We are still waiting... and winding up day #46 since our LOI was submitted to the Chinese government. We have enjoyed sharing this blog site with all of you and we hope that you have found it to be a good place to check on our progress.
The entire concept of "waiting" is actually somewhat comical to us as a family. Ken and I talked about adopting already when we were dating (well over twenty years ago). When infertility and a miscarriage became a very painful reality for us, we had actually starting a domestic adoption - clear back in 1991. Over the years, many events helped us see that it was still in God's plan for us - a missions trip to Haiti with so many orphaned children, a video of Steven Curtis Chapman's song "When Love Takes You In", our boys' ongoing openness to having a sister, plus a million other points in time that are too endless to list. In mid-2004, we pretty well knew that it was time to decide - either jump in with both feet or just let it pass. We spent much time researching countries and adoption agencies so that we would be well informed, with as few surprises as possible. We continued to hear God's call to us and officially moved forward with an agency in December of 2005.
We began the paperchase (collecting and notarizing birth certificates & marriage licenses, statements about income, photos of ourselves and our home, writing letters to the Chinese government, doing police clearances and background checks, having medical exams done on everyone in our family, and doing a million other forms) in January of 2006. We also had to do a home study and work with our federal government to approve us to bring a child into the United States that they would offer citizenship to. We had everything bundled up and sent to China in late June of 2006 (this packet is known as a dossier). We were officially logged into their tracking system on July 12, 2006.
Once the Chinese government received our Letter of Intent (LOI) last month for our special little girl, they pulled our dossier and began reviewing it along with the updated paperwork that we sent them on July 13, 2007. They will get in touch with our daughter's orphanage to begin the adoption process. Once they have everything in order, they will send a LOA (Letter of Approval) to our adoption agency to let us know that we have been approved to become her family. After we get special Chinese travel visa's and their government's OK to enter their country, the fun travel arrangements can begin. Normally, its four to eight weeks from receiving the LOA to having your child in your arms - which is sounding more and more wonderful to us all the time!
I take a heavy sigh and remind myself that every day that passes is a day closer to having her home. God alone knows when the timing will be perfect, and He will see that all the pieces fall into place. It will happen - we just must continue to be strong and have faith. Thank you again for traveling this journey with us.
Michelle
No comments:
Post a Comment