Cai Comes Home

Wrapping Up Summer

2011-09-07T06:36:00.000-07:00

The "snake handler" in the family. This is actually kinda funny. I was walking down our inside stairs one morning and saw something above our front door (on the outside). My first thought was that it sorta looked like, well, poop, and then it dawned on me that nothing could actually get to the top of a door to poop. That's when I saw it move and realized that it was a snake head. Not even kidding. So, I SCREAMED for the snake handler who was more than happy to come deal with a snake. As I'm watching from inside, along with the rest of our non snake handling children, I scream and say something like, Oh my goodness, I thought he was picking it up by the head. And my youngest son said no, he wasn't, but now he is.

We celebrated my Mom's 60th Birthday in August and picked her up in a limo to take her out to eat. The rest of our family met us at the restaurant. She was so surprised and it was lots of fun!

Cai had been asking me for pigtails, so one morning I pulled up every little tiny piece of hair that I could and put them into two little, tiny pigtails. We did this for two days and she insisted that I get a picture of her- both days. As it turns out, I'm glad I did because Cate cut her hair on the following day and it's going to be a while before we have anything to put in a pigtail again. I won't go into any details about the haircut except to say that Cai now has bangs and it made me want to say a bad word and I don't say bad words and I didn't, but I really wanted to. And Cate was not on my happy list that day!

We Are Alive And Well ( OK, sometimes it depends on the day!)

2011-07-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

I'm very sorry for the absence. But, I really didn't think anyone read this blog except when we are in China!! Let me fill you in on Kelly. She is doing great and has adjusted beautifully. She has gotten her ears pierced, learned to ride a bike, gotten braces, learned to swim, enjoyed a week of horse riding camp and has gotten contacts (her request)- all in four months! We have spent two weeks at the beach this summer and have been in our boat- she loved it all! Kelly is such a sweet girl. She is very easy going and seems to enjoy almost everything. Her favorite food is hamburgers, and will try almost anything.

The language barrier has been difficult but manageable. Adopting an older child has been an experience that is hard for me to put into words. It is just so hard on so many different levels. Bonding is harder when you can't communicate. Also, 14 is an age, anyway, where children still need you but want to be independent too. The culture change is tough. For everyone. There have been so many things I want to explain to Kelly that is so hard. We do so much so differently. Kelly loves China and misses China. She lived with a loving foster family and was very loved by the people from her orphanage. She had lots of friends there. Sometimes it feels like she doesn't want to let go of her language and ways in order to learn a new way.

It has also been wonderful and amazing. We realize how blessed we are to have this beautiful, sweet girl home with our family. She truly has a kind and loving heart. I don't think she even knows how to be unkind. That is a treasure! We know that she will do great things!!

Last post from China

2011-03-09T04:22:00.000-08:00

We couldn't leave without a picture of our favorite, non English speaking, friendly, and very patient waiter!

I can't believe I just said that! We won't actually be leaving until tomorrow night but we will be checking out of our hotel after lunch. If you think about it, please pray for our trip home. We have really been looking forward to the day that we see the rest of our family and become a family again. We have had two wonderful weeks in China. I have been so blessed to have Greg here for one week and Kristi for the other. Kelly is an amazing girl and we are so thankful that God placed her with our family. I can't explain it but China has felt very natural this trip. The first trip was just hard, everything was new- the foods, the smells, everything. With Cai, I think we navigated a little easier and tried to appreciate the differences a little more. This time, we actually embraced China- the foods, the people, the culture, some of the smells but definitely not all! We braved the streets, the restaurants and the language and really, really enjoyed it. I have really come to love the country where three of our daughters were born.

Safari Park

2011-03-08T02:09:00.000-08:00

Today we visited the Safari Park and it was a lot of fun. We went there with two other families. Sophie has completely fallen in love with their little boys that they are here adopting and is begging to come back ONE more time for a little boy. Ask you father, honey. JK Greg. They are both around 3 years old and are the most beautiful little boys we have ever seen! We have enjoyed spending time with their families here. Our favorite part of the day was the elephant ride- we all rode! The pandas were a big hit with Sophie. We also took a train ride through the park and the animals came very close. I think Kelly really enjoyed the day too. She is such a good sport and very easy going. I asked her if she wanted to ride an elephant and without blinking she said sure! This afternoon, much to Sophie and Pressley's dismay, we came back to the hotel for schoolwork. In the morning, Kelly and I will go to our Consulate Appointment at the Embassy. This will be our last bit of paperwork and are praying that everything is OK. Then, Connie will pick up Kelly's visa Thursday morning. And we will be ready to leave. We are so excited to get back home to everyone.

Making it through the days

2011-03-07T04:49:00.000-08:00

That's what we're doing at this point! I don't have many new pictures because I just didn't pull out my camera much today. Our days are pretty routine- wake up, breakfast, walk around in and out of the shops on Shamian Island, movies and schoolwork in the hotel room, and then dinner! We did ask our guide, Connie, to take us to the electronics market today. One, Rion wants a laser and two, we need a diversion each day. The kids are starting to get too wild if we're in the hotel room too long. Kelly is doing great. Today she was in the other room and I called her name and asked her what she was doing and she answered "Reading a book." I was so excited that she understood what I was asking and was able to answer. She fits in with our family so well. I will have to say, though, she isn't much help when I could use her help translating something! We went to the Chinese restaurant tonight and had a tough time ordering- no one spoke English. At all. And what was written in English on the menu were things like pork stomach, bacteria encrusted frogfish, livers and intestines... and the table next to us still had their chicken head attached to the rest of their chicken. I ended up calling our guide and just gave our poor waiter the telephone- what we got was delicious. But I was thinking it would have been nice if Kelly could have helped me! Sometimes I think it embarrasses her at our cluelessness, but other times it almost seems like she wants to fit in so bad with her dumb, clueless family and maybe that's why she isn't helping. Who knows. Either way, she couldn't be any sweeter of a girl!

More Fun In Guangzhou

2011-03-06T00:51:00.000-08:00

The famous lizards on a stick

I am amazed by this art work - beautiful pictures, all done with the hands- fingernails, fingertips, and the side of the hand. He let Pressley and Sophie give it a try.

The Pearl River

Today we enjoyed some shopping with our guide, Connie. Well, Kristi and I enjoyed the shopping. We found some pearls and some other souvenirs. We didn't make it to the island today but will be heading back there in the morning to have Kelly's TB skin test read- I think it looks great. Things really couldn't be going any better. Of course, I wish that the communication was easier, but we just try to give lots of reassuring smiles and pats and hugs! I have Kelly read some to me each day. This is what I have realized- the long vowels are not spoken here. At all. So, when I am helping her with these words, she laughs- I think it sounds very unnatural to her- right, while, light, etc.. And at the same time, I am acting out the words so she knows what I am talking about- I'm sure she thinks I'm crazy! Directly outside our hotel is the street market and we found a little stand that sold DVD's, really cheap and all new releases- so, that has kept the kids busy at times when we are in the hotel room. Tonight we are going to attempt a Chinese restaurant near our hotel. Without a guide. Which should be very interesting!

Hellllooooo Guangzhou!!!

2011-03-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

We made it to Guangzhou and boy are we happy to be here! sorry for the lack of posts. Our last day in Jinan was really sad for us- Greg left early Friday morning and we all had a sad start to the day. We had to check out of our hotel at 12 and spent the rest of the day waiting for our plane. We arrived in Guangzhou at 9 pm, but poor Kristi's flight was delayed and she didn't arrive until 11 pm. By the time we made it to our hotel and got ready for bed it was 1 am. We really like our hotel here and it's really cool to be located in the middle of the street market. We walk through the pet market and the herbal market to get to Shamian Island. Very interesting, to say the least.

We went for Kelly's medical examination this morning- she had to have four shots and a TB skin test. She was so brave- didn't even flinch. She continues to amaze us with her sweet spirit and kind nature. This evening we will meet at Lucy's for dinner with several other families. We met two other families this morning that are also with Madison Adoption. Kristi and I had a nice time shopping on the island after Kelly's medical exam. This was our first chance to do any shopping at all. Tomorrow we will go with our guide to the pearl market and some other places. The weather has been great- such a nice change from Jinan! I was finally able to pull out the flip flops! I promise to do better posting from now on!

