On Monday, we did indeed get our official letters from China allowing us to Travel and adopt Elliana and Isaiah!! So, so happy! With that phone call from our agency also came the disappointing news that the US Consulate in China, where we need to make our Consulate Appointment with, was closed as of that day for an emergency.
It was later released that the US Consulate had received a mysterious envelope in the mail room with a white powdery substance in it. Thankfully, no one was hurt. But it has caused an emergency shut done with no let out of an end in sight. It has been 4 days so far. We really wanted to leave on May 23rd and we are still praying for a miracle to allow that to happen. But it seems that will not happen. I even wonder if we can go the week after.
There are about 100 families in China right now waiting for their children's Visas and cannot leave until they are given. Some of these kiddos have serious medical conditions that they need to get back to the US for. This might cause a back up of appointments as they will need to reschedule the families from this week and possibly next week. There are many "what ifs?" that pop into my head sometimes. But I do trust the Lord, that He has our precious little ones in His hands and has already worked this out.
In the mean time, your prayers are appreciated. I will let you know as soon as we know more.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Living History Field Trip
We had the opportunity to go with the children's school to a Living History Day for the Revolutionary War a couple weeks ago. It was hands-on, live actors, even some skits to present some history. We were only able to stay for about 3 hours because the girls had dance that afternoon. But here are some of the photos.
Learning about herbal remedies for sickness and health.
Jacob was disciplined for being distracted on the job.
Lenea washing clothes the old-fashioned way.
Moriah helping tie some rope..It took a couple tries to get it right.
Playing some traditional children's games. This was a relay race with a hoop.
Our friend Ren putting holes into a board.
Our friend Loe putting holes into a board.
Our little group standing with some Revolutionary War Soldiers.
Asher got to play some games too!
This was all the Ellerslie Prep Academy Students dressed up in traditional Colonial Costumes. So cute. Jacob is on the far left with Tobias right in front of him. Eliza is in the back on the far right and Moriah is in the next row, far right, wearing the red dress.
Learning about herbal remedies for sickness and health.
Jacob was disciplined for being distracted on the job.
Lenea washing clothes the old-fashioned way.
Moriah helping tie some rope..It took a couple tries to get it right.
Playing some traditional children's games. This was a relay race with a hoop.
Our friend Ren putting holes into a board.
Our friend Loe putting holes into a board.
Our little group standing with some Revolutionary War Soldiers.
Asher got to play some games too!
This was all the Ellerslie Prep Academy Students dressed up in traditional Colonial Costumes. So cute. Jacob is on the far left with Tobias right in front of him. Eliza is in the back on the far right and Moriah is in the next row, far right, wearing the red dress.
Friday, May 10, 2013
We Wait For Travel Approval Another Weekend
Weekends are hard when you are so close to receiving some good news about adoption. Ironically, at the same time, it is sort of a relief not to think about it for a couple of days because it has to wait until Monday, so no need spending energy fretting about it anyway. Although, prayer is always important whatever day of the week or hour it is.
Adoption is a roller coaster of emotions. First, just the decision to pursue adoption can be weighty all alone in itself. Does God really want us to adopt again? How will we come up with the money, the thousands of dollars to adopt, when we live paycheck to paycheck like most Americans? Am I a good enough, loving and wise parent who should be adopting a child with a traumatic history and special physical needs? How will I manage another child and find time for the rest of our family? What if our adopted child resents the fact that we adopted him and even took him from his homeland?
All of these questions came to my mind at some point in our adoption journeys, which began 2 1/2 years ago. God is ever so patient with me and walked me through each question with gentleness and truth. But that did not stop Satan from trying to trip me and discourage me, with his lies. Sometimes I believed the lies and had to have the Lord show me He was in control. I am so thankful that He is the Sovereign Lord and I can rebuke Satan in His name.
The other emotional decisions for adoptive parents are when you look at the faces of potential adoptable children and aren't sure if that is your child. All the children we looked at were precious and could have fit into our family if the Lord desired it. All of them were worthy to be loved in a family. But was it to be our family? Was that the child the Lord had set aside for us to raise, love and care for? Oh, how hard it was to make those decisions. When we did see Elliana's file at first I wasn't so sure. She looked very tiny, very delayed (even labeled that with no description) and with her leg issue I was concerned she may never walk and tried to imagine myself caring for a child like that. It scared me at first, but when we prayed faithfully for God's will, when I realized that my heart was being pulled toward her file and not the other file we had been looking at, the peace came. I began to only imagine her being our daughter, even if it meant brain damage and her never walking. It was going to be God's will for me and I had decided she was my daughter and I just needed to rescue her.
