DTC!!!!!

Our dossier was mailed to Chi*na this past Friday, December 18. They should have it in their hands today- and I am so happy! One big step to Cai. Now we wait for our LOA- Letter of Acceptance. That usually takes around two months. The last couple of months have had their difficult moments. The adoption process has changed since we adopted Cate. There were days of uncertainty and fear and impatience, where I wanted it done faster and better. I'm ashamed to admit how often I forgot to let go and let God. That this is not just about the destination, but about the journey as well. Thank goodness God's mercy is new every day! I just dream about the day that I can hold Cai and when we can bring her home to meet her family.

Mountain Fun

We had been looking forward to our mountain weekend for a couple of months. The kids skipped school on Friday and we headed for a cabin in the mountains. Our little cabin sat right beside a beautiful stream which apparently called Rion, Sophie and Pressley's names because yesterday they went swimming! Yes, it was freezing, but apparently worth it to them. We built campfires at night, cooked smores, hiked trails, and saw beautiful waterfalls. It really was a wonderful weekend. Now, that being said, I don't think I'm so much a mountain girl. I love the scenery and the brisk air, and the children love it.... but, after two days of smokey, wet, dirty, clothes, I'm ready to go home!

A Family In Need

There is a family that is in need of our prayers and could also use some financial assistance. They are the Kamberger family and have already adopted several children with special needs. They had already started their paperwork for a 9 year old girl when they found out about an almost 14 year old boy who is in desperate need of a family. Read about their story at www.afamilyforchristina.blogspot.com. This family has a heart full of love and I strive to be more like them. If you follow their journey I bet you will see miracles happen.

I also wanted to share a book that Greg and I read- It's called Crazy Love Overwhelmed By A Relentless God by Francis Chan. And it. is. great.

Will you pray for us that we receive our I800A approval soon so that we can send our dossier off to China? I'll tell ya, I have been a little bit worried because we have not even been assigned a case worker yet, and I really thought we should have by now.We surely can't get an approval without a case worker! But I am counting on God for some great things to happen!

Happy Birthday!

Happy 2nd Birthday Cai!!

Fingerprints- Check!

I am so happy to announce that our fingerprint appointments were this morning and we are done with that step! We are waiting for one more piece of paper- our I800A approval and then our dossier will be ready to be sent to China. That, of course, involves another wait, but every step is a huge, and greatly anticipated accomplishment. Today, we are specifically praying for our case worker who will approve our paperwork and issue our approval. While this can take 35-45 days, it can also be as few as 5. I am praying for 5!
We did find out that we will not be receiving any pictures of Cai with her cake. Her orphanage is apparently very strict, and said that they would take pictures, but we would not see them until the day we adopt her. So... we will be happy with what we have.

Here She Is!

We would like to introduce Cai to you. We will be celebrating her second Birthday next Saturday. And while we will be sad that she won't be here with us to celebrate her special day, we are looking forward to helping her celebrate many, many more! We sent a Birthday cake package to her orphanage and hopefully we will receive pictures of her enjoying her cake with her foster family and friends.
There is no better day than today to introduce Cai because today is Orphan Sunday. There are so many children in need of families that can use these extra prayers today. We feel especially blessed to be called to be the parents of two of these children.
Cai is living at an orphange in the province of Hubei. In a report we received, it says " The neighbors all love her because she looks so lovely and she talks sweetly. They always bring good food and toys to her and sometime they invite her into their homes as their guest. She has outgoing personality and she is very lively. She likes to watch TV."
We are hoping to have our paperwork ready to be sent to China soon. Once again, I am praying for patience and having to remember every day to place my trust and faith in God- ( and then to leave it there!) When things aren't happening as quickly as I would like, and we are waiting for yet, another approval so that we can hurry and wait for something else, I must remind myself that "If He brings you to it, He will bring you through it," and most importantly that this is not my "thing", this is His. And just as miraculously as he placed Cai into our lives, He will place her into our arms.
Please keep Cai in your prayers. We are praying daily for her, and are already praying that her little heart will be prepared for us.

" No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Cor. 2:9

Check it out!

Please go to www.nohandscurrentinfo.blogspot.com and read what Stefanie wrote about adoption. It is labeled "Why" and it is great. She has the gift for words that I so wish I had! She has an amazing family and I love reading her blog (the link to her blog is in the story). Please keep checking; our new blog should be ready soon so we can introduce Cai to you!

Pumpkin Patch and Pumpkin Carving!!

At the pumpkin patch- It was actually a pretty cold day! We had a great time on the haunted hay ride, gem mining (for those brave enough to sift through some COLD water), and hot chocolate and pumpkin cookies.

I didn't realize how blurry this picture was, but here are some of the pumpkin carvers.