Sightseeing in Jinan

2011-03-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Kevin took us to do a little sightseeing- it was the first day that was really bearable to be outside. And we needed it. We only wished it could last longer! We are getting a bit cooped up here in the hotel room but we just don't have much choice. We did get some school work done in the afternnoon. Today will be Greg's last day with us- he will leave very early in the morning. We are ready to move on to Goungzhou now, especially knowing that it will be our last leg. I will share some things we know about Kelly- She loves Coke. She is a fast runnner (she dusts Sophie and Pressley running down the halls!). She always smiles. Always. I have been having her read to me and she does pretty well reading English- now I just need to make sure she is comprehending. Although you "know" some things going into adoption, I don't think you really "get" them until you're here sometimes. We knew that communication would be a challenge, and we thought Kelly knew a little more English and the reality is that we have a LOT to teach Kelly and Kelly has a LOT to learn. but we're getting to know one another better each day, and it will all come.

Our day in Qingdao

2011-03-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

We had a great visit to Qingdao. We made it back to our hotel in Jinan last night and we were all exhausted. I did try to post some pictures but they wouldn't post for some reason. I was not able to visit Cate or Cai's orphanage and never met their foster families, and I don't think I can put into words our experience and do it justice. Our morning yesterday was filled with lots more waiting for paperwork, so when we pulled into a very nice restaurant for lunch, we were all ready for a break. We didn't quite know where we were going and when we went inside, they took us to a private room and it was filled with staff from the orphanage and Kelly's foster parents and their daughter in law and grandson. Everyone was taking pictures and thanking us- Kelly's foster parents gave us two beautiful scrolls that he painted as well as picture albums of Kelly's life there. They toasted to us during the meal and Greg was asked twice to bottoms up his beer with Kelly's foster father- I know, poor thing. He did have to do it standing in front of everyone though. After lunch, we all went to Blue Sky Home. They gave us a tour and it is an amazing place with amazing, wonderful people working there. They all love Kelly very much and told us how kind she is. Kelly cried as we were leaving and it broke our hearts. But even then, she was asked to ride to the train station with her foster family but she wanted to be with us. She is so brave, I can't begin to tell you. And she does everything with a smile. I'm telling you, this is one special little girl. We left the orphanage with arms full of gifts. Pressley and Sophie were given stuffed animals and bags of treats. It was an emotional day to say the least. And we felt like we were leaving with so much more than we had to give them.

Qingdao

2011-02-28T00:30:00.000-08:00

We are settled in our room in Qingdao now. I am SO sorry- I forgot the camera cord to post pictures! We are only spending one night here and because we have SO many bags that are huge we left them at our hotel in Jinan and only brought necessities in our backpacks. Well, Kelly is an official member of our family, like it or not! Most of our adoption paperwork was completed today- tomorrow we do a few more things- the kids spent way too much time in smoky, cold, civil affairs buildings today- Fun! I think that tomorrow will be a neat day- we will eat lunch at the orphanage and Kelly's foster family will be there. I was able to talk to the orphanage director today and we were able to talk back and forth with Kelly which was really nice. She told me that Kelly is scared she may say something wrong. We were thinking that- it is almost as though she is afraid to do anything, say anything, or even take anything as her own. We assured her that we want her to talk to us and we want to talk to her. Since then, she has said a few things on her own- it gives me the feeling that she maybe knows more English than I thought but is afraid to use it. We will be back in Jinan tomorrow evening and I will catch up on pictures then.

Kelly

2011-02-27T04:05:00.000-08:00

We were suppose to meet Kelly in the lobby of our hotel at 1 pm today- we went across the street for a quick lunch and while we were eating, someone tapped me on the shoulder and said hello- I turned around wondering who in China would know me and there was Kelly! At KFC! We finished lunch and went back to the hotel to do a little paperwork. We realized very quickly what a sweet girl she is. She has smiled all day. She also holds doors open for everyone and always makes sure that no one is left behind anywhere we go. She insisted in carrying our bag when we left a store. We can't, however, communicate very well. She isn't really understanding much of what we say. I am hoping that tomorrow when we go back to the orphanage she will get her translator. I know that she will pick the language up very quickly but it really makes for some awkward times and frustrating too- we really want to be able to talk to her. Well, we are all tired and we have to get up early in the morning.

Snow

2011-02-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

This is what jet lag looks like- it's only 6 p.m.!

Look what we woke up to- well, actually what we saw when it became light enough to see outside! I think we are in for a cold week.

Jinan

2011-02-26T14:32:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry if this post shows up twice- I posted that we were in Jinan last night but it's not showing up on the blog from here. It's 6:30 am Sunday morning and we should meet Kelly around noon. Everyone fell asleep last night at 6:00 and I didn't even wake them for supper- no one had really slept in 3 days! Jinan is very busy, very crowded (of course- with a population of 2 million people) and very hazy. We have yet to see any sunshine! No pictures yet because we haven't really seen anything here except our hotel room. We did venture out for drinks and McDonalds fries (for Pressley) yesterday but that's as far as we got. We decided we were like the frog on Frogger trying to cross the roads! Greg is doing amazingly well with the culture shock! We'll post again as soon as we meet Kelly.

We Made It!!!

2011-02-25T15:54:00.000-08:00

We made it to Hong Kong last night after a very loooooong flight! But our luggage made it too and all is well this morning! I had visions of getting everyone showered and sleeping in late this morning after being awake for almost 24 hours but that didn't happen! We got into bed around 10 and at 1 am everyone was wide awake! I dozed until around 4 am, but Greg, Sophie and Pressley were awake and talking. Hopefully tonight we can go to bed early and get a good nights sleep! We had a good breakfast this morning and will be leaving the hotel in just a couple of hours for the airport. Thank you all for your prayers. We are looking forward to meeting Kelly tomorrow. Next post will be from Jinan-

It's Time!!

2011-02-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

Well, today is our last day to pack and get ready for our trip. We will leave for Charlotte in the morning and then on to Hong Kong for one night. We will actually be able to leave China a day earlier which we are so excited about! So, now we will leave China on the night of Thursday, March 10 and arrive in Columbia on Friday morning, March 11- I believe around 10:45 am. We are full of mixed emotions today. We are a little nervous and anxious about our trip. I think Greg, especially, since this will be his first trip and completely out of his comfort zone! Also, our hearts are sad for our family and children that we will be leaving behind. I had my good cry last night- just the emotions of the last week catching up with me, I'm sure. But we are also leaving with thankful hearts- so very thankful that the Lord has called us to Kelly and so thankful that we will be bringing home this special little girl. I know that for myself, I keep reminding myself that God does not call us to an easy life or a comfortable one. When I get caught up with my feelings and my emotions, how hard this might be, or how sad I am to be leaving all that is comfortable to me, I remember how many years Kelly has been waiting for a family of her own, and all of a sudden two weeks just doesn't seem like so much. And that this really isn't about me at all- but about answering God's call and remembering how our prayer partners at church prayed- that God has already gone before us and paved the way. We will treasure your prayers for our entire family over the next two weeks and we can't wait to introduce our newest family member very soon!

We are going to China!!!

2011-02-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe that I am typing this post. This past week has a been a whirlwind- of activity and emotions. I will post our itinerary this weekend; we are still trying to get it all straightened out. But we do know that we leave on Thursday, February 24, will arrive in Kelly's province on Saturday, Feb.26, will meet her at our hotel on Sunday, Feb 27, and will leave to come home on Friday night, March 11. Whew. There will be lots happening in between too. One huge thing that has happened just the past two days, is that Greg will be going with us for a week. He has NEVER been and while I am so happy to have him with us for a few days, please pray for him. I know he will feel guilty leaving his work, and basically this is just a huge step for him to take all around. He has always been my strong support and prayer partner from home, just never in China. When we leave to fly to GZ for our last week, he will fly home.
Please keep our family in your prayers. I will update before we leave!

A Fairy Happy Birthday!

2011-01-23T16:04:00.001-08:00

Happy 6th birthday Cate!

I800 Approval!!

2011-01-18T06:30:00.000-08:00

One more step down!

Kelly

2011-01-04T06:32:00.001-08:00

Here is a glimpse of our newest daughter- it is the only picture I could find that I knew how to post to our blog! We think that she is such a beautiful girl, on the inside and out!

LOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-01-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note- we found out that our LOA for Kelly was at our agency on Monday night, December 27- the night before my birthday! What a great gift! We are really praying hard that the final steps move quickly. We hope that everyone has a very Happy New Year!!

Finally, an update!

2010-12-22T05:37:00.000-08:00

It has been so long since I last posted that I don't even know where to begin! Let's see- Rion turned 13 so he is officially a teenager and that is very hard for me to believe. Our dossier was mailed to China the week of Thanksgiving and that was one great step DONE! We are awaiting our LOA and this week will be three weeks since it was logged into China's system. I know that's not long, but I was hoping and praying we may already have it. We have lots more steps to complete in what feels like a short time to do them. Oh yes, and Collins is actually Kelly. She named herself Kelly and that is how she signs her letters. So, while naming our children special names that we picked our just for them has always been important to me, and just something that I loved, we felt very strongly that we should let her have the name that she loved. So, Kelly it is. And we have absolutely fallen in love with this little girl. Her notes to us make us cry and we want to bring her home as soon as possible! I know we are a little biased, but we feel that we must have the sweetest girl in all of China! I asked her if she was nervous to leave China and come with us to America and she said No, because she feels that we are already family in her heart. Come on LOA.

We hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!!!

The Happiest Birthday!!

2010-11-14T17:15:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to Cai! Cai has been so excited about her birthday! I have to admit, I was pretty excited about her birthday too, since it is her first with us as her family! She wore a smile ALL day long! It was so sweet. She was just so happy! She loved her pink princess table cloth, her pink plates, her cake, and of course her presents. I'm not sure whether she had ever opened a present before- she wasn't really sure what to do at first. But she caught on fast!

I know it's a little mushy, but today I kept thinking of her first Mama- the Mama that wrote on a little piece of paper Cai's birth date and time, so that someone would always know. And I know she was thinking of Cai today too.

Pre - Halloween Fun!!

2010-10-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to update- Well, the t-shirts did not work out. We needed 25 to place an order and we would have been pushing it to find ten buyers. I think that 's what happens if you homeschool and really don't go anywhere! That's O.K. though. We're moving along with our new adoption. The paperwork has not seemed a big deal- Apparently the third time's a charm! We have had a hard time coming up with a name. First, we don't know what her preference will be, and if she has one, we want to respect that. But, we all like the name Collins. I was really drawn to "C" names, and Sophie mentioned that the dughter from the movie "The Blindside" was named Collins. So... I believe she will be Collins. We have written to her a couple of times and sent her pictures of our family. She hasn't written us back yet, but she did paint a beautiful picture and the orphanage emailed our agency and told them that her biggest dream was to have a family of her own.

Show Hope

2010-10-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

If ANYONE would like a really cool t-shirt, we are selling these Show Hope t's. We're going to try our hand at a little fundraiser here and we'll see how it goes.

The only customer I have had so far is Sophie, who wants at least two. But, that would kinda defeat the purpose of a FUNDRAISER. There are eight different t's to choose from. If you have any questions, please email me or leave a comment. The first four t's shown here have a message on the back also.They are $25. I am going to place an order on Nov. 1. We will need the money to send in with the order and then the shirts will only take about a week to 10 days to arrive! We need to sell around 10,000 shirts. Just kidding. Well, sort of.

One Less

2010-10-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

http://vimeo.com/15064039

O.K., it's no new news that I am very computer illiterate. ( Sharon, can I get an Amen!) IF there is a link to a video above this post, it's one that really hits home for us. It's by Matthew West and it's the story behind his new song, One Less. When we began our adoption for Cate, we had no idea what was in store for us or how richly our lives would be blessed. We just truly felt called to adopt this little girl. Along our journey, our eyes were opened to orphans, and just how many there were. And it's very true what David Platt wrote in his book, Radical- "... orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes."
We are adopting again. I know, we have only been home for four months with Cai. I know, we have five children. And I know we can't provide a home to all of the orphans. But we will be a family to three of them.
She is 13 years old and very well may be 14 when we bring her home. When children turn 14 in China, they are no longer considered "adoptable" (i'm not sure if that's a word!) For the past year, we have prayed for these children that were so close to "aging out". But God placed something on our hearts- we can do more than just pray, we can act. It's kinda strange to think that she may only be with us for four or five years before she starts college! But, she will always have a family to come home to, a family who loves her very much.

Our First SB Clinic Appointment

2010-08-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

Our first appointment was made at MUSC's Spina Bifida Clinic when we were in China. It was made for August 24. Before I met Cai, I couldn't wait for that date to get here- that's when we would learn more and form a plan of action for our daughter. I love action. It means I'm doing something, heading in a better, positive direction! But after I held our daughter and knew our daughter and loved on our daughter, I began dreading that darn appointment. For all of the reasons I thought I wanted it. It would mean we would have to DO something. Different. That probably won't be much fun. Certainly not for her. Or us. And it will be anything but easy.
We prayed for that appointment, and the doctors, and the tests. Our friends and family prayed. And we felt God's hand the entire day. Cai did great- even during the not so fun tests. The doctors and staff were very kind and seemed very knowledgable. They didn't even feel that right now Cai needs an MRI of her spine, so no surgery ( a definite answered prayer). Her kidneys look great so no surgery there either! We will start physical therapy to help her strengthen her legs and feet. I guess if you could say there's a downside, it would be that after another test in December, we will have to start intermittent catheterizations every few hours to help Cai's bladder empty. It's just not working like it should, and we need to keep her kidneys healthy. I knew this would be a possibilty, but hoped it wouldn't be our plan of action. We continue to pray for healing for Cai's little body and truly feel very peaceful. She has amazed us with her courage, her humor and her strength. We love this little girl so much!

" It is right, and I would say even good, to grieve the pains and brokenness of this world and the way it manifests itself in our bodies. But grieve with hope, knowing that HE might be shown more glorious through the most broken parts of our lives.- unknown"

A little of this, A little of that

2010-08-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

After Cai's haircut- not one tear!

Cate's new glasses!

My grandparents with Some of their grandchildren and great grandchildren. Note the cast on Rion's arm- skim boarding accident only 3 hours after arriving at the beach!

Cai- having a great week at the beach!

Do they look happy or what?

Daddy

2010-07-18T12:10:00.001-07:00

I love watching Greg with Cate and Cai. Cai has only been home for five weeks and she already knows how special her daddy is. You can see it in her eyes. Greg wasn't able to travel to China with me so when we arrived home, although both of our girls had seen pictures of their "Baba", they weren't quite sure what to expect. But their daddy's love for them and for our family can't help but be felt. His words are kind and gentle and his love runs deep. He has taken on the task and answered God's call to be a father to the fatherless. And we are so thankful for him!

Where do I begin??

2010-07-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Where do you start when you haven't updated in a month? It has really felt too big for words. Cai is doing great. She is a beautiful, sweet, funny little girl. Her adjustment has amazed us. And we are so thankful. We truly feel that she was meant to be a part of our family. And like Cate, it already feels as though she has been here forever. Her language is coming right along- she mimics everything, she calls us all by name and follows simple commands, so she is obviously understanding a lot that we say to her. I think her English will take off just as Cate's did. She has bonded very well to us and loves to give and receive kisses and hugs. She is a very loving little girl. She is a great sleeper, she loves the pool, the beach and the boat (yaaaa!) Now, some have asked about Cate and Cai- the love connection definitely is not there yet! They are finally having some sweet sister play times, but usually they are competing for attention or for the same toy, food,etc. And it goes both ways. Cai is equally as competitive and strong willed as Cate! It is really quite funny when I'm not pulling my hair out!

Now, for maybe the not so rosy part! Cai's medical issues have felt very overwhelming at times- usually after a doctors visit. We knew that we would be faced with some, so most was not a surprise, some were. Without completely invading her privacy but realizing this is just part of Cai's life as well as our families life, Cai was born with a spinal meningocele which has affected her walking as well as her bladder and bowel control. These are all nerve related and while we can manage them, there is no "fixing" nerve damage. So, many things we are simply taking day by day. We won't actually have our first clinic visit until August when I'm sure we will have to schedule several scans and tests that probably won't be very fun, but will help us begin a plan of treatment. Even in the most overwhelming moments, I have not for one second doubted that this was the perfect little girl for our family and we wouldn't trade her for the most healthiest child. All it takes is one look into her beautiful face and we are reminded of what a gift she is to us!

