Once upon a time...

This is a blog about our China adoption story...growing our family with a second daughter but first through a China adoption. We began in July 2011 with Chinese Children adoption International in Denver. We cannot say enough good things about our adoption agency and tell you how attentive, credible and sincere the staff is!  We began the process to adopt through the waiting child program for a daughter under 2 years old.  I have two sisters and the relationships I have with them are so special. I want Joy, our 4 year old to experience the same sibling relationship, with a sister. In a nutshell we wanted to grow our family with a second child. God orchestrated our missionaries from Empower International who planted the seeds about international children's future, poverty and  the terrible reality of sex trafficking in the Asian countries. We had always lived in this safe world with cute curtains, scrapbooks, and a good neighborhood says Jennie Allen best from her book "Anything".  The Lord began awakening us to more than our small world in October of 2010. Would we really do anything he asked of us? The first book I read was, Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman began to stir my heart for international girl orphans. Her and Steven Curtis Chapman adopted three girls from China when their biological kids were older. Really good book and journey. Then I read Radical by David Platt, then Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis then Anything by Jennie Allen. Each pointing us the same way..the message was loud and clear. Milton and I were united and on board! I think our families thought, we were crazy.
1 Peter 2:4 " Chosen by God and precious"
July 2011 applied with CCAI
Began home study interviews, gathering paperwork, adoption physicals, etc...
Feb 2012 sold our house and moved (we did not know but this is her birth month)
March 2012 finished home study!!
May 2012 completed homeland security fingerprints in Lubbock
June-July Worked on state certification of documents, authentication with Embassy for Dossier
August 2012 Dossier done and log in date issued with CCCWA in Beijing
Waiting and praying...
October 22 we were matched with our sweet girl, Sister we call her!  She is currently in an orphanage in Henan providence. She is healthy and beautiful! She is learning to walk, likes music and is lively. Oh I cannot wait to see her face to face!!

(Did you know- 1 million girls a year are abandoned in China. Partially because of the one child policy, poverty, because only boys are allowed to inherit land and carry on the family name. Each story is different. Orphanages have been set up all over China to take care of abandoned girls and boys. These children are waiting for their forever family! They are waiting to be a son and a daughter...)

November letter of acceptance from CCCWA received!! Organizing her room, getting it ready!
Dec 2012 another phase of homeland security paperwork completed for Sister to get a VISA.
January waiting on paperwork from Consulate in China..
Feb 5th got the approval we needed to move forward from Guangzhou.
(Celebrated Joys 4th birthday on feb 2 and Sisters 2nd with cupcakes and a song)
Waiting on...travel approval In February. Chinese New Year delayed our paperwork as everything closes down!!
Today is February 26th waiting on travel approval and a concrete travel date ANYDAY. The last few weeks I have not waited very patiently. Everyday Im bugging God about our paperwork and "when" will we ever travel to bring home this sweet girl! International adoption is not for the faint at heart. You must be determined to run the race before you!! It has been a long race, maybe more like the tortoise and the hare race.  The Lord has been grooming my  patience and this human control factor.  With International  adoption its quite clear you have NO control over time and many other things.  Remembering why and envisioning the precious daughter we are bringing home helps me regroup. I am certain we have been destined for this journey and God has a sweet plan for our lives. He has written our story. He is trustworthy. He has shown me that our redemption in Him (Romans 8-9) brought us into an adoption story with Him.  To redeem is to rescue from permanent captivity! He has rescued us from eternal death and sin through his redemptive work on the Cross. Our adoption cost Christ, His life.  I am honored to be a daughter of the King.  I am overjoyed to be a mother to 2 beautiful girls, that I call my daughters through adoption!!
Joy asked me a few weeks ago, "why do we want a Sister momma?" Mmmmhh, she is sorting this out I'm thinking. I say, " a Sister makes a great playmate and a best friend." She responded with "well that's good." And that was that...
I cannot wait to go into AnnaBelles room and see her asleep in her bed on those sweet pink sheets and snuggling the lovie we have saved for her and prayed over!  I cannot wait to hold her and touch her dark hair and round nose. To tell her how special, loved and important she is.  Both of my girls are so valuable!!  So today we wait .....and wash AnnaBelles clothes to put in her dresser drawers and begin to pack my suitcase.