What a great day to go to the mailbox! Yes...after three and a half months of hard work, stressful deadlines, expensive fees, numerous appointments and other obstacles along the way, we received THE DOCUMENT we've waited for so very long!!
It is official!!! Our I-797C Homeland Security Application Extension has been APPROVED...again! For the next eighteen months, we are in good standing as we wait for our baby girl/s from China. Thank you, God!!!
This was, by far, the most difficult extension process yet. But we have been blessed in this journey again and we are thrilled! We're closer than ever before, (almost 36 months since our "Log-In" date), and the estimate now is that we may only have about one year left to wait. A year may sound like a LONG time to others...but after being in this process for almost four years, one more year sounds wonderful! Actually we began meeting with our agency four years ago this month so our journey has already been that long. We applied in July of 2006 and were logged-in on April 13, 2007. So it's been a very long journey...and it somehow feels like we're "coming around the bend" to see the final stretch before us.
I had to share this exciting news with you today. How wonderful to have something so positive to share with you after the long updating process! Once again, God has been faithful. You have been encouraging and supportive. And our journey to our little girl/s continues in the middle of tremendous blessings! Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, encouragement and hope. You are such blessings!
To our dear, dear little JennaBeth/EmmaKate...I can only imagine how wonderful it will be to see you in another year or so. I can only imagine how exciting it will be to even see your picture/s for the first time when you are finally referred to us. I can only imagine the unspeakable joy we will know when we bring you home with us to live as a Forever Family. But I am not imagining the dancing I now hold in my heart for you this very moment. You are so very real to us and you have been loved for a very long time. You are so special...to your biological Mom who is giving you the opportunity to come home to us....to your caregivers there in China...to all the folks who are working so hard in PRC and USA to bring you home...to our family and friends here who can hardly wait to meet you...and to the God who knows you best and is designing every intricate detail for bringing us together. Please know that your Dad, Mom, Sister and Brother already consider you a major part of our family. We love you dearly...each day...each moment...each step of this journey. We are praying for you and all those who have already touched your life. Hold on, sweet baby girl/s. You're in our hearts, thoughts, prayers and lives. We simply need to bring you home. Until that day, I'm sending you all the love, hugs, kisses and joy that a Mom's heart holds for her child, which truly never ends. Rest, precious daughter/s. Rest in the love surrounding you, holding you, protecting you, providing for you and planning for you. Rest and know that we'll see you soon. I miss you, baby girl/s.
Cherishing the joy of our new daughter/s,
Terri & family
Jenna Elizabeth (aka "JennaBeth") Song Lorenz
Waiting For Our Little One To Come Home From China!
1 comment:
I can't help it. I'm sitting here crying my eyes out. We long for her/them so badly but I know it's all in God's hands. But, we're so anxious to see her/them it is getting almost unbearable. But, we'll try and be patient because we keep remembering we're "one day closer" and when that gloriouis day comes... the joy will overtake us what a DAY THAT WILL BE!!!!!
We love you, dear child(ren) and can't wait for you to be here.
Love,
Ommie and PaPa
Post a Comment