Happy Birthday Nina-Li

Today is Nina-Li's 7th Birthday! We sent her a video of us sing Happy Birthday to her in Mandarin. Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè (Jew knee shun gree kwi le) sung to the Happy Birthday song. We are hoping that she got it!
I met someone also named Michelle on a Yahoo group that is adopting from the same orphanage. Her daughter turned one in July. She was able to send her daughter a birthday cake and get pictures of the occassion. She sent them to me in hopes that Nina-Li was in several of the photos. During that time, I believe I shared with Michelle that our agency won't allow us to send Nina-Li a cake. It is actually the CCAA (the agency that oversees adoption in China) that set the policy and our agency strongly encourages us to follow it.
At the end of September Michelle contacted me to let me know they are trying to visit the orphanage our daughters are at. This is rare, and therefore she wasn't sure if she would get to go. She asked if she could take anything or tell Nina-Li anything while there. With respect to our agency's wishes I just emailed her a family photo and asked her to take it.
Right now Michelle and her family are in China and got their daughter Mingmei. I have been reading their blog routinely! I was shocked when I read the paragraph below. I am not a crier. I don't cry easily. But this made me burst into tears of joy!
From Michelle Hascall:
October 19, 2010
Tuesday was a huge day for us, in a number of senses. Our agency had gotten approval and made arrangements for us to visit Mingmei's orphanage. The trip there was 20 minutes in a van to the train station, 15 minute walk through the station, 70 minutes on a bullet train and then 50 minutes by car. (Driving in China deserves its own post, another day, not even going to start on that one right now.) Was it a little crazy to attempt with two kids? Yes, but maybe a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. The best way I can describe it was humbling. Even now, it shakes me to the core. You really have no concept of how easy and posh life is in the US until you leave there. We were welcomed into the orphanage with open arms, didn't hurt that we showed up with birthday cake. (I have found some amazing support from people online and a person I met has a daughter waiting for her at the same orphanage. The daughter's birthday happens to be today, so we took cake from her parents.) We were able to meet the nannies who have cared for Mingmei and see her room and "crib". It was difficult to see, although the conditions were superior to most because her orphanage is relatively new and well-funded. It was good for us to experience. We then had tea with the two directors and they asked us more questions. They seemed pleased that we were well educated and thought we would provide well for her. Next they took us to lunch :D I warned Troy that he better eat whatever they gave us and smile. He was a champ. I think my two favorites were watching Troy pull the head off shrimp then eating it as well as watching Troy pull apart a crab to eat the innards while Ray was freaking out and couldn't believe we would eat that, because "it was scary". Troy's quote when I asked him about it later, "Ah, the things we do for our kids." We also went to Mingmei's "finding place." As some of you know, she was left at the hospital's OB unit the day after she was born. Again, a humbling experience. We have a few pictures, but those belong to her and it will be up to her if she ever wants to share them.

I am so thankful that Michelle & her husband were the hands of God and delivered Nina-Li a birthday cake! I was so discouraged that I couldn't do it and thought how sad to have another birthday come and go with out any celebration. I am overwhelmed that a family we really don't know would do such a kind thing for us.

We have seen God move through this entire process. I have wanted to adopt since before Bill and I got married, it was one of those package deal things. Well, it took awhile before Bill was ready. In the summer of 2009, he shared with me that he was ready. We officially began the process at the beginning of September, going out on faith. I cannot even remember how many things just 'fell' into place. Knowing that it was a God thing.

The moment I saw Nina-Li's picture, I knew she was our daughter. There are several families who want a healthy little girl. And there are a lot who are like us and want an older daughter. When I inquired about G09-230 her number on the website, I was so surprised to find out we were the only family thus far who did. They sent us paperwork to fill out. Every Thursday they go to board and discuss a families' application and make a decision regarding the match. If there are more than one family, they carefully consider each family and make a decision. There were no other families who inquired about G09-230. I believe that is because God knew Nina-Li was for us, and made the process simple and easy for us.

Through the Yahoo group I have mentioned I met Terry Daly who adopted a friend of Nina's last year. Then of course I also met Michelle. 10 years ago that wouldn't have been possible. I love God using Yahoo!

God has provided financially. Travel costs nearly doubled this past summer. When I saw that I was a bit concerned that we wouldn't be able to afford to take the boys. However, they have returned to normal. We are blessed to take my father and kids who will be with us the entire time. And my dad & the boys can do other things while we are dealing with all the goverment paperwork. The weather this time of year is supposedly beautiful in China. So, we are very excited.

We are so thankful for so many of our friends supporting us and praying for us through this process.

To God be the glory!

1 Month Away????

It is quite possible that one month from today we will be arriving in Beijing. There is sooo much to do. From gifts to buy, to packing, and cleaning. Cleaning? Yes cleaning. I have this weird thing that I cannot stand leaving my home while on vacation messy. It is awful coming home to something that you have 'to do'. I know there are more like me on this issue, we've talked!
Anyway, the amount of anticipation and anxiousness I feel is overwhelming at times. I find myself constantly thinking o.k., what else can I do right now? I continually think about Nina-Li and pray for her safety and hope. I pray she has hope. Hoping for a family to come, hope for a new and better life. For if she has hope, she will possibly receive us as her family just a bit easier. I wake-up through-out the night now thinking of her and praying for her until I drift off to sleep again. We have spent the past 9 months doting and admiring just a few photographs that we have received. Yet, I still don't know if she knows that we are coming.
We made her a family album and mailed it, but we do not know for certain if she got it. I can understand why. I would understand if the orphanage waits until they know for certain we are coming. How heart-breaking it would be for a child who has been with out family to wait and wait for a family that doesn't come. Or, for a child to continually wonder when is this family coming? We don't even know for certain the date we will come, so how can a child understand the process?
This month the boys and I are working hard on homeschool, for we will be taking about a month off of the curriculum for our trip and adjustment back home. I am excited to give them the opportunity to see and experience the Chinese culture. That is one of the benefits of homeschooling. At least for our family. We try to give the kids opportunities to learn by experience as often as possible. I don't see the results right away. But, I do sometimes days, months or even a year later. When they are reflecting on what they did or telling a friend about it. The learning process seems to be more solidified when reading/learning are combined with experiences. When a child says 'Oh, I read about this.' or 'I remember seeing pictures of this.' OR when they are reading something and then say ' I remember being there or seeing that.' Sorry, going a different direction with my rambling.
Well, in short, we will try to communicate with everyone at home through this blog. I hope to do it as often as possible, given all electronics we are taking will not fail us!

