Adoption Update

Adoption Newsy Stuff:

First of all, the garage sale on Saturday only made $120. We ended up getting rained out 2 hours into it. We know God will show himself through His provision and we are at peace about it all. 

Secondly, we "heard" that our clearances should be coming in this week! It took a long 2 plus months and we would have been almost sent off to China in the next couple weeks if it had been quicker. But again, we know God has the perfect timing for each step, taking us to China at just the right time. Once those clearances are in, the homestudy goes to our state for approval and then to our agency, who will in turn send it to USCIS (immigration). USCIS we think is taking about 6 weeks to approve lately. Whew...then that piece of paper (Immigration approval) needs to be authenticated, for another weeks time. Then all China required documents (The Dossier) will be sent off to China. Wow, that is a huge step in the international adoption world. I can't wait until we are onto that step. Still praying for December.

Thirdly, we pretty much decided that when we travel to China that we WILL be bringing Asher along with us. The thought of leaving him for 2 or 3 weeks was just not giving me peace at all. Jay and I were concerned that with bringing 2 new little people into his world and him having to begin really sharing his Mama and Daddy, would be doubly hard if he had to stay home without us. We think it will help him by doing it together. We know it will not be an easier trip with 3 little ones, so we have also decided to take Eliza, who will be 15 at the time, to help with Asher's care. This will bring up our cost at least another $4000. However, we feel confident this is how we should proceed.

And the last, but definitely NOT least news is that we have found our second child. It is another 2 year old little boy!! He is just 2 months younger than Ellie, who is 4 months younger than Asher. So by the time we adopt, we will have 3, three year olds!! I am so excited! Our house is going to be so busy and wonderfully full. I can't wait. This sweet little boy we have decided to name Isaiah. Isaiah means "God is salvation". 

Isaiah has a significant heart condition, called Tetralogy of Fallot. This is sometimes called "Blue Baby Syndrome"  The good news is that if successful surgery happens in a child with this Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) they can live a very active and healthy life. He has had one surgery already and the pediatric cardiologist we spoke with said he will need maybe one more as he gets older and then likely more as an adult when the pulmonary valves where out.  They have to build him a new one and they only last for 10-15 years I guess. But for adults they do most of the surgeries through a catheter so it is a much less invasive and quick recovery.

This week we are hoping to put in our Letter of Intent to China for them to pre-approve us to adopt him. As soon as I have that news I can post his photo and share his preciousness with everyone. 

Please pray for that in the coming days and that we can still travel by June 2013 to bring them both home. From the sounds of his description he is still not walking yet and is very tiny as well. So instead of having 3 active 3 years old, I am already imagining that we will developmentally have our strong active and busy 3 year old and 2 very delayed more like 1 year olds. But we will see. God has his hands over them, already walked this road for our travel and we can't wait to walk down this path He has brought to us.