Consulate Day

2010-06-09T07:06:00.001-07:00

Today was the day that we went to the consulate as a family to take our oath. Our paperwork was prepared yesterday and in order so today was a breeze! Simon first took us to a restaurant where we had a huge delicious meal. We all shared many dishes and they were so good! At the consulate they just called us up indidvidually, we signed a paper, and then all of the families there took an oath together. I became teary as I held Cai and realized that we were finally at the end of this part of our journey to become family. It's a difficult, emotional road, but worth every tear shed. As I told Greg this morning, I already can't imagine our lives without Cai or hers without us. Today, she willingly went to all of the people in our group and gave me lots of kisses. Until now, when I kissed her, she would wipe mine off! I don't think she had ever been kissed before. Tomorrow will be our last day with the Pierce family since their flight leaves early Friday morning. We will really miss them. Pressley has made such good friends on our trip! He has loved our guides and really likes hanging out with them. He is also a real ladies man here! The women at McDonalds love him and every place we go shopping, we have to wait for him while he poses for pictures. He'll be in for a real reality check when we get home!

Another Shopping Day

2010-06-08T12:21:00.001-07:00

Today was a big shopping day on Shamian Island. We thought we were pretty much done, but the shopping was too good to resist! We took a taxi to the island- very easy and inexpensive. We met the Pierce family and another family for lunch at Lucy's. It was really good! After that, we shopped more until we were all too tired to go on! Tonight we are having our supper delivered to our room and hopefully going to bed early. I think we can all see the light at the end of the tunnel. Tonight, we'll be able to say, only 2 days from tomorrow! Tomorrow, Simon is going to take us to eat at a dumpling restaurant and then we will go to the Consulate to take our oath. Next, all we need is Cai's visa which will be issued on Thursday. We are down to the very last steps!

Shopping Day

2010-06-07T04:12:00.000-07:00

Today we started by going to the medical examination building to have Cai's TB skin test read. It was negative thankfully. As soon as we walked into the building she started tensing up and by the time we reached the place where she had to have her shots and where they read the test, she was screaming and trying to get away. The entire, overly crowded clinic had their eyes on us. It didn't take long at all and we were out of there! She is one smart cookie. As soon as we left, with a little candy, she was fine. Then Simon took our crew to a shopping plaza right off of the island. First, we walked through an open market where they sold lots of unusual things- mostly for medicines and soups- dried lizards on sticks, turtles, dried sea horses, and scorpians ( alive). Then we did a little more shopping. The boys have has a fun time bartering and love using their chinese money. They think they're loaded! I gave them 100 yuan to spend which is $15 and they think their rich! We were able to find some really inexpensive DVD's that actually work! Pressley is feeling much better today and is watching one of his new DVD's now. Cai is still doing great- we have found that she absolutely LOVES candy and french fries. She just cracks our entire group up to hear her shouting for Pressley and Rion. They actually egg her on just for a laugh. She is so funny and so cute! As fiesty as she is, when it's time for bed or nap, she just lies down and goes to sleep! Another answered prayer!

For those are getting ready to travel and have asked, the Garden Hotel is wonderful! I would definitely recommend staying here. It's easy to get to the island when you need to, but also has plenty to do around here. We are in a suite and it is very spacious, which is so nice. The breakfast buffet is delicious and at least as good as the White Swan. There are lots of restaurants around and are easy to get to- The island is definitely torn up and almost impossible to get around with a stroller. Sadly too, many of the shops are closed. We were able to get to Jordan's and I know Jennifer's is still there too. Tomorrow we are going there by taxi and stay for a few hours, but I honestly think that's all we would need.Please let me know if you ahve any other questions!

Safari Park

2010-06-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Safari Park here in Guangzhou. It was a fun outing although very hot. Rion hasn't felt good the past 2 days and has been unable to eat anything. We are praying that tomorrow he will feel better. It's hard too, to feel bad so far away from home. Pressley has been such a trooper but had his first meltdown tonight. It started when he saw Coconut, our dog when we skyped, but then cried that he just wants to go home. We all do. Cai is doing great. I couldn't imagine her being any more perfect for us. It is so cute and funny how she calls after Rion and Pressley- she calls them by name, loud! She is also warming up to Mimi and loves to call Mimi too. We love the Pierce family and have spent lots of time with them. I can't say how much it helps having them here with us. We are so thankful. Tomorrow we will go back to the medical clinic to have Cai's TB skin test read and then we will be finished with that part. After that, I believe we will do a little shopping. Tuesday will be the day that our guide will take all of our paperwork to the Consulate- we need to stay in our room to be available foe any questions that may arise- hopefully there will be none! Then, on Wednesday, we go to the Consulate to take our oath. Ok, on to the pictures!

Guangzhou

2010-06-05T05:50:00.000-07:00

Wuhan.

On Shaiman Island Guangzhou. Cai had to come here for her medical exam.

Wuhan...so sad.

This is outside our hotel in Guangzhou.

We made it to Guangzhou last night- the best part was when our guide told us he was also meeting another family with our agency- it was the Pierce family and Tina and I have been emailing one another during this adoption. So, we all shared a van and checked into our hotel together. It is so nice being with another family here! Our hotel is the Garden Hotel and it is beautiful! I don't have many pictures to share- this morning was Cai's medical exam. She cried and cried and was really scared. She is 32 pounds. She had to have 4 shots plus a TB skin test. It was really hard and I cried too. We are trying so hard to establish trust and it hurt me that I had to hold her for so many shots this early. Cai is fiercely independent- she wants to feed herself and do so much for herself. I can tell though, that through her brave, independent little self, is a scared little girl who needs Mama. She wants to sit in my lap with my arms wrapped around her when we go anywhere. She likes to go off and follow her brothers but even in the stroller she likes to know where I am. She can say Rion and Pressley and when she doesn't see them, she will call for them or go to find them and give them a piece of her mind! We are so ready to be home and are just counting down the days. While I know this is just all part of the process, this is just a hard trip. I can't wait for everyone to meet Cai!

Hubei Provincial Museum

2010-06-03T11:12:00.001-07:00

Today we went to the Hubei Provincial Museum. It was really interesting. We also found another restaurant for lunch and it was delicious- the Show Coffee and Tea! This evening we took a river cruise and that included dinner. It was nice to be out and about and to be able to see more of Wuhan. Busy days make the time go by faster. Tomorrow we fly to GZ so our next post will probably be from there!

Yellow Crane Tower

2010-06-02T05:05:00.001-07:00

This morning, Grant took us to Yellow Crane Tower. The people of Wuhan are very proud of this historical landmark. It is a beautiful tower on top of Snake Hill. We walked up 5 stories and on each floor saw many sights of Wuhan and many beautiful murals. We were able to see The Social Welfare Institute that Cai is from. It is a huge white building and we were told that the city is very proud of it- they have their own doctors and nurses and a school that children outside of the social welfare institute attend. Grant said that it is one of the best in their country. We have no doubt that Cai was taken very good care of. Cai is doing great. She loves Rion and Pressley and wants to hold both of their hands. Unfortunately, she is not sure about Mimi. She is very sweet but can also be very fiesty! She loves sprite and french fries so I think she will do just fine! Speaking of french fries, we have Donalds here every day, and although the boys are fine with that, Mimi and I are not! After Grant drops us back at our hotel around lunchtime, we are on our own. Everything we do feels pretty hard. Even to get to the McDonalds across the street we have to go down stairs and under the street and then back up- with Cai and a stroller, it's just tough. We are ready for our next stop, GZ and of course, home!

Adoption Day!

