Here We Go...Forward!

Life in the Lorenz home is never boring, that's for certain! For now, I just want to update you on a few details in our family. It means so much to know you all are always praying for our family, whether in the USA or PRC. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

The most exciting buzz in our home presently is Micah's pending graduation from high school. This week he brought home his cap, gown and Beta club attire to wear during the events and the reality is becoming more clear each moment. What happened to that little boy who used to play in the dirt, ride his tricycle and go to the grocery store with me while his sister was in elementary school? Obviously, he has grown up...very quickly. Next week, he will graduate with honors from Harrison County High School and we are so proud of him. It's hard to believe that he will be a freshman at the University of Kentucky this fall as he plans for a future as a Pharmacist. On top of this excitement is the recent news that Micah's Dad has been asked to speak at Baccalaureate. We are thrilled. Tim was also one of the speakers at our daughter Rachel's Baccalaureate three years ago. Now Micah's class recently voted for Tim to be one of the speakers this year, too. Time certainly doesn't stand still, although it sometimes appears to do so in the adoption process. :)

Rachel recently finished her junior year at Kentucky Christian University and received excellent grades in the mail yesterday. It is with great joy that I realize she will graduate from there next May. Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday we moved here with a four year old daughter and a sixteen month old son...and they are both heading to college this fall. We are blessed...and grateful!

Today, Tim and I sent more paperwork (and fees!) to Homeland Security to update fingerprints for Rachel, Tim and me. Hopefully, this will be the last time we need to do this, although we know Micah will need to do so next summer. We are getting much closer to the reality of our baby girl/s coming home from China, too. We have been logged in over three years now...and officially in the process for almost four. Yes, the wait has been very long and challenging, but what a joy to know that we are getting so very close to the time we will see, meet and bring our JennaBeth (maybe EmmaKate?)home!

Will you please pray that the Homeland Security office will schedule our re-fingerprinting session once more at the Cincinnati office? We are becoming quite familiar with that location and would be so grateful if we are able to go there again. Will you please pray that the appointment will also work well with the work schedules here at home? We appreciate that so very much. I will, of course, keep you posted.

So, celebrations continue in our home. Congratulations, Micah on a wonderful school career and graduation. Congratulations, Tim, on being selected as one of the Baccalaureate speakers at HCHS. Congratulations, Rachel, on a very successful year at KCU. I am so proud of all of you. It is a joy, blessing and honor to be your Mom and Wife. I am also looking forward to the day I can bring our newest daughter/s home from China. Yes...here we go...forward and definitely blessed.

I thank my God for each of you, our dear family and friends, who are walking beside us and praying us through. You are amazing and very special to us. And I am celebrating the blessing of you in our lives, too. ♥
Cherishing the celebrations along the journey,
Terri & Family