I800 Approval

We are one tiny step closer to China. We received our I-800 approval. This is just 13 days after we received our LOA. All of this is a different language to most. But, it is good news. Now we are waiting for our NVC letter. I guess I'm just writing this once again, so that I have it documented somewhere!

LOA, Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

July 7, 2010
Wow, obviously we aren't keeping up with this blog. Although, right now I don't think we have many readers. As the date gets closer of us going to China, and we are there, we will certainly be using it more.
Today was a big day, we got word of our Letter of Acceptance from our adoption agency. This basically means we are approved to adopt this cutie pie!

We sent our file to China (DTC, date to China) on April 23. It was logged (LID) in on May 5th. So, we have been waiting a long time to receive this news. When I spoke to our agency today, they believe it is realistic for us to have Nina-Li by the end of the year. So, hopefully we'll be bringing her home befor Christmas.
Wow! Christmas! I haven't even considered how we will celebrate it with Nina-Li yet. It is easy to assume she'll feel so lucky to have presents and so much celebration. However, the opposite can be true too. It is so easy for children whose world has totally changed to get over stimulated and overwhelmed! We many need to have a simple Christmas this year. (After last year, and the Christmas homes tour, that is fine with me!)
Tomorrow I will receive an overnight package from our agency that leads me through the next steps. So, I will jump through more paperwork hoops once again. We are praying that it will work out for the boys to go with us to China. There is a big trade fair in October. In November they are hosting the Asia Games. These two events will make travel expensive and getting rooms costly. I can't imagine not taking them with us.

God Matched US!

Oh my goodness. I don't realize we haven't posted anything in 4 months! Most of this information I am posting so that I have a chronological order to look back upon.
September 9, 2009 we are welcomed into the Holt International adoption program. Official begin date.
November 19, 2009 we began our homestudy.
December 12, 2009 we finished our homestudy.
January 12, 2010 we were welcomed into the Child of Promise Program at Holt.
January 15, 2010 we found a special little girl online.
January 21, 2010 we were presented to committee at Holt and approved! We were officially matched to our sweet Nina-Li Marie!
On January 21, 2010 we mailed our I-800 into the ISCIS
On January 23, 2010 we began getting our dossier together.
Nina is Bill's grandmother's name.
Li is Michelle's dad's name - Lee.
Nina means little girl. Li in Chinese means beautiful.
Marie is a family name between both families. Namely Michelle's and her mom's middle name.
We hope to go to China this summer if all goes well.
We'll keep you posted. In the meantime we are beginning to convert the classroom into Nina-Li's bedroom.

What will she have in store?

There was a time a couple years back that I wondered if an adopted child would really be as near and dear to me as a biological one. To be honest, I had my doubts that it would even come close, even if a relationship evolved under the best of circumstances. That was one of the more heavy steps of faith that I've come across, even in the early times of this process.

I can say though, that even starting early, there are sometimes where I feel tremendously close to this child, even without knowing her. Many times, I will catch myself in the thought that there is someone someplace that is bound to be part of our family, and that she is, even right now, having to endure even a short period without one. New motivations blossom from such thoughts, and understanding them makes it easier to weigh the load of anticipation.

Michelle has inspired me with a habit that she has. From time to time throughout the day, she will stop and briefly pray for that new person in our family. We don't know who she is, but there is still a connection. I remember the times that Michelle was pregnant with the boys and the anticipation that grew throughout each term.

The anticipation, though in somewhat different form, is equally present in adoption. I wonder "How will I be at fathering a daughter?" and "What will she like or not like?" or "What unique things will characterize this little person?". Our family landscape will change simply with the addition of another young life.

On a less serious note, the bedroom is almost fully enclosed. I feel sorry for Michelle, as the room is their classroom and I feel like I'm pushing them out of the room from time to time. But, her and the boys take it gracefully, and I thank them (cleaning the drywall dust off the floor).

Ok...all for now...will post later.

- Bill

We have found out a little more information. Right now, Bulgaria is not an option. Therefore, it looks like we are going to China. Our agency has a program called Journey of Hope, in which there are several girls in. These children have no health problems or minor ones. And their goal is to have all of these children adopted within 6 months. There are three 6-year old girls that we are looking at. I wanted to go a little younger, so we shall see what happens. We are going to contact our social worker and begin our home study right away. We will see what girls are available once we are approved and everything is complete on our own. Our agency is wonderful and will be walking us through the entire process.
The other news we found out was that we can take the boys with us to China to pick-up their little sister. Although this option is expensive, we feel like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for them to travel there. So, I pray that we will have the funds to do so. And, hopefully my dad will join us on our trip as well. The agency said they encourage the family to travel together because it helps the adopted child that much more with the entire process. And fortunately, all of us have our passports. What else would a homeschool family do, but learn about a country while there!