The interesting thing was that in August 2012 when we made that decision, each piece of information we got about her from then on she was only growing stronger and getting bigger. She still looked and sounded smaller than the average child her age, but the Lord was already answering our prayers. And she CAN walk with help we are told, just not on her own. The doctors in the states who looked at her file were very hopeful they could help her to walk no matter what the problem was and they encouraged us to get her out of the orphanage, home in a family and give her a chance. We were fully committed to her and couldn't wait to become her parents.
Her name Elliana means "God has answered" and He did do that in a faithful way for us to choose her.
When we saw Isaiah's file, besides the fact that he was adorable, I wasn't so sure we could take on a child with severe heart conditions. And his file was very vague as to how China had treated it. The more we prayed about and the more we educated ourselves about it we also came to the same conclusion that he was our son and we were ONLY to step forward to become his parents.
There were days, with trembling, that I asked the Lord to stop the adoption if it was not His will. Oh my heart hurt to ask Him that. I cried tears in my praying, feeling so inadequate, but so wanting to be the Mama to those precious babies. I want God's will for those children's lives. I want His will for my life and the other children He has already given me to parent. I know without a doubt that in my flesh I can NOT be a good mother. I am weak, lazy, impatient, distracted and selfish. But because Christ lives in me and I am standing in His promises and in His Grace I am the mother He wants me to be for all my children.
This last week, I was so, so ready to get our Travel Approval from China saying they were ready for us to come get Elliana and Isaiah. Afterall, it had been the average time frame for waiting, it would work out for us to fly on May 23rd which fits our schedule perfectly. I have priced plane tickets. I have looked at hotels. I have begun packing. I am so busy in other things too and I know it will be a whirlwind of craziness. We were told on Wednesday that China had been processing our TA and should be here soon. Unfortunately, today when our agency received the approval for many other families, ours was not included. It was a very big let down. While I was still praising Jesus for His faithfulness and while I still have faith that it will come early next week and we can leave on the 23rd, I had an emotional feeling that this wait is never going to end. Some of the people who got TA this week have been waiting less than us. And I think at least one has been waiting longer than us. It seems that with China there is no reason for their time frame. It comes when it comes and you are at their mercy. Our wonderful agency was so kind in that they called us to let us know that they know we are anxious and waiting and they are going to check into it on Sunday. However, many times answers just don't come.
So this weekend, I breath a relief that I can just pray this weekend for the Lord's will and timing and not have to stress about the phone ringing or not ringing. But I will be begging Him to open the floodgates from China for our approval to come Monday or Tuesday. He is a God that understands our hearts and He is a God that listens to prayers.
Please pray for this Travel Approval to come next week and that we CAN travel on May 23rd. I hope to post good news next week!!
Adoption is a roller coaster of emotions. First, just the decision to pursue adoption can be weighty all alone in itself. Does God really want us to adopt again? How will we come up with the money, the thousands of dollars to adopt, when we live paycheck to paycheck like most Americans? Am I a good enough, loving and wise parent who should be adopting a child with a traumatic history and special physical needs? How will I manage another child and find time for the rest of our family? What if our adopted child resents the fact that we adopted him and even took him from his homeland?
All of these questions came to my mind at some point in our adoption journeys, which began 2 1/2 years ago. God is ever so patient with me and walked me through each question with gentleness and truth. But that did not stop Satan from trying to trip me and discourage me, with his lies. Sometimes I believed the lies and had to have the Lord show me He was in control. I am so thankful that He is the Sovereign Lord and I can rebuke Satan in His name.
The other emotional decisions for adoptive parents are when you look at the faces of potential adoptable children and aren't sure if that is your child. All the children we looked at were precious and could have fit into our family if the Lord desired it. All of them were worthy to be loved in a family. But was it to be our family? Was that the child the Lord had set aside for us to raise, love and care for? Oh, how hard it was to make those decisions. When we did see Elliana's file at first I wasn't so sure. She looked very tiny, very delayed (even labeled that with no description) and with her leg issue I was concerned she may never walk and tried to imagine myself caring for a child like that. It scared me at first, but when we prayed faithfully for God's will, when I realized that my heart was being pulled toward her file and not the other file we had been looking at, the peace came. I began to only imagine her being our daughter, even if it meant brain damage and her never walking. It was going to be God's will for me and I had decided she was my daughter and I just needed to rescue her.
