Jenna Elizabeth (aka "JennaBeth") Song Lorenz

Waiting For Our Little One To Come Home From China!

Lilypie Waiting to Adopt tickers

Saturday, April 25, 2009

USCIS Extension Approved....Again!

We're another step and another day closer to our baby girl/s! We received the official form this week from USCIS (Homeland Security) that confirmed our application to adopt has been extended once more! Yay!! This is what the refingerprinting process was for and we are so thankful for yet another major milestone in this journey to our sweetie pie/s. The journey definitely continues, dear friends and family...and the excitement continues to grow! As a friend recently wrote to us, we're "on the downhill side" of the journey now and it's wonderful to realize that we're closer than ever. The majority of the wait should be behind us at this point. Wow!

When will we see our Jenna Elizabeth (JennaBeth)....and maybe our Emma Katherine (EmmaKate)? Only God knows and that's ok with us. For it's all in His hands, His plan and His timing...and we know He will bring our family together at the very best moment He has designed.

So...our dear little sweetheart/s...hold on a wee bit longer. Your Daddy, Mommy, Sister, Brother, family and friends are getting closer to you each day. You remain in our hearts every moment and you are loved soooooooo much! As we close our eyes each night, we think of you. As we sleep each night, we dream of you. As we open our eyes to a new day, we think of you. And as we live each day, we love you more and more. Until we hold you in our arms, we're holding you in our hearts. May you know the love, prayers, hope, excitement and joy we have for you and our life together as a Forever Family.

We thank God for all of you praying us through this journey, too. May you always know how dear you are to us as we walk together in this lifetime Journey of Blessings.
Cherishing another step....
Terri and family

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Trip #3 to USCIS...Accomplished!

We have already been to downtown Cincinnati and back...and it's still Tuesday morning! But we rejoice in the completion of our third trip to the USCIS office to be refingerprinted! Yay!!!

Our trip began very early this morning. I was awake before 4 am with Tim and Rachel rising a few minutes later. We left home around 5:30 am and went through rain and fog for awhile. But we got into Cincinnati with no trouble, parked in the nice garage right across from the Federal Building and met more kind people who made our trip enjoyable. Even the cuts on Tim, Rachel and my hands were healed enough to satisfy the computer scanning and that's a sigh of relief, too! Now...I would like to tell you that our journey out of Cincinnati was "surprise free"...but let's just say that we took the "scenic route." :) One turn in a different direction can definitely do that! But we found our way back to Kentucky quite easily and are safely back home. Micah got off to school with no problems, (except for lots of texting back and forth to Cincy), and it's certainly been another day of blessings.

Many thanks to all of you for your continued prayers, thoughts, love, support and excitement as we continue this amazing journey!

Yes...we are definitely one step closer to our sweet baby girl/s and we are truly thankful. Hold on, sweet baby girl/s...it's only Tuesday and we're 24 months past LID...and refingerprinted for the third time. Ohhhhhh, we're getting so very close to holding you in our arms and bringing you home. Hold on, sweetie/s...you are so much a part of our lives and it's only the beginning!
Grateful for another step in our journey of blessings....
Terri & Family

Monday, April 13, 2009

Two Years Closer Since Log-In!

Today is a very exciting day in our family's journey to our baby girl (or two) in China!! Two years ago today, our Dossier was logged into China's adoption system. Yes....that sounds like a long, long road to travel...and it has been lengthy, for sure. (Especially when the wait then was "only" 18 months!) But we believe that since God knows His perfect plan and master timing much better than we do, then we are exactly where we should be!! So two years is a wonderful milestone in our journey! We are sooooo much closer than we've ever been to our precious Jenna Elizabeth ("JennaBeth") and maybe Emma Katherine ("EmmaKate").

It's been an exciting week already! Yesterday while we were at Church celebrating Resurrection Sunday, we noticed a young lady carrying a beautiful baby girl...from China! That baby was absolutely precious beyond words. As our family watched her, our hearts were pounding with anticipation for our baby girl. Knowing the 24 month anniversary would be today, we were so blessed with the obvious reminder that the wait is definitely worth it! While we watched the baby in Church, I asked both of our children if they were ready to enjoy their baby sister and their faces said it all! Tim and I were quite teary-eyed, to say the least. Just when we needed it, God assured us once more that He has it all in His hands!!

This week also brings another fingerprinting appointment for Tim, Rachel and me. I am happy to report that my injured hand has healed nicely. Let's hope I keep it that way for just a little while longer. :) Tim and Rachel have also cut their fingers, (wouldn't you know it?), but we continue to pray for quick healing as we head to Cincy very soon. Please, please keep this in your prayers...as well as safe travels...and successful directions. :)

The journey has been long but the longer it gets, the more excited we become. We know we are not alone. We know that the same God who led us to this wonderful opportunity in our lives will also lead us to our baby daughter/s at just the right time. We know that His every provision will continue as we meet every challenge ahead. We also know that we have precious family and friends who are praying us through every step of the way. Thank you for your love, prayers, encouragement, kindness and excitement as we move closer to our baby girl/s.

