Friday, September 16, 2011

Busy week...

I have never been so excited over paperwork in my whole, entire life! This week I've applied for visa's for all three of us, filled out form after form that will allow Tao Nuan Nuan to become a US citizen, and I couldn't be happier. Today I will get all of that out to our agent in California and then I will take a deep, glorious sigh of relief. Almost there.I keep telling myself that. Almost there. I look back over the last year and a half and I don't know how we made it through other than the grace of our Abba Father. This experience has been one I wouldn't trade for anything in this world...and yet it has been very difficult. But isn't that when He is the most apparent in our lives? When I am weak, He is strong. I have struggled with being strong, I am not afraid to admit it. Why?? I'm merely human. If I didn't struggle, if I had it all together, then maybe I would think I didn't need Him. So, I rejoice in my shortcomings...it draws me nearer to Him. Snuggled up under His arm...feeling safe and secure....just like I hope Sophia Nuan Li will feel when we are joined together...our forever family!

We sent her a care package through Lady Bugs in Love this week. I cannot say enough about Kelly and Angela. They are precious sisters in Christ that run this business to help pre-adoptive parents connect with their children half way across the world. We sent Sophia a 'forever family' celebration care package (an aside...it feels like state fair weather out here on my porch! I love it!!). This care package consisted of a cake for the kids and care takers in Sophie's class to share, a disposable camera, a letter we wrote to Sophia's care takers, a photo album with 10 pictures of the family so she will finally see us( my heart is thrilled to know she has seen us...she has no clue, I'm sure who those fair skinned people are...but I am trusting God to make a connection through the pictures somehow), and....Angela was able to get a Minnie Mouse stuffed animal for her! Angela lives in Beijing and puts the care package together there and ships it to the orphanages. There is no guarantee, but a lot of times the care takers will take pictures of the children when they first get the care package and send them to Angela, so we are hoping we get some pictures soon! Here is what the care package looked like, minus the cake...it is sent fresh to the orphanage...

So cute, huh? Kelly and Angela have a wonderful story of how they met...if you'd like to read it, go to www.ladybugsinlove.com and for all of you PAP who might be looking for someone to send your precious waiting child a care package, a highly recommend lady bugs in love...simply awesome!

Here's our eagerly anticipated time-line...
I800-3 weeks
Cabled- 2 weeks
Article 5- 2-3 weeks
TA- 2-4 weeks....TA is travel approval from China to visit their country and adopt Nuan Nuan. When we receive TA we will be at the mercy of the US Consulate. Our entire trip revolves around the date we get an appointment at the US Consulate to officially adopt Nuan Nuan. Please pray with us that we have no trouble getting a quick date. There are so many families that will be trying at the same time we are...and I want them to travel too, but...well, let's just pray God's will be done :) It's all in His hands and that, dear reader is exactly where it needs to be.

3 comments:

  1. So excited for you guys!! You are getting so close now! I can't wait! Mel

    ReplyDelete
  2. So excited for you as I have been where you are and know all to well the excitement and anxiousness that you feel. There are no words to describe that joy you will feel when you first lay eyes and hands on your little girl. Reading about your experiences throughout the adoption process has brought back so many special memories of our time of waiting.

    ReplyDelete