I ordered some customized luggage tags for our family. Aren't they so cute? I also got mailing labels!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Luggage Tags
I ordered some customized luggage tags for our family. Aren't they so cute? I also got mailing labels!
Travel Dates
This has been a busy week finalizing our plans for our trip to China. Me, Gene and my mom will depart for China on July 15th and return on August 1st. We are going to spend a few days sightseeing in Beijing before we go to Eden's city to pick her up. We will be in Wuhan (Eden's city) from July 21-27, and then in Guangzhou from July 27-31. We have spent the week in meetings organizing paperwork with our social worker, talking with travel agents, wiring funds to China, etc.
We also received an updated weight for Eden. We have been told that she now weighs 11 kg, which is 24.25 pounds. She turned 18 months old on June 27th. I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with attachment/bonding specialist at UAB's International Adoption Clinic on Friday. She was so realistic and encouraging as she explained what we might can expect in terms of Eden's initial transition from her foster home to life with us. She confirmed that this will be very tough and traumatic for Eden initially - but the odds are very good that since she probably has a healthy attachment to her foster mom, she will likely grieve for several months and slowly transfer that healthy bond to us, her forever parents. We were told that she will likely regress during the first few months and probably not "act like" an 18-month-old for quite some time as she adjusts. What Gene and I need to focus on is not her age and what would be considered "appropriate" behavior, but on comforting and supporting her through her grief and meeting her needs, whatever they may be. Sleep could likely be a big struggle at first, and inconsolable crying is likely to be frequent for the first month or so.
I know this may seem overwhelming, but I have faith that God has been preparing all 3 of us for the weeks and months ahead. I have a new friend at church who adopted a little girl from Russia and she reminded me this week that no matter what comes, we must remember that God perfectly matched Eden with us, and we have exactly what she needs. What an awesome God! Gene and I are so excited! We are counting down the days until we come face-to-face with the little angel who has already stolen our hearts. What a blessing she already is!
We also received an updated weight for Eden. We have been told that she now weighs 11 kg, which is 24.25 pounds. She turned 18 months old on June 27th. I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with attachment/bonding specialist at UAB's International Adoption Clinic on Friday. She was so realistic and encouraging as she explained what we might can expect in terms of Eden's initial transition from her foster home to life with us. She confirmed that this will be very tough and traumatic for Eden initially - but the odds are very good that since she probably has a healthy attachment to her foster mom, she will likely grieve for several months and slowly transfer that healthy bond to us, her forever parents. We were told that she will likely regress during the first few months and probably not "act like" an 18-month-old for quite some time as she adjusts. What Gene and I need to focus on is not her age and what would be considered "appropriate" behavior, but on comforting and supporting her through her grief and meeting her needs, whatever they may be. Sleep could likely be a big struggle at first, and inconsolable crying is likely to be frequent for the first month or so.
I know this may seem overwhelming, but I have faith that God has been preparing all 3 of us for the weeks and months ahead. I have a new friend at church who adopted a little girl from Russia and she reminded me this week that no matter what comes, we must remember that God perfectly matched Eden with us, and we have exactly what she needs. What an awesome God! Gene and I are so excited! We are counting down the days until we come face-to-face with the little angel who has already stolen our hearts. What a blessing she already is!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Early Picture of Eden
Here's one of the first pictures we received from the CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) of Eden. Obviously we fell in love from the first moment. She had us at hello.
Pictures of the Nursery
We finished the nursery recently, and Maggie the dog was the first one to try it out. Here are some more pictures of the finished room.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Our Travel Approval Arrived!
I think I might seriously be in some sort of shock. I'm not joking. I'm so calm, so cool, so collected. We have waited 18 months for the phone call I received today saying our TA has arrived - this is the official "yes" from China that we can adopt our baby - and I'm cool as a cucumber. I really feel sorry for my husband (or the lady who happens to be next to me in the checkout line at Wal-Mart) when the reality finally hits me that I'm about to be the mommy of an 18-month-old child who won't understand a word I say. Can you believe it?
Maybe I'm not shocked because I knew God is the only One who could carry this through to completion. Maybe for the first time in my life I'm not shocked that God answered my prayer. Have you ever done that? You pray and pray and pray and then when God answers you're shocked. I've done that so many times...but not this time. I think it's because I've always had such confidence that this was God's will for us. I've always believed in my heart that this was a prayer he WANTED to answer. To give this precious baby girl a family and a home. I'm excited, humbled, overwhelmed and bursting with joy, but I'm not shocked or surprised. Hmmm...maybe that's why it took so long. Could it be that God was building my faith, teaching me compassion and longsuffering? Maybe if the TA had come even one month ago I would have been shocked. But in His perfect timing, it came today, June 22, 2007. There is a verse that has encouraged me so much over the past month.
It's Galatians 6:9 and it says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Our "proper time" is quickly approaching when we will reap the harvest of not giving up. Our daughter's life is the harvest we will reap. And we will give all praise and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who showed us first-hand what love really looks like when He sacrificed His life for us, and for the world. We pray our lives will be an example and picture for Eden of that love. God adopted us as His children through Christ, just as we are adopting her.