The interesting thing was that in August 2012 when we made that decision, each piece of information we got about her from then on she was only growing stronger and getting bigger. She still looked and sounded smaller than the average child her age, but the Lord was already answering our prayers. And she CAN walk with help we are told, just not on her own. The doctors in the states who looked at her file were very hopeful they could help her to walk no matter what the problem was and they encouraged us to get her out of the orphanage, home in a family and give her a chance. We were fully committed to her and couldn't wait to become her parents.
Her name Elliana means "God has answered" and He did do that in a faithful way for us to choose her.
When we saw Isaiah's file, besides the fact that he was adorable, I wasn't so sure we could take on a child with severe heart conditions. And his file was very vague as to how China had treated it. The more we prayed about and the more we educated ourselves about it we also came to the same conclusion that he was our son and we were ONLY to step forward to become his parents.
There were days, with trembling, that I asked the Lord to stop the adoption if it was not His will. Oh my heart hurt to ask Him that. I cried tears in my praying, feeling so inadequate, but so wanting to be the Mama to those precious babies. I want God's will for those children's lives. I want His will for my life and the other children He has already given me to parent. I know without a doubt that in my flesh I can NOT be a good mother. I am weak, lazy, impatient, distracted and selfish. But because Christ lives in me and I am standing in His promises and in His Grace I am the mother He wants me to be for all my children.
This last week, I was so, so ready to get our Travel Approval from China saying they were ready for us to come get Elliana and Isaiah. Afterall, it had been the average time frame for waiting, it would work out for us to fly on May 23rd which fits our schedule perfectly. I have priced plane tickets. I have looked at hotels. I have begun packing. I am so busy in other things too and I know it will be a whirlwind of craziness. We were told on Wednesday that China had been processing our TA and should be here soon. Unfortunately, today when our agency received the approval for many other families, ours was not included. It was a very big let down. While I was still praising Jesus for His faithfulness and while I still have faith that it will come early next week and we can leave on the 23rd, I had an emotional feeling that this wait is never going to end. Some of the people who got TA this week have been waiting less than us. And I think at least one has been waiting longer than us. It seems that with China there is no reason for their time frame. It comes when it comes and you are at their mercy. Our wonderful agency was so kind in that they called us to let us know that they know we are anxious and waiting and they are going to check into it on Sunday. However, many times answers just don't come.
So this weekend, I breath a relief that I can just pray this weekend for the Lord's will and timing and not have to stress about the phone ringing or not ringing. But I will be begging Him to open the floodgates from China for our approval to come Monday or Tuesday. He is a God that understands our hearts and He is a God that listens to prayers.
Please pray for this Travel Approval to come next week and that we CAN travel on May 23rd. I hope to post good news next week!!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Fundraiser Update
The Lord blessed us with a lot of support from our church. There was at least 15 people available just for the event to run the registration table, the auction, the kids games, the food and clean up. Then we had about 10 friends who helped with the food too! We ended up with a little over 100 guests. We had no idea how many friends would come. We made enough food for 200, so there was a lot left over but that was better than not having enough.
It began at 4:30 and our good friend Ron, who owns an Ultimate Jumper brought that for an added bonus of fun and fundraising. We had games and candy for kids. Then we had a fabulous taco bar with beans, rice and cookies for dinner. We were blessed with almost 90 donations for the auction. Almost all of them sold. I think we have about 15 left which I am still trying to sell too. The end of the evening ended up with Jay sharing a few minutes about our adoption journey and our hearts desire to be all God's wants us to be as parents. We showed a few photos of our soon to be sweeties and then we prayed.
We were so blessed. Thank you Jesus, we give you all the glory. We ended up with $2,966 dollars and more to come as I sell the rest of the donations.
Here is a few photos. I wish I took more, but I was quite distracted and the night just flew by.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Last Updates for Now...
Here are our two sweeties. This is the last updated photos we will get until we meet them, unless the Lord provides through another family traveling soon who get some photos too.
I can't wait to meet them. It will be 6-8 weeks from now until we get on that plane. It really is close, but I am anxious to go now.
Here is Isaiah Calvert Tao
Elliana Kate Jun
I can't wait to meet them. It will be 6-8 weeks from now until we get on that plane. It really is close, but I am anxious to go now.