2010-06-01T04:20:00.000-07:00

Well, we have officially adopted Cai. We spent the morning in the civil affairs office- after a few small hangups we were able to complete this part of the process. After we left, our guide, Grant, took us to a Carrefours store which is similar to our Wal Mart- there we bought Cai a stroller, Pringles for Pressley and candy for Rion. Cai is so heavy! She does not look like she would be and only wears a 3T but she is a lot heavier than Cate! She is a great napper and sleeper so far so that is really an answer to a prayer. Although Cai is definitely strong willed, she is also very sweet. She very willingly shares anything she has. It is funny because the only thing I understand that she says is Mama, and she says that quite frequently. She likes for me to be within eyesight and when I'm not, she starts to call- when she sees me again, she smiles. It is very sweet- I'm glad that she trusts me enough to call me Mama. She has the cutest little raspy voice. She also loves Rion and Pressley and loves to copy things that they say and do. She is obviously a quick learner. Our guide told her today that he was going to take us shopping and did she want to go- she said no-so he said that he was still going to go- and Cai told him to go ahead! We haven't seen much of Wuhan so far. What we have seen, we have decided is New York Times Square meets Harlem. We have walked around the corner from our hotel to eat but mostly we have spent our time here in our hotel when we weren't at the civil affairs office. Tomorrow we will visit Yellow Crane Tower which is a very popular landmark in Wuhan. We are ready to do a little exploring to get out of the hotel and hopefully it will make our days pass faster. The boys are hanging in there great. My mom and I miss home and I miss Greg and my girls so much that it hurts. Here are just a couple of pictures from today.

More Photos From Tonight

2010-05-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

We Have Her!

2010-05-31T03:57:00.001-07:00

We met Cai this morning around 9:30. She is such a beautiful little girl! We noticed immediately that she was not going to warm up to us as easily as Cate did or be won over with our toys and candy so easily either! We were told that she is a very strong willed little girl, but also very brave. They told us that after her surgery, she was the only child in her orphanage that did not cry. She wouldn't have very much to do with us at first, but when when we pulled out the pictures that we brought, she went over to her bag and pulled out some of the same pictures of our family and named every one of us as Mama, Baba, Jie Jie ( big sisters) and Gu Gu ( big brothers). When it was time to leave the civil affairs office and get into the van, I expected a fight and tears, but she just sat in my lap, silent and still. She dozed a little on the way back to the hotel and when we arrived, she started crying and calling for Mama. But it wasn't me that she wanted. It was really hard and sad to see. But when we got to our room and started pulling out toys, she warmed up to us a little more. We have even been able to get some smiles and hugs. She is one tough and brave little girl. Cai is taking a nap now, so I am going to fill out more paperwork for tomorrow. Please pray for our transition and that all of our paperwork is completed so that we can leave Wuhan on Friday as planned.

Made It To Wuhan

2010-05-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Sorry we are so late with news from our China trip so far and pictures. We couldn't use our computer in Beijing. We made it to Wuhan this evening and have settled in our hotel rooms. Our guide here is Grant and we already like him very much. We will meet him in the morning at 9:00 and he will take us to meet Cai. I need to prepare our paperwork and fix Cai's backpack. I am very nervous and am praying that she will like us. I promise to post more tomorrow- we are so tired and need to get ready for a big day!!!

We Have LUGGAGE!!!

2010-05-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

I hate that I haven't been able to use my laptop. Tomorrow we fly to Wuhan so I hope I will be able to post pictures to catch up. We are also anxious to skype. Our luggage made it last night, and boy were we happy to see it!! It made a lot of things better- that and a good nights sleep. Yesterday we did some shopping and saw an acrobatics show. It really was fun and the boys enjoyed it. Today, we went to the Great Wall, the Jade factory and cloissone factory- we also rode past the Bird's Nest for Rion and Pressley to see. It was a full day and that's exactly what we need to keep our mind off of home! I think Rion and Pressley are really enjoying their trip so far- I hope it continues! Our guide, Steven has turned out to be much better than we thought at first. He is so funny! And thankfully knows how to take care of us! Yesterday morning was very hard- I pretty much lost it on the phone with poor Greg- It's so hard to be away from him during this time and combine that with all of the smells, the jet lag, no luggage. But I have made up my mind not to think about that and to try to soak in and appreciate my daughters birth country. I can't think of much else- we have eaten some great Chinese food and the boys enjoyed McDonalds as their first meal in China. I hope to send you pictures next time. Thank you all for your prayers.

Made It To Beijing!

2010-05-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

We are in our hotel in Beijing- I am using their computer and can't use mine here. We arrived around 1 AM but our baggage did not. So, we are handling things the best we can right now. I'm hoping when our luggage makes it here, and we can get a night's sleep, things will feel better.

We are going to China!!!!

2010-05-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to say that we are finally going to China!!!!! We have prayed for this for so long and it's time to meet Cai!! We will be leaving on Wednesday morning, May 26 ( Yes, 5 days!) and we will return home on Saturday, June 12. We will be meeting Cai for the very first time on Monday, May 31 and will officially adopt her on Tuesday, June 1. We will spend that entire week in her province, Wuhan , getting to know one another and seeing the province she is from. We will then fly to Guangzhou on Friday evening, June 4. In GZ, Cai will have her medical examinaton, we will do all of our paperwork and appointments with the Consulate, and Cai will get her visa to enter the USA. Please pray that all of this goes smoothly! We will try to post something every day with pictures on this blog. Cai, Ready or not, here we come!!!!!

Happy Mothers Day!

2010-05-10T05:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight

2010-05-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight, while we are sleeping, our Article 5 will be picked up and sent to the place where Travel Approvals are processed and sent. Please say a prayer for us that our Travel Approval will come quickly, and also that we will be able to get a quick Consulate appointment. The Consulate appointments have been filling up and even with our TA, we can't leave until we can get an appointment.

Life

2010-04-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Pressley and Seth have been best friends since they were 2 years old. Seth moved away 3 years ago, but they are still best friends!

Cate, Anna, and Sara Kate

Anna and Cate

Life. That's what we've been doing around here. I have been a terrible blogger, but I don't have much to report on the adoption end. And with us, well, we wake up, school, homework, softball, dance, Karate, supper, and bed. Our wait for Cai is quite painful right now. While I know we are so close, she feels so far away most of the time. I realize we could be 3 short weeks away from her, but it could be longer. Unknowns are hard. I try every day to enjoy the present and every part of this day, but truthfully, I want to be on a plane to Ch*na. I want her to be a part of our every day life, despite how mundane it may seem at the present! Our Article 5 should be picked up at the consulate in less than a week and then we just wait for Travel Approval (TA), usually 2- 4 weeks, and then we can book our flights!

CABLED

2010-04-13T04:44:00.000-07:00

What does that mean anyway??? That's what I wondered when I heard the word, cabled.. until it came time for us to be cabled. This new process with adoption has been full of learning new things and new words- I thought Cate's adoption was hard and complicated! After we received LOA, we had to submit more forms to immigration and wait for our I800 approval- that happened on April 1- Then they send our information to the National Visa Center for processing who then cables it to the US Embassy in Guangzhou. That happened this past Friday! YAAAA! Now, we wait for our Article 5 to be prepared and picked up- that takes about 2 weeks, and then we wait for TA!! We are so close, and I can hardly contain my joy. I said in the very beginning of Cai's adoption that I would make a point of giving God all of the glory for each step, because He, after all, allowed us to begin this journey for Cai. He has brought us the peace and patience that we have needed to make it this far. We have been praying for Cai, and also have the peace that she is being protected and prepared for this huge transition. Also, I believe with all of my heart that every step in the right direction, every approval we have been given, is directly from Him. And we will forever be thankful.

Happy Easter and Happy News!!

2010-04-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

We have our I800 approval!!!!!!!!!!! This was such an answered prayer and we are so thankful. It feels great to have more step out of the way! Happy Easter!

What's Next?

2010-03-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

So, what comes after LOA? Well, we sent our I-800 to immigration last week and now, we wait for our I800 approval ( it's always something.) We did not enjoy our first experience with immigration when we waited for our I800A. It was long and complicated and there was a point when I was unsure if it would all work out. But God is good all the time and all the time God is good. So..... from the moment that came, I began praying for this step we are in now. We have been praying for our officer and for all of the people who handle our paperwork, because let me tell ya- it apparently matters who handles your paperwork! After we receive this approval, it will be cabled to the US Embassy in Ch*na where they will issue our Article 5 ( I have no clue what this is, but is apparently a big deal), and then our TA ( travel approval). And all of this should take place within a couple of months. We are still hopeful to travel around the end of May. We would appreciate your prayers so much. This is such a big process and we are placing it in the hands of our much bigger God.