Thank you, God, for taking such good care of our sweet little girl/s and our family until we meet in person. Thank you for directing us toward our new family additions in so many precious ways. Thank you, family and friends, for walking beside us. Thank you, JennaBeth (maybe EmmaKate?), for holding on until we arrive in China to bring you home. Although we haven't held you in our arms or seen you with our eyes, we love you sooooo very much in our hearts. I hope you realize the love, prayers, excitement and support we have in our journey to you, sweet girl/s. Always know that your Daddy, Mommy, Sis and Brother love you and are holding you in our hearts every moment! Oh, how we miss you so much already!!! We're getting closer each day, sweeties! Hopefully it won't be much longer.

Cherishing twenty-four months of the journey...and counting.....
Terri and family

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Prayer Concerns Before USCIS Trip

Wouldn't you know it? It doesn't usually happen...until we have USCIS refingerprinting appointments. One of the specific details on our appointment papers mentions no cuts on our fingers. Well...that shouldn't be a problem...until now. :) Since yesterday brought snow into KY, I decided to make potato soup....which meant cutting potatoes, ham, cheese, onion, etc. with a rather large (and sharp) knife. Guess what else I cut in the process? Yes...I cut my hand...again. Something very similar happened before our fingerprinting appointment last time. I healed enough "just in time" last year and it is my prayer that healing will take place before we go to the USCIS office next week. Although this sounds minor, it is a definite concern and I would really appreciate your prayers for my hand to recover quickly.

Rachel also told me that she is scheduled for two tests at the university the day of our appointments. So I would also ask that you pray for her professors to understand and work with her to make up those tests as soon as she returns to school. It shouldn't be a problem but we would really appreciate your prayers. Please also pray for Rachel as she adjusts her school schedule to accomodate this necessary step in our journey, as well.

Yet...we know God has brought us this far and He can certainly handle college tests and an injured hand. While on this journey with us, though, we know you are willing to pray for specific concerns and I knew I could share them with you. As a friend recently reminded me, "Prayer makes the difference" so we're asking for you to pray as we anticipate another step toward our baby girl/s. Thank you for continuing to pray for our journey, for our new daughter/s in China...and for these specific concerns in the next several days.

We'll keep you posted as we continue to move forward...together.
Cherishing the journey and those praying us through....
Terri and family

Saturday, April 4, 2009

USCIS, Here We Come...Again! :)

Before today is over, I had to write to let you know that we heard from USCIS (Homeland Security) this afternoon and our appointments for fingerprinting arrived. We will go to Cincinnati a little over a week from now and it's on a day when Rach will miss classes...but it won't be on her toughest day or during finals. So our prayers were certainly answered in those specific ways. I'll write more before we go.

Thank you for your continued prayers and faithful companionship as we continue taking steps to our baby girl/s...one day at a time. USCIS, here we come...again! :)
Cherishing another step forward,
Terri & Family

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Another Wee Step :)

It's a small, wee step but it is a valuable one. Less than a week after sending our papers and fees to USCIS, we received a single envelope back with their return address in the corner. I thought that was odd and perhaps concerning. Whenever we request a fingerprinting appointment, we each receive separate letters about the appointment details. So I curiously opened the single envelope and read confirmation that the USCIS office had received our papers and fees and were enclosing a receipt for the fees. They assured us that we would receive our appointment letters in the near future. Whew! That was a relief...and encouraging. So it's a small step, yet a definite step forward in the right direction. Our papers are where they should be. Our fees have been paid. Now we await the third fingerprinting appointments at the USCIS office.

Please continue to pray that we will be directed to the Cincinnati office since that is the one we are familiar with and "partially" understand the directions. Please pray that the appointment date will not interfere with Rachel's school schedule, especially her clinicals. Please pray that all will go smoothly in this process as we journey forward to our little girl/s.

There has been some mention that the wait for referrals may possibly speed up a little bit in the near future. We are so excited to hear this. Yet we truly believe that whatever happens, our God knows the special daughter/s He plans to place in our family. He also knows the specific time, provision, method and design for that wonderful moment when we hold her in our arms after holding her in our hearts for so very long. Of course, we hope for that to happen sooner than later. But we trust God in this journey in every way...and that includes "the wait." Until we see her sweet face and hold her close while we process all the required travel, paperwork, appointments and journey back to the USA, we know she is always in His arms of love and care. Please continue to pray for our sweet JennaBeth (and maybe EmmaKate) as we take each step toward her.

We cherish each day, each step, each prayer and each precious individual along this journey. May God bless you all!
Cherishing the wee steps, too!
Terri & Family