Tomorrow is Day 80 Since LOI

Our agency told us that they checked with the CCAA and our LOA is "in process". What does that mean? None of us know! Anyway, the CCAA is closed now for the week long holiday. They did work through the weekend, so its possible that our LOA could still show up in the next few days. If it does not, then, we will have to wait at least October 10 to hear anything.... We are trying to be patient, but its becoming harder and harder.

No News

Another day is winding down and there is no new information to share. We are still in a holding pattern.... I tried to post our daughter's photo here the other day and it didn't work well, so I took it back off. Its probably something with the pixels that I will need to tweak.

Today is Day 75 Since We Sent the LOI

We are still waiting.... We had believed that we'd be far beyond this point right now!! When we first sent our LOI in July, it was highly likely that we'd be traveling in September, but October at the latest. People were waiting as few as 21 days for their LOA. Of course, there were folks who had waited 177 days (which I hope I never have to experience as that would be devastating). The average was 65 days wait. We are beyond that now.... so, our original thought of traveling in September/October is not going to happen. September is out of course as its essentially over. October is out because even after the LOA arrives, there are still a few more hoops to get through before we can travel. Now, we are at least hoping for November to have little E in our arms.

Next week is a holiday in China for the Fall Festival, so the government will be shut down for several days. This means that if nothing arrives for us in the next few days, it would be highly unlikely that we hear anything for another week. Rumor is that the CCAA staff are going to work through this weekend to get things at a better place before taking their week off, but nobody knows if that is true or not. Guess we will see.... I keep reminding myself that it will happen when God's timing is right - and He is never wrong!

Scattered Thoughts

I took the day off work today to tackle many projects. The main one being that I had saved up some vacation days believing that MAYBE we would be traveling in October. It seems pretty doubtful now that such an event is going to happen, so I have five days to "burn" before October 18. I will put the first coat of paint on the north side of the house this morning. I have some books to return to the library (overdue). For lunch, I'm going to the school to eat with my husband & Alex (its lasagna day and the cooks there are wonderful). In the afternoon, the high school is having a parade and pep rally downtown for homecoming. In the evening, we have a football game, so we will cheer for Bryant and his fellow team members. There is NOTHING like a football game in a small Midwest town!!

As far as the adoption journey goes, we had an amazing experience this week. Some of the ladies/families from our church did a cake and ice cream fundraiser to help with E's expenses. Ken and I were rather embarrassed by the offer, but went along after much arm twisting. And, guess what? It turned out more unbelievable than we could have ever imagined. Our community showered us with love and generosity! We appreciate it all so much - more than we can ever express! The words to say thank you escape me because even the thought of the current $$ amount takes the air out of my lungs, and then, I become speechless. Thank you's will never be enough!

Today marks our 70th day since the LOI (Letter of Intent) was submitted to the CCAA. Reading other information on the internet makes me realize that everything seems to have slowed down. Very, very few special needs families have indicated that they got a LOA (Letter of Approval) or even TA (Travel Approval) this week. I'm not sure what's going on, but I know that we are not alone in this. Many others are waiting too!

We realize that God's timing will be perfect when our LOA finally arrives, then the TA, our plane tickets, traveling, etc. He alone can see what's happening all around the world and He knows why there is a delay. It will all fall into place, eventually. When it does, the time will fly and soon, we will have E here with us. She will be pushing her new dolly around in the stroller (Thank you, Evelyn & Lois); chasing the baby kittens on the front porch; playing in the sink while Daddy tries to wash dishes; eating hot dogs at her brother's ball games; singing the "Happy Birthday" and "K-I-S-S-I-N-G" songs with her toe headed cousins; reading books with Mommy; learning about Oreos and milk with her brother, Bryant; snuggling with the pink John Deere blanket that Granny made; shaking green pompoms as she shouts her brother's names from the bleachers; getting whisker rubs from Grampa; splashing water all over while taking a bath; riding the four wheeler with brother Alex; learning all about this amazing world in which we live; sneaking candy out of the stash in Grama's purse; making new friends; and last, but not least, being the daughter/grand-daughter/niece that our family has never had!


Michelle

Another E Name

It might be time to remove the poll and put an updated one on this site. We are seriously considering another E name.... The story is this - Hannah/Johanna are names of my grandmother and great-grandmother. There is also another Hannah in our life, who although she probably doesn't even remember, played a remarkable part in our journey as a family. When we were struggling through infertility treatments, Hannah was probably five years old. She would pray every night and that Ken and Shell would have a baby. When we had Bryant, in spite of all the doctors who said we'd never conceive, we knew little Hannah's persistent prayers had carried her tiny voice directly to God's heart. Less than a year later, we were shocked to learn that another child was growing in my womb. When Hannah was told, she was not surprised at all - she said that she had never stopped praying that Ken and Shell have a baby.... so we were having another. What better way to make her special prayers connect with the new little girl coming to her forever family? We are thinking about a name with Hannah in it - ElleHannah. We would prounounce it Ellee Hannah, just like it looks. What are your thoughts as followers of our journey? Please let us know what you think of that name.

