Nineteen Months...and Still Moving Forward!

It was nineteen months ago today since we were "Logged In" China's system...and it seems like a very long time. But I am convinced that it is very worth the wait! Of course it would be incredibly wonderful if we could have our little darling/s here with us as the Holidays approach. But we know that isn't going to happen this year...and probably not next year, either. Yet each moment...each day...each week...each month...and each step brings us closer to our sweet baby girl/s. Even when it seems we're sitting still and simply waiting, we are reminded that we are still moving forward!!

Yesterday was a little more challenging for me for some reason. I guess seeing the temperatures fall along with the leaves...and already feeling the pressure of the holiday preparations upon us, I was beginning to get that overwhelmed feeling. Even more so, I just longed to see a picture or even better, HOLD our little girl/s, and see progress "in action." Well, the temperatures still fell along with the leaves. There was no miraculous timing of a referral letter...and we didn't see any pictures of our baby girl/s. But...we were blessed in a surprising way.

While in college, I met a sweet, sweet gal named Yolanda. We sang in concert choir together and shared lots of laughs and life. Who knew that someday she would be blessed with several children, including a precious daughter from China! And who knew that we would be blessed with our children...and while one is in college and the other in high school...we would be waiting for one, (or two, if twins are available), sweet daughter/s from China? Yolanda has been enjoying her sweet baby girl for a while now and "out of the clear blue" she decided to email some pictures to me...yesterday!!! While I "oooohed and ahhhhed" over the pictures, I couldn't help but acknowledge that we were blessed so abundantly again!!! Thank you sooooo much, Yolanda! You touched my heart, my family...and our "Journey of Blessings" in perfect timing. Yolanda also commented "He will bless you, too--in His perfect time." Wow!!!! Perfect words and perfect reminders at the perfect time! How can I ever doubt that God's plan, provision, guidance and timing will be just as incredible in bringing our sweet daughter/s home, as well? Absolutely...positively...we are still moving forward!!!

Thank you for all the prayers, reminders, encouragement and love so many of you share with us along this journey. Thank you for the wonderful ways you touch our lives...as we wait...yet move forward...toward our baby girl/s. Thank you for mentioning our little girls to us. That helps more than you may realize. Thank you for continuing to hope, love, pray and walk beside us every moment. Thank you for "somehow" knowing just when to say the right words when we are missing our sweet little daughter/s so much. And thank you to my precious husband, daughter and son for keeping little "JennaBeth" (and "EmmaKate"?) close in our hearts and home as we wait. It's so neat when we see little Asian girls on tv and we all say "ahhhhhhhh" in unison with tears in our eyes!!! What a joy that is as we wait for our little sweetie/s to join our "forever family!"

The holidays are almost here...and I miss our sweetie/s so much. Nineteen months have now officially passed since "Log In"...and twenty-eight months have passed since we first began this journey! We are definitely still moving forward...and we're closer than ever before! We're never alone. Neither are you. Let's keep moving forward...together!
Cherishing the journey...past, present and future,
Terri and Family