LOA!!!!!

2010-03-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

Our LOA came today!! Day 74!! We are so, so happy and so, so thankful. One step closer to Cai. Tomorrow we will sign it and send it off to immigration. We then wait for our I800 approval. We'll now start praying for a speedy approval. We hope to be able to travel in May.

Cai

2010-03-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

Cate

2010-03-14T11:10:00.001-07:00

Cate was dedicated at church today- she was so excited to wear her "princess dress". She looked beautiful and didn't think twice about standing on a stage in front of everyone! Cate has been home for a year and a half, but it really feels as if she has always been here.

Dear LOA,

2010-03-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

We have been waiting for you. We pray for you to come every night. Even Cate, who has no clue what she is praying for. Even Sophie's fourth grade class, when they say their blessing at school, prays for our LOA! We hoped that you would already have been here by now and we would be one step closer to Cai. But we're sure that when you come, it will be the exact right time. We received four new pictures of Cai yesterday and she is absolutely beautiful! But she needs us. So, please come soon.

Waiting....

2010-03-03T17:59:00.001-08:00

Cai

2010-02-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about whether I should post this about Cai. On one hand, I feel like her medical information is private and it will be her story to tell. And then I think how great her story is- how can I not share it? So I want to share some of what we know about Cai and how God gently placed her into our hearts.

As you probably know, both Cate and Cai were on Chi*na's special needs list. Cate's "special need" just happened not to be an issue at all. Cai was born with a spinal meningocele. This is probably why her parent's could not take care of her. Greg and I knew nothing about spina bifida before Cai's medical information was sent to us. So we sent it to our pediatrician and we joined a group to learn more and we talked and we prayed. We realized that there were always unknowns in adoption and well, in life, we decided that we would be this little girl's family. Although we were aware of the many medical issues that accompany spina bifida, Cai seemed not to have any of them. But she does. We found out in the recent update that we received.

So, at first I cried and cried. For lots of reasons- because when our wonderful ( she really is wonderful) agency coordinator called me on my cell on a Sunday from California and said that she had some bad news, my heart broke. To lose Cai would have been devastating for us. Anything else, with God's strength, we can handle.

And then, after realizing that we can't "handle" anything without God's love and grace and strength, we tucked this information away and fell in love with her again. Only stronger and deeper in love.

" I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Phil. 4:13

Chinese New Year

2010-02-16T04:54:00.000-08:00

What a great weekend- Snow, Valentines Day and Chinese New Year! We celebrated Chinese New Year with three other families. Everyone brought Chinese food and we had a great variety of food. It was delicious! The children made paper lanterns, colored masks and enjoyed playing with Chinese money. 2010 is the year of the Tiger- it has really been neat learning more about China's culture and traditions!

Snow... Continued

2010-02-13T11:08:00.001-08:00

Well, the snow stuck and boy, are we glad it did! Snow is just beautiful, and not something we EVER get to see, so we played as long as we could and took lots of pictures. It is quickly melting and turning into slosh. If you skipped the last post, please go back to look at Cai. We are in love.

An update on Cai!

2010-02-12T13:02:00.001-08:00

While we were told that we would not receive any more pictures of Cai, our agency was able to send us this picture with an update. We were so happy to get this! We think that she is beautiful. Her update also said.. "she often looks at the picture album the adoptive family sent to her. She excitedly introduce the family members to her neighbors." We treasure this information and the pictures.

SNOW!!!!!!!

2010-02-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it's winter and that's what happens- but not where we live! My children don't ever remember seeing snow at our house, and we have only seen a few flurries. So, when it starts really snowing on the way home from school, that causes some excitement! It isn't sticking yet, but we are hoping it will!

Happy Birthday Cate!!!

2010-01-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

Today Cate turns 5! We celebrated her birthday this past Saturday with a birthday party at The Little Gym in Columbia. She invited her classmates from school and they had a ball! She has been looking forward to her birthday for a while and I hope it was all she hoped it would be. She reminded us every day before her party day not to forget to wake her up with birthday surprises. So when she woke up we let her open some presents from us followed by her favorite, chocolate chip muffins for breakfast. Can I just say one more time how thankful we are for this little girl?

Nesting A Little

2010-01-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

I know it's too early for us to receive any really great news such as our LOA. But that doesn't mean a girl can't pray every day for a miracle that ours will be sent in record timing! I also know that we just need to be patient and wait for our turn- that the families who are there now and the families getting ready to travel have done their time. I just have that fever really bad right now- I want to be there with my daughter too. So... in the meantime, we can get ready for Cai at home. We replaced Cate's single bed with a double bed. Cai now has some adorable pajamas, a toothbrush, and a Baby Einsteins DVD. It's a start.

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-03T19:08:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I'm actually ready to get back into a routine. Christmas break was wonderful and I love having my children at home. We watched movies, we played games, we had fun with our family and friends, we ate so much great food, we stayed up late and slept in... but it's time to move on!
I am so excited to be able to say that this is the year that we will meet Cai. Sometimes it feels so close, and others still so far away. I think just as a protective mechanism, I try not to think of Cai. We pray for her daily, of course, but I try not to let myself think of what she may look like or smell like, or how she will say mama and daddy. I haven't bought her any clothes yet. The first couple months were so hard with the new process and filling out paperwork, that it wasn't as hard because we were so preoccupied with the process. Now, as we wait for our LOA and realizing we could be within just a few months, it's hard to control my excitement!
I hope for everyone a very Happy New Year. For this family, my hope is that we can laugh even harder and love even deeper. My prayer will be that our relationship will be even closer to the Lord, that we will give even more.

DTC!!!!!

2009-12-21T14:29:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-22T16:48:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-17T11:14:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-11-14T18:30:00.001-08:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Cai!!

Fingerprints- Check!

2009-11-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-11-08T11:41:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-11-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

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!!

2009-10-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

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.....

2009-10-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-19T14:06:00.001-07:00

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

September Happenings

2009-09-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

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!!!!

2009-04-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

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......

2009-02-02T17:09:00.001-08:00

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.......

My, How Time Flys!

2008-12-27T18:26:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that Cate has been home for 3 months. And then again, it feels as though she has been with us much longer. Her adjustment has been amazing. She embraced her first Christmas here just as she does everything else- full steam ahead. Not very much intimidates her- she just goes with the flow. This time last year we had no idea what 2008 had in store for us, or should I say we had no idea what God had in store for us in 2008! We feel very blessed that He allowed us to become Cate's family.

New Pictures

2008-11-22T19:04:00.000-08:00

I have not been taking many pictures lately. Sorry- I know how much I enjoy others pictures. Would it be mean to say that I don't think my children have looked very picture friendly lately? Someone has had a runny nose now for at least three weeks. The kids had their pictures made last week and I would love for you to go take a peek at them at www.karamayphotography.com/blog. We really need some pictures of Cate to add to our house and wanted to get a Christmas card picture. I think they turned out great and I can't wait to see the rest. Happy Thanksgiving!

Cate Update

2008-11-04T08:41:00.001-08:00

Cate is a little ham for the camera. She likes to have her picture taken!

Tired after shopping at the Holiday Market.

My subjects weren't very cooperative for the Halloween picture. I wanted to take a picture outside, but Rion felt like he was too cool and someone might see him! They were also just about to go out trick or treating!

Our pumpkins carved for our family's pumpkin carving contest. Ours was the witch, third from the right. My grandfather judges!

A day in the mountains.

Cate continues to adjust wonderfully! She has started 3 year old kindergarten three days a week and she loves it! We are loving every minute of her. She is definitely still very spicy, and we have the battle of the wills sometimes, but she is learning, and I am learning to pick my battles. I say every day how strong willed she is, and Greg says, but you are too! So, we are both learning to give and take! Communication with Cate is just not a problem. She is so smart and understands so much. She just adores Rion, Sophie and Pressley, and they love her so much too.

