What's up next...

Woohoo!

We got our letter from the National Visa Center today! We were told that it might be worthwhile to send an email to the NVC and request that the letter be emailed to us as soon as it was completed. Well, that's what we did and it worked wonderfully!

So, now our I-800 and NVC letter will be taken to the US consulate in China (the I-800 was mailed to our agency representative in China last week and the emailed copy of the NVC has made it's way, via email, to China today). We will wait approximately two weeks (praying for less!) for our article 5, and then the article 5 will go the CCCWA in China. The CCCWA will issue our travel approval in 2-4 weeks (although I just heard that TA's are being issued in just over a week!). And then approximately two weeks after that, we will finally get to see this sweet face, in person.

Oh my gracious! I can hardly wait!!!

(And for those who are wondering about the dates of our process to adopt from China, I added a timeline to my sidebar.)

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a theme...

What's the theme, you ask.

Well, basically that I've been a negligent mother. 

This poor guy (below) has been asking to have his haicut for about a month.

Four weeks!

geesh

He could barely see through his bangs!

So yesterday we took our day off and went to a salon.

Yep.

A really girly salon.

Because this mama needed a haircut just as badly as her sons.

And the boys were rockstars.

Totally patient for the full two hours.

Two hours, 'cuz we had our haircut by the junior coffiere who only charged $15! Woohoo!

I think that they look great!

And I'll give you one guess whose next...

Yep.

It's a theme all right.

i-ncredible, i-ndescribable (joy), i-deal

-800, baby

oh yah!

Dear Officer...

Dear Officer H-

We know that you're super-busy. We really do understand that you have lots to do. But, there is an amazing little boy on the other side of the world who doesn't have a mama or a daddy. This little boy is sweet and gentle and full of love. But, he needs a family to guide him, to protect him and to give him tons of hugs. He also probably needs a surgery or two to address some of his medical needs.

So please, Officer H-, even though you're really busy, would you please, please, pretty please send that I-800A and I-800 with your nice little approved stamp on it? A precious little boy, and his big ol' family would be ever-so-grateful!

Thanks so much!
Love,
us

a true princess

Psalm 72 has always held a special place in my heart. In this psalm, we read about The Righteous King, the One who rules heaven and earth, and we discover that this amazing King:

will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,    for precious is their blood in his sight. vv. 12-14

A few years back, the Lord gave me a very clear word, telling me that as His daughter, as a daughter of the King, I must look and act like Him. I must care as He cares and love as He loves...I must carry out works of mercy on His behalf.

Ever since that time, this story (below) has been very precious to me. Father Damien was a man who gave his life to care for the lepers of the Hawaiian islands. At minute 3:35 in this part of the story, the princess of the Hawaiian islands comes to Molokai (where Father Damien and the lepers live) to see what they might need. She is moved by what she sees there, because she loves these people. She does not shrink back, but gives herself to them willingly, with grace and kindness. She touches them and holds them and recognizes that she is a part of them, and they of her.


Here is a true princess. Oh Jesus, when I grow up, I want to be just like her.

He has overcome

My dad had a biopsy this past week. They found out that he has cancer in his lungs, but it is a very slow-growing sort of cancer. We were grateful for this news, as we were expecting something far worse. I am so glad that we will have more time with my dad on this earth.

************************

A precious, precious friend lost her mother today. My heart is breaking for this family. Would you pray for them? Five boys are grieving the death of their beloved grandmother. She was truly a woman of God and is most definitely in the presence of our Mighty King.

But for those she has left behind...

It is hard.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

So grateful that our The Faithful One never leaves us or forsakes us. He truly has overcome this world.

Faithful God

Isn't our God amazing?!

These pictures really don't have anything to do with this post

except

that they display the beauty

and majesty

of our God.

I mean, honestly, look at these leaves.

And even more...

look at these beautiful girls. 

We found out today that the delay shouldn't be as long as we thought.

We ventured out at 6:15 this morning to get our fingerprinting done.

And our I-800 should be back to us

in two weeks!

I'm so glad that, no matter the circumstances, we can completely rest in Him,

Faithful God.

Faithful, Faithful Friend.

Praise Him in the midst of confusion.

I am basically writing this post to help hold myself accountable to praising Him, even when I feel confused and frustrated.

 

We just found out that our I-800A extension (including fingerprints) needs to be completed  and approved BEFORE we can receive our I-800 approval. Typically, this would add AT LEAST a month to our timeframe. As all of you adoptive parents out there know, adding a month feels like adding an eternity when your little one is waiting for you in an orphanage on the other side of the world.

 

HOWEVER (and this is a big however)

 

We serve a God who is bigger than this. He can work miracles and move things along much quicker than we expect. I KNOW that he does not desire to have Kaikai live in an orphanage for a day longer than he must. I KNOW that He loves Kaikai more than I can even begin to imagine. I KNOW that He is love incarnate, and I WILL praise Him, for He is worthy of all praise.

 

Our God is altogether good. Our God is altogether worthy. Our God is altogether lovely.

 

And when my circumstances are confusing, I will not doubt this truth. Instead, I will praise Him in the midst of it!

It's party time (again!!!)

Oh my! We had fun on Saturday...celebrating this little sweetie-pie!!!

Our beautiful girl turned eight years old, and it was time to par-tay!

  

We had such a fun time with Grace's precious little friends, doing lots and lots of crafts...