What a blessing to be her parents! We wait with such eager hope to meet her soon. We will know our travel dates sometime next week. Thank you again for your love and your prayers.
Maybe I'm not shocked because I knew God is the only One who could carry this through to completion. Maybe for the first time in my life I'm not shocked that God answered my prayer. Have you ever done that? You pray and pray and pray and then when God answers you're shocked. I've done that so many times...but not this time. I think it's because I've always had such confidence that this was God's will for us. I've always believed in my heart that this was a prayer he WANTED to answer. To give this precious baby girl a family and a home. I'm excited, humbled, overwhelmed and bursting with joy, but I'm not shocked or surprised. Hmmm...maybe that's why it took so long. Could it be that God was building my faith, teaching me compassion and longsuffering? Maybe if the TA had come even one month ago I would have been shocked. But in His perfect timing, it came today, June 22, 2007. There is a verse that has encouraged me so much over the past month.
It's Galatians 6:9 and it says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Our "proper time" is quickly approaching when we will reap the harvest of not giving up. Our daughter's life is the harvest we will reap. And we will give all praise and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who showed us first-hand what love really looks like when He sacrificed His life for us, and for the world. We pray our lives will be an example and picture for Eden of that love. God adopted us as His children through Christ, just as we are adopting her.
What a blessing to be her parents! We wait with such eager hope to meet her soon. We will know our travel dates sometime next week. Thank you again for your love and your prayers.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Our Letter Came!
Praise the Lord! We finally received our official referral for Eden Hope on Wednesday, June 6th. We had been told the letter was mailed two weeks ago and had been on pins and needles waiting for it to arrive. The strange thing is, on Wednesday morning, our social worker called me and said she had bad news. She had received news from China that our letter had not been mailed, and had no idea when it would be mailed.
Of course, we were disappointed. But instead of caving in and giving up, we asked our friends and family to pray with us that God would sustain us as we trusted His timing, and bring our letter in His way, according to His plan. I hit my knees and poured out my heart to God, got up, and took the kids I babysit for a walk.
An hour later, when I arrived home, there was a message on my cell phone from our social worker. "That's funny," I thought, "I just talked to her. I wonder why she's calling." I called her back and she began crying as she said, "Keri, I have your letter." "WHAT???" I yelled in her ear. "How? It was in China an hour ago on someone's desk!" There are many possible solutions people could give as to how it arrived, but we're just choosing to give God the credit for the miracle we received. We signed the letter and sent it back to China that day, and now await a Travel Approval, which should come within 2-4 weeks. After we receive it, we will know our exact travel dates. I am overwhelmed as the reality of meeting my daughter grows closer each day. How is it possible to love someone so much that you haven't even met?
My heart aches for Eden as I think about what lies ahead for her. Sure, she is gaining more love than she can imagine, but I can't help but put myself in her shoes. She has no idea what is going on. She hasn't had 18 months to fall in love with us. She lives with a foster mom that I'm sure she has grown to love. I pray daily for her sweet little heart and spirit, that God will prepare her for all that lies ahead. I know He will grant this request, as He loves her even more than I do. I cannot wait to see the miracle of how God will knit our new family together, a family not born of flesh and blood, but born in our hearts.
What a beautiful picture! Gene, Keri and Eden (and Sunny and Maggie, our dogs). Soon to be Daddy, Mommy and daughter. Only Jehovah God could imagine and accomplish such a blessing! Thank you all for your prayers. We love you!
Of course, we were disappointed. But instead of caving in and giving up, we asked our friends and family to pray with us that God would sustain us as we trusted His timing, and bring our letter in His way, according to His plan. I hit my knees and poured out my heart to God, got up, and took the kids I babysit for a walk.
An hour later, when I arrived home, there was a message on my cell phone from our social worker. "That's funny," I thought, "I just talked to her. I wonder why she's calling." I called her back and she began crying as she said, "Keri, I have your letter." "WHAT???" I yelled in her ear. "How? It was in China an hour ago on someone's desk!" There are many possible solutions people could give as to how it arrived, but we're just choosing to give God the credit for the miracle we received. We signed the letter and sent it back to China that day, and now await a Travel Approval, which should come within 2-4 weeks. After we receive it, we will know our exact travel dates. I am overwhelmed as the reality of meeting my daughter grows closer each day. How is it possible to love someone so much that you haven't even met?
My heart aches for Eden as I think about what lies ahead for her. Sure, she is gaining more love than she can imagine, but I can't help but put myself in her shoes. She has no idea what is going on. She hasn't had 18 months to fall in love with us. She lives with a foster mom that I'm sure she has grown to love. I pray daily for her sweet little heart and spirit, that God will prepare her for all that lies ahead. I know He will grant this request, as He loves her even more than I do. I cannot wait to see the miracle of how God will knit our new family together, a family not born of flesh and blood, but born in our hearts.
What a beautiful picture! Gene, Keri and Eden (and Sunny and Maggie, our dogs). Soon to be Daddy, Mommy and daughter. Only Jehovah God could imagine and accomplish such a blessing! Thank you all for your prayers. We love you!
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