Tagged

2008-10-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged- Thanks Robin. I considered pretending that I didn't know because I am so boring and still have no idea what I am going to say. But I have to come up with 7 random things about myself and then tag others. So, here it goes:

1. I am totally in love with my family. Seriously, I would rather be with them than anywhere else. Of course my husband and children, but also parents, grandparents,aunts, uncles and cousins. We have been to Disney World , on a Disney Cruise, camping, and so much more together, and I love it.
2. I am really shy and do not like that about myself. I wish I could make friends easier and think of all the right things to say at the right times!
3. I love flip flops. I hate shoes and socks. I wait until I can't take it anymore to wear them. I have worn flip flops all week and it has been in the 50's!
4.I am kinda a neat freak. Four children have broken me of alot of it though. I do not leave the house with unmade beds, dirty dishes or toys on the floor. It unnerves me because I know that when I walk back into the house I know I am going to have enough to do!
5.Lets see, how do I put this without sounding wierd, I am scared for anyone in my family to die. My father and brother have passed away and I don't want to experience that hurt again. I know, I will. My heart is filled with so much love for my family and friends, that it makes me cry if I let myself think about it.
6.I love shopping. SOOOOOO much. I am currently praying about this, and I need to go back to work bad.
7.I am the loser mom who does not know how to have an inside dog. My children would love one, and I will not tell you how many dogs we have "tried out" and then had to find a home for. I am embarrassed, but I do not know how to do it. We go so much and they go to the bathroom on the floor, which I just can't take. I keep saying , one day, but I just don't know!

I am tagging Erin, Dawn, and Cyndi.

Fall Day at the Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-21T12:43:00.001-07:00

I really like this picture because you wouldn't catch Rion posing with Sophie or Pressley, but he will for Cate!

This is my favorite picture! Cate's first visit to a pumpkin patch!

Saturday was a beautiful fall feeling day so we went to the pumpkin patch. Also I wanted to get some pictures of Cate in her new Halloween dress! We rode on the haunted hayride, went through the corn maize, went gem mining, and ate pumpkin ice cream. It really was fun. It wasn't that long since I posted last, and not much new is going on. Cate is doing great. We have our 3 year old moments, but, well... she is 3! This may be an awful thing to say, and I enjoy every minute that Cate is awake, but I love it when she is sound asleep in bed. She is soooo busy!

Home Sweet Home

2008-10-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

We have been home two weeks today. Cate is adjusting great, and we are happy to be a family of six. Cate LOVES her sister and brothers! She loves her daddy although she hasn't been able to spend a lot of time with him yet since this is his busy time on the farm. We are looking forward to having Daddy around more. Life has been very busy here-school, baseball, football,and dance. And then adding a busy 3 year old to the mix! Cate has been a blessing to our family and we are very thankful that God placed her with us. We have lots to learn from one another and every day certainly is not a bowl of cherries! But Cate is more than we ever could have hoped for and we are truly thankful. I was amazed at how many people read our blog while we were in China and have asked about Cate. Computer time isn't what it used to be, but I will update whenever I can!

The End and The Beginning

2008-09-29T21:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that this is our last post from China. We leave early in the morning and will spend the next 24 hours in airports and airplanes. But we are coming home! This trip has been full of emotions. We came here to meet a little girl, not knowing what to expect. And yet, she came to us with open arms, accepting us as her family. She is more than we could ever have hoped for. She is sweet and beautiful and funny. We give God all of the glory and thank Him for hearing and answering our prayers. We have also felt the prayers of our family and friends. Thank you for your prayers. God has also sustained me during these two weeks of a homesick feeling I never want to experience again!

A little more about Cate... We have a spicy little girl on our hands! I am so thankful that she was cared for with such love at her orphanage, but I don't think she was ever told "no". So... we are experiencing a battle of the wills. This will just be a process. She is still learning to love us and trust us, and she has a Daddy and two brothers to get to know and love.

Thank you again so much for your support and love and prayers.

At the Zoo

2008-09-28T23:17:00.000-07:00

This morning we went to the Guangzhou zoo. It was a nice zoo and felt good to walk around. The weather is very warm here, but it was nice and shady there. They had one panda and it was walking around. Sophie was able to feed the monkeys. It was so funny because the man put food on Sophie's head and the monkey climbed up her shoulders to get it! There was one part of the zoo where you could pay to have your picture taken with a rabbit, a bird or a dog. It was kind of sad. They also had raccoons in cages. We told Helen that we saw those in the road every day! Cate and I are getting ready to go to the Consulate. Everything went great with our paperwork this morning and I am very thankful. I am so anxious to get home. I don't think it can get here fast enough!

Strolling around Guangzhou

2008-09-28T02:10:00.000-07:00

Judy and I worked on our paperwork after breakfast this morning and it went great. It didn't take as long as I thought it would and it seems as if everything is in order. We didn't have anything else planned for today so we just played at the playground and visited a couple more shops. We're pretty sure we have everything we need and need to call it quits! We do have to pack it in our suitcases! In the morning we will go to the zoo while Judy goes to our Consulate appointment. Tomorrow afternoon, we go to take our oath and then Cate can come home with us. Tuesday will be spent packing and getting ready to come home. We are so ready!

First day in Guangzhou and Cate's medical exam

2008-09-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

Cate is wishing these adults would go to work and let her play!

Cate loves to have her picture taken! Sophie is a great big sister!

Inside the White Swan hotel

We really like Shamian Island! It is the nicest place we have been on our trip. The White Swan hotel is very nice. It's so nice to see so many other American families. We have had two meals today that tasted like they should! This morning we went to Cate's medical exam and had her visa picture taken. Everything went very well. She was very cooperative. Cate weighs 28 pounds. We then did some shopping which we thoroughly enjoyed! I bought a stroller which has already come in handy, and she enjoys riding. She lost her princess cell phone that she loved in Hefei, so we found one today, but it has the most annoying sounds and we will "lose" it before the plane ride home! We came across a park with play equiptment and Sophie was so excited to play, but it was overrun with adults! It was so funny so I had to post a picture! Tomorrow morning, Judy will come to our room and help me prepare all of the paperwork for Monday's Consulate appointment. We are counting down the days to home!

We're in Guangzhou

2008-09-26T05:29:00.000-07:00

We don't have any pictures of us in Guangzhou yet because we are just getting settled into our room and it's late. The White Swan Hotel is very nice. We will go to Cate's medical exam in the morning and then look around the island. On Sunday, we will go over all of our paperwork for Cate's visa and Monday is the Consulate appointment. Tuesday will be a free day, and I would give anything to come home a day early! I am so homesick, and am trying really hard to enjoy our time here, but the truth, is, I just want to be home with my husband and boys. Cate continues to amaze us with how well she has adjusted. She knows we are her family. While we can't understand anything she says, and she jabbers all of the time, we usually know what she wants and needs. She is a very fast learner. She is very strong willed, very independent, and very adorable. I can't wait to get her home. Here are a few pictures from this morning.

Adoption Day

2008-09-25T02:52:00.000-07:00

Cate is doing great. She is a smart, funny, sweet little girl. She is full of energy! Although, poor thing, we have pretty much been confined to our room here. Today Jane took us back to the Civil Affairs office where we finished our paperwork here in Hefei. Everything went very smoothly. We will leave here tomorrow at 2:00 for Guangzhou. We are ready. We do know that Cate is scared of water. She will not even go near the fountain in the lobby. Today, Jane helped me give her a bath and talked her through it. I was very grateful. We will definitely have to work on this because our family loves the water! Here are some pictures from today.

More Pictures

2008-09-23T21:28:00.001-07:00

Introducing....... Cate!!!!!!

2008-09-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

I know all you really want is pictures, but a little about our morning. Frank met us at 9:00 and took us to the Civil Affairs office where we would meet Cate and the orphanage director. They were not there when we got there, so we were looking out onto the street to see if we might see them drive up. But when we looked around, Cate was walking in the door with the orphanage director, a beautiful and kind woman. She told Cate who we were and Sophie showed her some things we brought. She loved it all and took to Sophie very quickly! I had a lot of papers to sign and Mom was taking pictures. Our first thoughts, Cate is beautiful and very tiny. Very tiny. I think a 2T, maybe a 3T if we're lucky! She is very curious and scared of nothing so far. She never cried. Not once. When the orphanage director was leaving, she walked away with her, but then came back to us. Thank you for the prayers. We have really felt them.