Here is Isaiah Calvert Tao
Elliana Kate Jun
Saturday, April 6, 2013
His Little Feet
Have you heard of this amazing ministry His Little Feet? It is a made up of a choir of children who either once were or still are orphans. They put together a sweet, spiritually moving performance that you MUST see. Their mission is to advocate for the "Voiceless". Make sure you go to the link above and check out their schedule to see if they are coming to perform near your home. If they aren't, I know they are looking to have even more concerts and would love to hear from you about having them come to your area. They travel nation wide.
We had the privilege of hosting one of the children and chaperones last weekend. It was a precious time. And today we walked/ran a 5K fundraiser for the ministry. Our church sponsors the choir and hosts them when they are on break from touring, so we have the blessing of seeing them at church many weeks as well.
I "think" this was his very first time on a bike. This had training wheels, but he loved it and did very well at it. I think he rode for about an hour or more.
Lenea and he were fast friends. This was at the zoo..So cute.
(Names and faces hidden to protect anonymity.)
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We had the privilege of hosting one of the children and chaperones last weekend. It was a precious time. And today we walked/ran a 5K fundraiser for the ministry. Our church sponsors the choir and hosts them when they are on break from touring, so we have the blessing of seeing them at church many weeks as well.
I "think" this was his very first time on a bike. This had training wheels, but he loved it and did very well at it. I think he rode for about an hour or more.
Lenea and he were fast friends. This was at the zoo..So cute.
(Names and faces hidden to protect anonymity.)
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Next Week is Article 5 Wait...and Some Extra Good News
On Friday we found out that the National Visa Center cabled our immigration approvals for Elliana and Isaiah to become US citizens to the US Consulate in China!! This is the very last step that we have anything to do with. I just had to keep emailing them requesting for a pdf letter that states they cabled our approvals to China so our agency could have it.
Our agency will drop off our important paperwork to the Consulate on Tuesday (via courier, they are closed on Monday). Then exactly two weeks later they will pick it up (This is called Article 5, which gives our new children American Visas so they can become US citizens when the plane lands on US soil.) and send it to Beijing. Then we have our very last wait for Travel Approval. I can't believe we could be getting on a plane in less than 7 weeks if all goes like it should. Really that is going to come so very fast.
I have begun my Honey-Do List and one long one for myself. We have a back yard to turn, sprinklers to put in and some grass to plant. I am making last minute appointments we need to get in before our lives are turned upside down for a while. I am making my shopping lists for clothing and needed items for the sweeties coming our way. I am even going to begin to pack next week. We have our Chinese Visas to be to us by next Friday. God is good and we are blessed.
The other very great news is that we have been given a couple more donations the last few weeks. Thank you to our friends who have been so faithful and supportive, saying "thank you" doesn't seem enough. But we are honored and humbled.
Then we found out on Friday that we were given a grant to help with costs. We are anticipating that we need about $8,000-$10,000 still. But we have no doubts that God will provide it all. This has been a faith building journey and while it has had it's difficult moments and frustrations, I know God has been using it for His glory, which makes it all worth it and more!
Our agency will drop off our important paperwork to the Consulate on Tuesday (via courier, they are closed on Monday). Then exactly two weeks later they will pick it up (This is called Article 5, which gives our new children American Visas so they can become US citizens when the plane lands on US soil.) and send it to Beijing. Then we have our very last wait for Travel Approval. I can't believe we could be getting on a plane in less than 7 weeks if all goes like it should. Really that is going to come so very fast.
I have begun my Honey-Do List and one long one for myself. We have a back yard to turn, sprinklers to put in and some grass to plant. I am making last minute appointments we need to get in before our lives are turned upside down for a while. I am making my shopping lists for clothing and needed items for the sweeties coming our way. I am even going to begin to pack next week. We have our Chinese Visas to be to us by next Friday. God is good and we are blessed.
The other very great news is that we have been given a couple more donations the last few weeks. Thank you to our friends who have been so faithful and supportive, saying "thank you" doesn't seem enough. But we are honored and humbled.
Then we found out on Friday that we were given a grant to help with costs. We are anticipating that we need about $8,000-$10,000 still. But we have no doubts that God will provide it all. This has been a faith building journey and while it has had it's difficult moments and frustrations, I know God has been using it for His glory, which makes it all worth it and more!
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