(Even big-girls love to color!)

And then, we played games...

(I'm only including this photo because of how cute it is how much the little girlies love Adam. They didn't want him to be in the "teapot" when we played "fairy, fairy, wand"...known to some others as "duck, duck, goose.")

  

Pass the crown is a hit!

Do you think that she's having a good time?!!!

Oh, how I LOVE this little princess!!

(I have to add here that in the middle of Grace's party, she ran over to me, gave me a BIG hug, and said, "Thank you, Mommy. I love you!" Oh, this girl melts me heart!)

Happy eighth birthday, Grace! Since we adopted you right after your fourth birthday, this party was pretty special...you've been in our family almost as long as you were apart from us! Pretty soon, you'll have been with us for longer than you were apart from us. Hooray!

Honestly, I cannot imagine my life without this precious, beautiful girl. She truly has been grace poured out to us, from our wonderful Father. She is a gift every.single.day!!! I love you, sweet Grace! Happy, happy birthday to you!

(And if you're wondering why her candle is in a cup, it's because our little girly doesn't really like cake...she wanted popsicles instead! But, it's pretty hard to put a candle in a popsicle!)

right next door

On Tuesdays, David comes to the school to teach Philosophy of Science to the middle school students. After school on that day, we are able to enjoy a fun family activity together. For years we have been driving by the Swetsville Zoo, but have never stopped. But, this Tuesday, we decided to finally go and explore.

It was so much fun! Mr. Swet has designed all of these "zoo animals" out of old cars and other metal parts.

He has made some amazing things!

Our friend, Alexander, joined us for this family fun day. It was great to have him with us!

Thanks, Mr. Swet, for a fun day! We can hardly believe that this little treasure of a "zoo" was right next door to us for the past 12 years, yet we have never been there before. We'll definitely be visiting again real soon!

oh my goodness gracious

What a little doll-baby!

Sweet "Burgandi" is on CHI's agency-specific list. She is three years old and is precious as could be! Burgandi has down syndrome, but her real need is for a mama and daddy to call her own!

Join this yahoo group to learn more about Burgandi or any of the other 45 beautiful waiting children on CHI's list.

a step back in time

We took a field trip to the CO history museum today. Adam's (slightly altered) photo gave us a glimpse of what he might look like if he had grown up in Keota, CO in 1920.

awwww...isn't he cute?!

What has God done for you?

We try to be very intentional about our dinnertime conversations. David, especially, loves to challenge our children to think about and respond to sermons that we've listened to, things that we're discussing at school and books that we've read. The kids have been learning to ask deep questions during our mealtimes, as well. Getting into the swing of things a few nights ago, Grace asked the question, "What has God done for you?"

I loved some of their answers (which were very elaborate and detailed, but I'll just give you the main points).

He died for me.

He gave me a rock-n-rollin' family.

He gave me a dad whose like an angel.

He let you adopt me.

He loved me so much.

It was amazing to me that the two things that our children said that they valued the most were the love of Jesus, who died for us, and becoming beloved sons and daughters, through adoption.

Even though our children often tell us that they love us (and some of them even tell us that we are the best parents in the whole world...hehehe...just wait until they discover the truth!), I was surprised at how strongly each one expressed his/her joy in being adopted. I certainly wouldn't have expected this, anymore than I would have expected a birth child to express such gratitude for being born. But, I also know that when a person has experienced the sort of loss that our precious children have experienced, that person can either get angry, or he/she can choose to love, forgive and be grateful for what he/she does have. I'm so glad that each one of our children is learning to be the latter sort of person.

adoption

It's a beautiful thing.

a night in...

Fish tacos,

a glass of wine,

chocolate (of course),

and my sweet hubby.

An all-together perfect evening.

Has anyone seen my mind? It appears to be missing.

On Wednesday, I sent our adoption agency an email, saying that we had completed the DS-230 and that it would be in the mail soon. I also listed a few questions that I had. Here is question #6, verbatum:

6) Do we need to fill out (and send) any documentation for our new son's DS230?

yep

that would be the very same DS-230 that I said we had completed

up at the top

of that very same email

Our travel coordinator didn't even bat an eye

(of course, I didn't see her face when she read the email, so maybe she did bat an eye).

Anyhoo...

 in her response to me, she simply congratulated us on the completion of our paperwork and then proceeded to tell us that yes, we did need to fill out and send in the DS-230.

What a lovely lady.

I wanted to kiss her.

But I refrained.

(I was too busy printing off another copy of our DS-230, since on the first copy I had checked the box stating that Kaikai would be coming to the U.S., seeking employment.)

geesh

Anyone seen a loose mind running around unattended?

I think it's mine.

Wordless Wednesday (boy's sleepover...which I'd have to say is a little bit different than a girl's sleepover!)

 

(hehehe...these boys are so much fun!)

Yana's art

Last night, Yana wanted to have an art show for David and I. She spread out some of her favorite drawings, paintings, etc. that she has created over the past four years. They covered our bedroom floor and were so fun to look at!

 

 

I had a really hard time photographing the drawings (help, Meredith!), but nevertheless, here are some of my favorites.

 

(girl at piano)

 

(farm life)

(two ladies)

(The bridge of Faith)

 

(dragon love)

 

It is so much fun to see my precious daughter create beautiful works of art. She has been drawing since the day that she came into our family (and every chance that she had before that, as well). It's a pleasure to see God develop this gift in her.