I am not even sure that Hannah, now a college student, realizes how important she has been to us, but if she reads this blog entry, we want to thank her for her prayers that helped create our family!


Michelle

Heavy Sigh

Yet another heavy sigh. Yes, we are still waiting for the infamous LOA. Today marks day 63 since our LOI was sent to the CCAA. Granted, for those of you following our story, the LOI packet we submitted was "lost" for 8 weeks during the course of those 9 weeks, so I'm not really sure how much work they will have even gotten done on our request.

It would be so neat if we would get an update on our daughter. I know that some families get new photos and information from the orphanage about the same time they receive LOA from the Chinese government. That would be especially wonderful in our case because our referral packet was dated November 2006 - which makes it almost a whole year old. We would love to see new photos of her cute little face, learn more about the things she likes to do, and find out the foods she enjoys eating!

Its almost the weekend, so we'll certainly have to wait until Monday the 17th now to learn anything new (if there is even anything to find out). I am grateful though that I am back to waiting more than worrying - since they did find our LOI last week. That is certainly a relief. I will keep you posted!


Michelle

THEY FOUND THEM - YIPEE!

They found our documents!! I had not heard anything from our agency since last Thursday (when we were told that the CCAA wanted until Monday to look for the envelope), so I e-mailed them this afternoon. They let me know that the Chinese government found them last week. Our agency said they'd sent us an e-mail at that time, but we evidently didn't get it. They apologized for us having to worry all weekend... So, we are back on track now, but still waiting.... Our agency is hopeful that we will get our LOA yet this week, but we'll see. I'm still languishing in the warmth of knowing that our paperwork was found! Thank you so much for all your prayers and support over the last week - we do appreciate you!!


Michelle

We'll Know Soon... MAYBE

Friday passed without any contact from our agency, so its probably safe to assume that means the CCAA still has not found our LOI packet - which means the roller coaster ride continues. It would be so much easier if that envelope would just magically appear atop someone's desk :-), but its getting less likely that it will happen that way.

None of us are very sure what the CCAA will do about this, but it is our prayer that they will want to take care of it as quickly and smoothly as possible given that the envelope did disappear while in their hands. We aren't sure if that will mean they will accept the scanned copies that the liaison delivered the other day and proceed with them or if we'll have to re-do some of the items. We will see and I promise to keep you posted.

We feel sad for ourselves, but we also feel sad for the little girl sitting in the orphanage, still without her forever family. She nor her caregivers even realize that there is a group of loving people who are struggling to get her home for hugs, Christmas presents, 4-wheeler rides, wheat harvest in the summer, eating special candy from Grama's purse, bubble baths, football games, snuggling in the warm blankets Granny is making, sledding in the snow, chasing her toe headed cousins, whisker rubs by Grampa, and a million other adventures. Please pray that we can bring E home soon!


Michelle

Pins, Needles, and Barf-Bags

Our agency's liaison with the CCAA did meet with them last night about the situation. The CCAA wants until Monday to keep looking for our original documents, but are unsure how they would proceed should they be unable to find them. The CCAA took all the information from the liaison including scanned copies of the fully authenticated items in the lost LOI packet. They have not indicated whether or not those would be adequate should they be unable to find the originals, so we will see.

Please continue to pray as we wait on pins and needles. I am trying not to need to use the barf-bags as my stomachs churn anxiously. Hopefully, they will find the original LOI and supporting documents that were delivered to them on July 17. Then we can once again move forward to get our little girl home to her loving forever family (as dysfunctional as we are) very soon!


Michelle

Still Waiting ANXIOUSLY

China is actually 14 hours ahead of us. So, while we were sleeping (sort of) last night, our agency's liaison with the CCAA (Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs - their government office that manages all international adoptions) was working on our behalf. The person that she needed to speak with at the CCAA, however, was not available. She will try to contact that person again tomorrow morning (which will actually be this evening for us). Our agency e-mailed the liaison copies of all the items that were in our LOI packet received at the CCAA on July 17. She is hopeful that since the DHL tracker shows who in the CCAA signed for the package that the Chinese government will accept the photocopies or locate our originals and move forward as quickly as possible in processing our application.

Please keep praying! Thanks!


Michelle

I could just cry....

I had a phone call from our agency this afternoon. The CCAA has informed them that they cannot find our LOI or other supporting documents that were sent to them in July. Our agency has a copy of the receipt from DHL that shows the package was delivered to the CCAA and that one of their employees signed for it on July 17, 2007. That small bit of proof may be our only saving grace! Our agency is hoping that because the items were lost in their building, that the CCAA may be willing to accept a photocopy (scanned and sent via e-mail) of the authenticated documents. If they will not, we will need to re-do several items, have them sent to Topeka and San Francisco for authentication, and then, submit them again to the Chinese government.

Please say some extra prayers that they either find our documents or that they are willing to accept photostatic copies so that we don't have to start this particular journey leg all over again.... It makes me so sad and frustrated to know that our little girl is no closer to being home with us because of such a silly misplacement. I pray that the lost is found - or that they'll at least be flexible enough to take a photocopy since the original WAS in their hands on the 17th of July. Thank you!!


Michelle