can do in their 'down time.' Here's what we're working on--trust me, the busier I am, the less time I have to spend wishing we were headed to China already!

Reading. Both Jason and I have spent time reading (or listening to) others' experiences related to adoption. Though we know every adoption and every child is different, we know there are things we can learn from those who have already done it. Our soon-to-be-children being older provides us with even more to learn. We are trying to understand the affects of institutionalization. We are researching albinism and how to protect our daughter with her skin sensitivity, as well as devices to help her eyesight once she is seen by an optometrist. We also genuinely want to learn about the Chinese history and culture since this is part of the heritage we will pass on to our kids. Along the same lines, I'd love to help my new children retain their current language as they begin to learn English. For this reason, as well as the ability to communicate with them initially, I am putting as many Mandarin words into this old brain as I can fit!

Saving. Our entire family is still on a mission to save every penny possible. Our needs are being met, but we have been amazed at how many things we just don't NEED (that we used to think we did).

School. With homeschooling comes flexibility. During a normal school year, we take advantage of that. If we miss science on Monday, we just make it up later in the week. Since October, we have been pretty strict with our schooling. Most of the kids have worked ahead a bit on the weekends and will be finishing by end of April or early May. This is more important for Mom than the kids though. School takes up a huge chunk of my day. Without that to worry about, I can accomplish several other things like.....

Spring Cleaning. (Jason is calling this nesting.) Deep cleaning never happens during the school year around here. Simply not enough time. So I grit my teeth and endure until school is out, then I go cleaning crazy! This time, there are other factors though. Clean out enough closet space in Clare's room so her new sister will have some. Go through the storage bins downstairs and determine what clothes Grant can pass down to his new brother, and what things we'll need to purchase. (Or maybe my guesstimate on his sizes will be way off and they will actually be in the same size clothing...we'll find that out in a month or two!) Jason is watching craigslist or yard sale listings for a set of bunk/twin beds since we'll need to get rid of Grant's full size bed. Another thing to figure out is how we're going to arrange the school room--find a couple more desks or switch to tables. Yep. So much to think about in addition to cleaning.

Cooking and Freezing. From what I hear, when we get home we're going to be overwhelmed. For one thing, jet lag will have us exhausted for a couple of weeks making it difficult to get enough done in a day. I'm taking the advice of many of those been-there-done-that mamas and freezing some meals before we go. I've already started making a bit extra of some things that freeze well, but after school is done I plan to get serious about this.

Having conversations. We know that our current kids are excited about adopting. However, there are so many variables that they cannot possible know what to expect. They need to be prepared for many possibilities. So Dad and Mom are trying to inform them, one conversation at a time, of how life will change once we return from China.

When I first started this post, I only had a couple points. I have surprised myself at how many things we are able to focus on as we're preparing to grow our family. Though at times we get tired of the many days of waiting we must endure, this has been a good reminder for me of the Lord's perfect timing. He knew 6 months ago when we began this process that we would need this time to get things ready. When I begin to feel like we are wasting time waiting, it is good to remember that this time can be profitable after all!

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?

Life Before Adoption

As I said in my last post, I have so many questions. Every day I wonder what our new children are doing. What are they learning in school? What will they have for lunch or dinner? Have they been told that they have a family coming to adopt them yet? Are they even a little excited about that or too scared of the unknown to be excited?

I found this blog post, written by an adoptive mama, that might help us as we prepare to go get our children. Every child is different, and has different experiences, but I enjoyed reading this (through tears mind you!). I wanted to share with any of you who are curious about the children waiting to be adopted. This is what life is like for some of them.

Here's an excerpt from the article. Follow this link to read in its entirety.
Seriously Blessed: Thoughts on Adoption (Our Older Girls)

What did you think when you first met your mom and dad?

Jasmine – Daddy is so tall and mama has curly, yellow hair.  Mama is so pretty.  I had never seen American people.  Mama and daddy were so nice.  They acted like they cared about me.  They let me pick what I wanted to eat.  I had KFC and Coke.  I couldn’t believe they let me pick my food.  They let me have two glasses of pop.  I wonder why they be so good to me?

It was so funny to be hugged.  I don’t know what a hug is.  Mama took my arms and put them around her.  I really, really liked to be hugged but it was weird at first.   Mama and daddy said over and over again, “WoAiNi”.  In China you only say, “I love you” if you are dating or married, but mama and daddy say it over and over again. Mama and daddy seem so happy to be with me.  I can hardly believe it.

Happy Birthday Half Way Around the World!

Today you turn 9. Well, actually you already did. Since we're on the other side of the globe, January 29th has already come and gone for you. I wonder how you got to celebrate? Did you have a little party at the orphanage? How many people remembered to wish you a happy birthday? Are you glad that you get to share your birthday with Chinese New Year celebrations? So many questions I want to ask you, but they will have to wait. We pray that by your next birthday, you'll be safe and sound here with your new forever family. We'll make you a cake, and sing you a song. But most of all, I can't wait to give you a great big birthday hug!

Personality

Each day as I watch my current children, I notice things about them that make up their personality. Grant pays so much attention to every detail and has the cleanest room of all my children. Miranda is diligent and reliable, making sure all of her to-do boxes are checked each day. Elsie is observant, watching the movement of everyone in our family and jumping in to help without even being asked. Clare turns everything into an art project, decorating things as big as her bedroom, and as small as her bar graph in Math. Gwynneth, we are discovering, likes routine and consistency like her mama!

