Twenty-Eight Months...& More Loving Across the Miles!

Yes...it's officially been twenty-eight months since we were logged in China's adoption system! As of August 13, we've been waiting that long, not to mention the beginning of the process over three years ago in July of 2006. But...it's definitely going to be worth it. Oh, how we miss our baby girl/s...but we must believe that the wait will lead us to the exact daughter/s God has orchestrated to join our family. So...we continue to love, pray, wait and trust. It's certainly not easy but we know our journey and our sweet little one/s are in His hands.

Meanwhile, this has been an exciting week for our family. Micah began his Senior year in high school. I can hardly believe he has grown up so fast. He has four AP classes so he's definitely going to be busy and studious. Plus he's planning to find a job in the near future and we're beginning the college path for him, as well. He has always been interested in Engineering but has recently become increasingly focused on the possibilty of becoming a Pharmacist. It's great that he inherited his Dad's math and science abilities! :) We are excited to see how God leads him presently and in the future.

Yesterday we moved our daughter back to the university. Rachel is thrilled to begin her Junior year of nursing school. She's going to be a great one, no doubt! It is also hard to believe that she is halfway through her college career. It seems like just yesterday she climbed up on that school bus step to enter kindergarten. But she's definitely headed for some amazing days in her life, as well. She has a challenging year of classes plus a job working for a professor and a job at the pharmacy. So she will stay busy, also. We know God has incredible plans for her life now and in the future, too.

As I spent most of last night alone here at home, I counted my blessings. Tim was at work. We are very thankful for his continued job, especially in this strained economy. Rachel was decorating her dorm room with her sweet roommate. Micah was studying with his classmate on the other side of town. And our baby girl/s are on the other side of the world waiting to come home. Not only does our love extend to the other side of town for our son, ninety miles away to our daughter in college, thirty miles away to my husband at work, out-of-state to our relatives and friends, but also halfway around the world to our sweet daughter/s in China. Yes...there's definitely some loving across the miles! Do I long to have us all together? Absolutely. But am I thankful that we have been blessed so richly in many areas of life? Most definitely!

Whether we are together in presence or in heart, we are so thankful for each blessing, each loved one, and each opportunity in their/our lives. We thank God for each of you along our journey. We send our thoughts, hearts and prayers to you, as well. May you be reminded of the love and blessings along your journey, too.
Counting our blessings,
Terri & Family

"At Just the Right Time...More Blessings"

Where does the time go? It seems just a week or two ago, we were saying hello to summer and considering all the plans we hoped to accomplish during this time. Now, our son has less than two weeks left before he begins his senior year of high school while our daughter looks forward to her junior year in college a few days later. I'm excited to see what the new school year brings for our children...but I'm never glad to see the summer months end with them. I love having them home and cherish every moment so it's always a bit sad to see them return to school schedules. Yet, I know they always find their way back home at the end of the day or on weekends and breaks. We certainly have that to look forward to as we leave summer behind.

In the middle of preparing for a new school year, my heart also aches for our little one/s in China. As I've mentioned in other posts, it is ironic that while time passes quickly in some ways, this is one area that seems exempt from the fast pace of life. Yesterday was one of those days when I missed our little sweetie/s so much, that it truly hurt to be so far away from her. Those of you who have walked this path certainly understand. Although she is always in our hearts, some days are just more difficult to get through than others.

Yet, as always, there were blessings in store for yesterday that I did not anticipate. But God's perfect timing met my deepest longing with incredible, unexpected blessings. What a journey this is.

Yesterday morning, I met my dear friend, Judy, for breakfast. We had not seen one another for weeks and it was time to get together! As I parked our car beside hers, she met me with yet another wonderful package. Again, her smile was lighting up the entire town. As I opened the package, there was an adorable "Ohio State Buckeye" dress set for our JennaBeth! The top part has an official Buckeye logo on the front and the bottom part spells out the word "Buckeye" on the back. It is precious! You can just imagine how thrilled my Ohio husband was to see that! And our children were also very excited! I can hardly wait to put this on our baby girl! She's going to look precious! Of course, I'll share pictures, too! Thank you so much, Judy! You are such a dear friend whom God continually shines through and blesses us during our journey. I can hardly wait for our baby girl/s to meet their "Aunt Judy." What a moment that will be!

Last night I began reorganizing JennaBeth's (& EmmaKate?) things for awhile. It was just one of those times when if I couldn't hold her in my arms, I would stay busy working with her things. So I worked on her clothes, socks, shoes, sippy cups, bibs, etc. and found myself really enjoying the progress of preparing for her just a bit more. When I checked my Facebook account at the end of the evening, there was a message from my friend, Yolanda, who is also an adoptive Mom. She had sent a Chinese "flair" that showed the Chinese characters for "I Miss You." As I wrote to thank her on FB, I told her it had been a day I had really been missing our baby girl...and somehow Yolanda had already felt that. I asked her if I could quote her response to me and she agreed. When you read it, you will understand why it captured our hearts so deeply.

Yolanda shared this re: her own wait: "GOD had it all under control. He had picked out just the right child for us, even before she was born. He molded her in her birth mother's womb and fashioned her for our family. I know that sounds easy to say now, but just hang on to that fact. God is shaping your daughter/s even now for your family. Cherish the time that he is taking to make her/them a perfect fit. He loves you so much." Thank you, Yolanda! What a beautiful blessing you shared with us at just the right time! Maybe our little girls can play together someday! Wouldn't that be precious?

Once more, during another day when our hearts ache the deepest for our little one/s in China, God sent amazing blessings from Judy and Yolanda in His perfect timing. If He can do that in one day, I can hardly wait to see what He is doing as He prepares to bring our baby girl/s home to us after this season of waiting! It's going to be worth every moment! Thank you, God, for our friends, family and everyone involved along our journey. Thank you for Your perfect timing, your wonderful people and Your Master Design which is far greater than anything we could ever imagine. Thank you for so many blessings...at just the right time. Please bless each life who continually blesses ours as well as those precious ones caring for our baby girl/s until we hold her/them in our arms. Please send a gentle breeze full of kisses and love upon her/their face so they will feel Your hand and love surrounding them each day. May everyone along this journey know Your presence and love. Amen.
Cherishing each moment of blessings...
Terri & Family