We always have a little friendly, family competition, and here are a few of the pumpkins.

Just wait and see.....

If ANYONE ever reads this blog anymore, I wanted to share that soon the name will be changed from Cate Comes Home to Cai Comes Home. A very sweet and talented girl named Alexis is updating our blog. So, we will have a new look, a new name, and best of all another sweet little girl. I can't wait to share with you what we know about Cai, and I would like to do it when we are able to post her picture on our new blog. I will say that we have completed our Home Study and all of the appointments and paperwork that go along with it, and Ch*na has granted us Pre Approval to adopt Wu EnRong (Cai). Basically, they have said that with the information we have already given them, they will allow us to proceed with our paperwork and adoption. Now, we are having our Home Study reviewed by our agency so that everything will be perfect with no hang-ups later, it will then be sent to Columbia for state approval ( hopefully this will not take long), and then they will send it to US immigration who approves it and sends us the last piece of paper we need to make up our dossier. Our dossier will then be sent overnight to a courier in Washington DC who will take it to be authenticated there, overnighted back to us and THEN mailed to China. Whew! At that point we sit and wait for our L*OA. It is such a process, but SO, VERY worth it.
I have so many thoughts and feelings on adoption and orphans that I want to share, and I have read other adoptive moms who can speak of it so eloquently. I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving that God has called us and allowed us to adopt. It has opened our eyes to the plight of orphans and aside from the pure joy that Cate has brought our family, it has opened our eyes to the rest of the world. He took a regular,old,boring Mama and Daddy who live in a tiny community and showed us the rest of His children. Children who will never,ever be able to call anyone Mama or Daddy, who will never have a family. And that breaks my heart. Several people have said, well, you can't save them all. And it's true. But we can be a family to two more. And if asked, Why? I can't help but wonder, Why not? We would love your prayers on this exciting, sometimes scary, but wonderful journey.
"From the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing after another." John 1:16

Caught!

Tomorrow is Pressley's Birthday so Cate helped me make cupcakes for him. More pictures later with the final product!

September Happenings

It has ,of course, been a long time since my last post. It feels as if we have been in school forever- Really it has only been about four weeks. Cate started 4 year old kindergarten and she loves it. I pick her up every day at 12:00. We have not had anything too terribly exciting happening around here since school, homework, karate and dance have started back. Next week, September 24, to be exact, will be Cate's one year Gotcha Day. It's so hard to believe it has been a year since she joined our family, and we are planning a special day for her. I have been a little emotional thinking about it, looking back at pictures, remembering the wait and then the day we met her for the first time. And thinking back on the past year and the changes in Cate and in our family. Words can't adequately express the magnitude of adoption, I don't think, and the life change that it brings individuals and families.

Summer Fun

Sporting new Henna tattoos in Myrtle Beach with friends

Cate's best cheeseball smile!!!

Our summer is flying by! It always does, though. We have enjoyed every minute of it, and looking forward to spending a week at the beach with all of our family soon. Cate loves the boat and loves the water! She is actually swimming by herself now. We are so proud- such an accomplishment from a little girl who was terrified of the bathtub 10 months ago! We are constantly amazed by Cate. I get really emotional when I think of the magnitude of adoption and the blessing she is to us, and how it all unfolded. I now look at each little waiting child's face and think "the only special need they really have is that they need a mommy and daddy," and just pray that they find their family. I told Greg last night that I wish we were one of those big ole families and that we could adopt again, but he turned a little pale!

Happy Easter!!!!

I'm hoping to get back into the blogging groove. Seriously. I have been trying to adjust to homeschooling, a broken leg ( not mine- Rion's), and baseball season. And never being alone (this accompany's the homeschooling), which is going great, but did I mention I am never alone? I hope everyone had a Happy Easter!!!!!

Happy Birthday Cate, Happy Chinese Year......

It has been too long since I posted last! We celebrated Cate's fourth birthday on January 24th with a family birthday party. We went out to eat and had a princess cake for dessert! Greg spent the day putting together Cate's new kitchen, and she loved it! She enjoyed opening every present. It's hard to believe that she is four years old. Mimi and George gave Cate a bicycle with training wheels- she loves it, but we need to work on the pedaling! And I think one of her favorites was a miniature broom and mop. She loves to clean!

We also enjoyed celebrating Chinese New Year with two other families at a local Chinese restaurant. There were thirteen children and six adults! We had a great time.

Cate continues to enjoy going to school. They do lots of fun things and she loves tea party time! She is learning her colors and shapes. We think she is so smart!!! Cate just amazes me. Nothing fazes her- she takes everything in stride. She is so loving, and so patient with us when she knows we don't quite understand what she is trying to say! She loves her videos that sing in Mandarin.

Well, onto some pictures.......