As I notice these traits that make up my current children, it makes me wonder what my new children will be like. Being 8 and 10 already, no doubt they will have developed a personality all their own. I cannot wait to spend some time with them and learn about them. Travel time can’t come soon enough for me!

Where We Are Now

It has been a while since we updated the blog with our progress in the adoption, so I just wanted to quickly do that today. With our home study finished, our next step is to get permission from the United States to adopt. Our application has been received and we are waiting to get our biometric fingerprinting done in a few days (these can only be done at a certain place and by mailed invitation). Once that is complete we wait a couple of weeks for our approval to arrive in the mail.

On the heels of U.S approval comes our next really big step--sending our dossier to China. All the paperwork we've assembled over the last few months gets put into a file and sent to the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption. This doesn't mean our work here is done, but it is certainly a milestone in the adoption process. At this point, we are told we may experience our longest wait while the dossier is logged in, translated, reviewed, and hopefully approved.

We are depending on the Lord as we wait, knowing that He will bring about the details of the adoption in His timing. At the same time our excitement levels are rising because the wait time to meet our new children is only a few months!

Thanks for following along and being part of our journey!

The Hope of Adoption

Have you ever dreamed of moving to a new city, state or country? I have, but I have never dreamed of doing that without any choice as to where I’d go or who I’d live with. I doubt many of your dreams include those uncertainties either.

That scenario has been on my mind lately; not because I want to move, but that is what our 8 year old son and a 10 year old daughter will do.

My future children are living in a country that they have known their entire lives, and speaking a language they have heard from birth. Their perceived comfort and love are the people and routines they consider normal. They know what society (whether good or bad) expects from them. Don’t we as humans find great comfort in consistency of the daily routines of life?

I am sure as they learn about their new family, they will have fear and anxiety about this adoption. It is likely that if they were given a choice, they would rather stay in the comfort of the known than to be adopted into a family of unknown. This is what makes this adoption hard.

Cindy and I have no illusions of arriving in China and having our son and daughter throw their arms around us and tell us that they love us. We don’t think they will be overjoyed by the idea of being adopted. No. Most likely, we will arrive to see them crying, full of fear. They will probably have to be pushed in our direction and might turn to a social worker or government official and cling to their arms and not ours. It will take weeks and months to build trust with our newest children. There will be plenty of crying, sleepless nights and moments of doubt throughout this process, both for them and for us.

We do not need them to understand just yet why we have adopted them. This may take years. We expect this be hard work, but to love is always hard work. This is something that Cindy and I are honored and joyful to do because we firmly believe in and serve a God who has done the same for us.

Adoption is woven throughout the story of redemption in scripture. Throughout history, God’s adopted children have over and over again wanted to return to a perceived comfort of the known instead of trusting Him as loving Father (Think Israelites. When hardship came, they wished they were still slaves in Egypt rather than facing the trials of the wilderness.) Lovingly, God continually reminds His children that He will never leave them.

That is our goal. No matter how hard this adoption is for us or our children, we want them to know that there is nothing they can do that will change our love for them. They might never accept us as parents, but our love as parents will never stop. Showing the unconditional love of our Father is our greatest desire. We pray for the strength to do this very thing.

So, come what may, joy, happiness, hurt or pain. We will always love them because He has taught us He has always loved us.  

We Are Matched! AGAIN!?!?

Many of you were introduced to our newest daughter a little over two months ago. Since that time, Cindy and I have had many conversations about this adoption and the potential of future adoptions. Through these conversations and much prayer we decided to bring two children home from China. 

Today we are excited to introduce you to our newest 8 year old son. In November we submitted the LOI to China, and have agonized in waiting until pre-approval came this week. 

Our family is blessed to have this opportunity to grow again. God has continually showed His great love and generosity to us, and we are honored to continue to serve Him. 

...and yes, Grant is excited to have a brother!

Grateful

As 2016 comes to a close, our family is in a place of transition. It's fun to think about "this time last year," but for us it's even more fun to wonder what it will be like "this time next year." We are excited that our family will look different for Christmas 2017!

This past week has been full of surprises for us, and we couldn't let it go by without saying another thank you. Even in the middle of your Christmas preparations and celebrations, you were thinking about us. We received several donations toward the adoption this week (our donation graph has been updated), and someone anonymously dropped off Christmas gifts for everyone in our entire family. The kids had so much fun tearing into presents that none of us were expecting. Since we cannot thank you directly, we wanted to say it here: Thank you so much for giving gifts to our family. Your thoughtfulness touched our hearts.

Makeover Video...as promised!!!

We sincerely hope you all enjoy watching this video as much as we enjoyed making it! 

We're still looking for suggestions for our next milestone, so send us your ideas. 

There are still plenty of opportunities for you to give.

Thanks again for all your support!

Milestone #1 has been reached!

We have been blown away this week by the generosity of our friends and family. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Jason agreed to let the girls give him a makeover as soon as we reached $5000 in donations. This past week we reached and exceeded that goal, so the girls are devising a plan to get this done. As promised, we will be taking a video of the makeover and posting it here on the blog so you all can have a laugh or two. Hopefully you'll be able to see that this weekend!

We are so appreciative of the support you all have given. If you would still like to purchase towels or make a tax deductible donation, we still have a ways to go before being able to cover the entire adoption. We want some input from you guys--How would you like us to celebrate our next milestone? Leave us a comment with your suggestions!