To My Third Grade Friends

2008-09-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of the notes. I really enjoyed reading them. I hope you are having fun at school. What kind of tests have you been taking? We are having a good time in China. We get Cate today, and we are very excited. I miss seeing you. I can't wait to see y'all. The plane ride was long. At the pool we have to wear a swim cap. I would not let mama take a picture of me! We will show you pictures of Cate soon. Love Sophie

What a wonderful suprise for us to wake up to! The e-mails and comments on our blog are the best part of our day. This morning we sat in tears reading all of the sweet wishes. Thank you all very much. This is our BIG DAY!!

We made it to Hefei!

2008-09-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

I don't have any pictures today. We woke up at 5am to get to the airport for our 7:50 flight to Hefei. The flight went very well, but the airport was a different story. Our luggage was stacked on a cart outside and we just had to fight for it! But we got it, and our guide Frank was waiting for us. Hefei looks much different from Beijing, still many high rise buildings because Hefei is the capital of Anhui, but very poor. It makes me sad. Our hotel is the Holiday Inn and it is very nice. Sophie is looking forward to trying out the pool. It is hot and humid here and very smoggy.
Kristin, you were right, China is 12 hours ahead. We love reading everyones comments from home. We will be meeting our guide at 9 am to get Cate. We are nervous but excited. We miss home very much. As soon as we have Cate, we will post some pictures. Please keep us in your prayers.

The Forbidden City

2008-09-22T04:54:00.001-07:00

Sophie with one of the performers at the acrobat show

It was amazing to see what they could do with their bodies! We really enjoyed the show!

We leave Beijing at 6:00 a.m. for Hefei. We have had some very full days and have seen a lot, but we are ready to leave. I am very homesick and miss my family at home. We are looking forward to meeting Cate in two short days.

The Great Wall, Jade, and Cloissone

2008-09-21T15:10:00.001-07:00

Sophie was born in the year of the dragon, so she is pointing to a dragon. Rion, you are an ox and Pressley you are a snake. Cate is the chicken. I am a mouse!

Mimi and Sophie at the Great Wall

Here we are at the entrance

A jade ship that took 5 years to make!

Polishing jade

Sunday was a big day for us! Christina picked us up at 9:00. The Great Wall was about 2 hours away, and we stopped at a Jade factory on the way there. It was amazing how they made bracelets, and sculptures from jade. It was an overcast and smoggy day, and rained after we left the Great Wall but thankfully we were able to enjoy every minute we were there! It was nice and cool and we climbed thousands of steps! The view was gorgeous. I had seen so many pictures and so many families there but couldn't believe we were actually there! On the way home, we stopped at a Cloissone factory and watched them start out with a copper vase and transform it into a beautiful piece of art. We also ate lunch there. Christina ordered for us but couldn't eat with us, so when the food came out, we couldn't exactly identify what a couple of dishes were. And while we completely trust Christina, we hoped they didn't bring out the wrong thing. One plate was full of what looked like noodles, only a lot fatter, which made them look exactly like worms. The taste was good but we were just too leary to eat much. So when Christina came back, she told us it was pork! We would have eaten more knowing what it was!

We also stopped at a Tea House and sampled several types of tea and she told us what they were used for and how to drink it. Again, we were too tired for supper and went to bed early. We had a fun, full day. Thank you again for the comments and emails. It means so much hearing from our friends and family.

Pictures!

2008-09-20T16:07:00.001-07:00

This was part of the silk making process. It was very neat. We watched them take the silkworm out and pull it apart. The bowl has the silkworms in it. Ask Mimi about the silk ties. They would not let her leave and when she finally did she was a nervous wreck! (She wanted to buy a couple of silk ties but the starting price was about $150. They kept telling her but it is pure silk. Mimi said she understood but they were gifts and she couldn't pay that much. They said how much will you pay and Mimi said $10. They said no way! After 20 heated minutes Mimi spent $10!
Mimi bargaining for some pearls-these lady's were very nice and helpful and it was a fun experience. That is Christina beside her. Sophie is in the background- so many places would just give her things and said "gift". Here, they gave her some chopsticks.
Beautiful Chinese lanterns decorating the streets.
Mimi and Sophie at the Chinese restaurant Christina took us to. It was very good!

It was so funny yesterday- the Chinese people can not believe that Sophie is 8 years old. They say she is too tall to be 8 . It started at breakfast- our breakfast is included but they wanted me to pay for Sophie-I couldn't understand them and they couldn't understand me but Christina said that they called her and said that there was a teenager with us, not a little girl. Christina told them no, she is only 8- So funny. Then at the pearl market, everyone would ask how old she was and when she would say 8, they couldn't believe it!

Pearl Market

2008-09-20T05:14:00.000-07:00

Today was a shopping day to the pearl market. It was at least 6 or 7 stories high and pearls were just on one floor. We found some nice pearls for very reasonable prices. We also bought some souvenirs. We stayed there until about 4:00 and then Christina brought us back to the hotel. She took us to a Chinese restaurant for lunch and it was very good. She ordered four plates of food and we shared it all. Sophie is really trying to use chopsticks but doesn't have it down yet. We ate ramen noodles and crackers again for supper because the restaurant was closed and we didn't know where else to go. Tomorrow we will go to the Great Wall. I am looking forward to seeing that. We may also go to an acrobat show either tomorrow or Monday night. I cannot download my pictures from today and I hope that I will be able to tomorrow.

Our first day

2008-09-19T05:01:00.001-07:00

We really did not have a chance to see much yesterday, but this is our hotel and a view from our window. I will post pictures this evening after our first real day here! We love the emails and comments on our blog. It is so nice to hear from home!

We made it!

2008-09-19T05:01:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures to share yet. It has been a long time since we have had sleep. The plane trip went great - just long, REALLY LONG! We rested some but never really slept. Tomorrow, our guide, Christina, will meet us in the morning for a shopping day. Christina met us at the airport in Beijing and took us to our hotel. It is downtown Beijing. Very loud and very crowded. More people than I have ever seen! She helped us exchange our money, buy bottled water(to brush our teeth with and for drinking), and helped us hook up the computer. All of theses were major undertakings and took well into the evening. I promise to post pictures of our day tomorrow!

We leave in the morning!

2008-09-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

My very kind father will be picking Sophie and I up in the morning at 4:30 a.m. to head to the airport. We will fly to Chicago and then at 12:30 p.m. fly straight to Beijing. We will arrive at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, which will actually be your 3:30 a.m here in the states. It will be a LONG flight and I hope we can sleep some!

I am having an emotional day because I am going to miss my family at home so much. I am not a seasoned traveler and I don't go many places without my husband and children. So going for 13 days without seeing them and kissing their cheeks will be hard for me.

We will be in Beijing from 9/19 to 9/23
On 9/23 we will fly to the province where Cate was born
On 9/24 we meet Cate for the first time. Please pray for us this day.
On 9/25 we sign the adoption papers and Cate will be ours
On 9/26 we are hoping to be able to visit her orphanage before we fly to Guangzhou
We will be in Guangzhou until we fly home on 10/1. There, Cate will have her medical exam, get her visa and we have a consulate appointment with the U.S. embassy. Please pray that our paperwork goes well. There is a LOT of it!

I pray that our next post will be from Beijing, China!

Gratitude

2008-09-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking the past week how to put into words my thoughts about where we are right now in our adoption. There were many days that I doubted I would be able to ever say "We are leaving in 5 days!" I cried so many tears during this process...When we didn't receive our LOA when another family did, when we found out we were just in review after 4 months, when 90 days turned into 130 days, and I was sure something was wrong. Sometimes I would just lay my head down at the computer and cry..because another day was spent without Cate knowing us as her family.
I have loved God all of my life, though some times I felt closer to Him than others. God has shown me so much this year. He has taught me to be patient. That His delays are not always His denials. That He isn't here for us just when we want something. He wants us to want Him. And for that to be enough. I realized along the way that I had to be O.K. if we never got Cate. I prayed from day 1 that we would travel in record time. Oh, we got our LOA in record time alright! Probably for one of the longest waits! But I am so thankful for every day that we waited. We have grown so much as a family,we have prayed for one another and for Cate, and I wouldn't trade one day!
I am so thankful to our family and our friends who have prayed for us and supported us throughout this process. Your kindness will never be forgotten. Please don't stop now, though. The hardest part could be just ahead, but please pray for Cate that she feels our loves and makes a smooth transition into our family.
We will be meeting her for the first time on September 24.