It's a very special day in our lives. One hundred years ago today, a baby girl was born in Craig County, Virginia on a hill just above the valley where my home Church building stood and continues to stand. It wasn't a fancy birth...yet a very blessed one. And a century later, her life and love continue to touch lives deeper than she could have ever imagined.
That baby girl grew up and gave birth to four children. One of her daughters gave birth to me. Yes, that lady born one hundred years ago today was my Grandma Jenny. Grandma never owned her own home. She never owned her own car. She never had a cell phone or a computer. She didn't attend college and never lived outside the Commonwealth of Virginia. Yet to this day, her life has blessed other lives for generations and will also affect a life halfway across the globe.
Grandma lived a humble life not only in her surroundings but in her heart. She loved...genuinely, unconditionally, generously and gracefully. Although her life brought both joys and heartaches, she never stopped loving. Although she worked diligently and sacrificially to make ends meet for her children, she did so unselfishly because of love. She once told me that even though others were sometimes unkind or unfair to her, she never stopped loving them because that's simply what she wanted to do. It didn't matter how they treated her. She chose to love...anyway. And that love in her heart continues to grow, encourage, inspire and enlighten lives...especially mine.
Halfway around the world, a little girl is born in China. We have not seen her. But we love her...dearly. We can hardly wait to bring her home into our Forever Family. She never knew my Grandma Jenny...but she will certainly learn all about her and each time her name is called, she will be reminded of that precious little girl born one hundred years ago. For Jenna Elizabeth (+ Chinese name) Lorenz will bear her name in honor of Grandma Jenny, her Great Grandmother. Her middle name, Elizabeth, will also be in honor of loved ones on both her Dad and Mom's sides who also bore that name. And "JennaBeth" will always know that much love, laughter and life were involved in the blessing of her life and her journey to us...for decades...even a century.
So Happy Birthday, Grandma Jenny. Although you moved to your Eternal Home almost nine years ago, we remember you...and your love...and your life. We thank God for you. We cherish each memory of you. We look forward to seeing you again someday. I know you always wanted to reach that "100" mark here but I'm sure your Heavenly celebration is beyond anything we can imagine. I can hardly wait to see you again someday. I miss you more than words can ever express. We look forward to telling your Great-Granddaughter all about you...and the love you lived so faithfully. Each day I thank God for the countless ways you touched my life forever...and I am so blessed to call you my Grandmother...and the namesake for our daughter. Remember our promise, Grandma..."I'll see you at the Gates." Happy 100th Birthday, Grandma Jenny. Your love, your life and your name live on!
Cherishing my Grandmother,
Terri & Family
Jenna Elizabeth (aka "JennaBeth") Song Lorenz
Waiting For Our Little One To Come Home From China!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
More Good News!
We learned several days ago that our 36 Month Homestudy Update and our Application for Approval Extension were sent to Homeland Security on February 12. So everything finally arrived at the agency, (yay!) was assembled and sent from our agency to USCIS. What a relief! Seven weeks of grueling paper-chasing, appointments, hard work, fees and stress finally came together to meet the new Hague Convention Regulations...and now we wait.
Today we received notification from USCIS (Homeland Security) that they did indeed receive our paperwork and they are now processing it. That is definitely good news! The usual saying in the adoption world is "hurry up...and wait." That certainly applies to this journey. Hopefully we will receive the offical Approval/Extension document soon which will confirm our eligibility for another eighteen months. The only other project for this year will be having all four of us re-fingerprinted sometime in June. Other than being quite expensive and a very early morning trip to Cincinnati, (we hope it will be Cincy), it's usually a very peaceful process. (That is, if we don't get lost in downtown Cincy, as we have been known to do previously.)
So...the journey continues. To those who are unfamiliar with the adoption process, this may not seem monumental to you. But to those of us who are very familiar with the reality of each document, each passing day of waiting, each step forward...acquiring official documents, approval and extensions are reasons to celebrate! For now, we are extremely thrilled that this recent update, the most difficult season yet, has been compiled, sent, received and is now being processed. We're getting closer and closer to our little one/s in China. What a blessing!
Thank you for your continued prayers, assistance, companionship and encouragement as we progress further in this journey toward our "JennaBeth" (and maybe "EmmaKate.") As a dear friend recently shared with us, "this is one of the most difficult and frustrating experiences you will ever have. But it will also be one of the most rewarding experiences in your life." So true! Knowing our precious little daughter/s are waiting for us to bring her home makes all the challenges worthwhile. Climbing the mountains of paperwork...and crossing the ocean to meet her are the least we can do for our little daughter/s. For now, we wait...until another update is required...or until a referral arrives. (Let's pray the referral comes first!) We've been logged-in China's adoption system for Thirty-Four months now...and each step toward our sweetie/s is a tremendous blessing. Thank you...for blessing our journey in so many tremendous ways.
Hold on, sweet girl/s! Daddy, Mommy, Rachel and Micah are holding you in our hearts until we can hold you in our arms and bring you home! We love you, baby girl/s! Sweet dreams and may you feel the hand of God holding you until He brings us together...forever.
Cherishing each step forward...
Terri & Family
Today we received notification from USCIS (Homeland Security) that they did indeed receive our paperwork and they are now processing it. That is definitely good news! The usual saying in the adoption world is "hurry up...and wait." That certainly applies to this journey. Hopefully we will receive the offical Approval/Extension document soon which will confirm our eligibility for another eighteen months. The only other project for this year will be having all four of us re-fingerprinted sometime in June. Other than being quite expensive and a very early morning trip to Cincinnati, (we hope it will be Cincy), it's usually a very peaceful process. (That is, if we don't get lost in downtown Cincy, as we have been known to do previously.)
So...the journey continues. To those who are unfamiliar with the adoption process, this may not seem monumental to you. But to those of us who are very familiar with the reality of each document, each passing day of waiting, each step forward...acquiring official documents, approval and extensions are reasons to celebrate! For now, we are extremely thrilled that this recent update, the most difficult season yet, has been compiled, sent, received and is now being processed. We're getting closer and closer to our little one/s in China. What a blessing!
Thank you for your continued prayers, assistance, companionship and encouragement as we progress further in this journey toward our "JennaBeth" (and maybe "EmmaKate.") As a dear friend recently shared with us, "this is one of the most difficult and frustrating experiences you will ever have. But it will also be one of the most rewarding experiences in your life." So true! Knowing our precious little daughter/s are waiting for us to bring her home makes all the challenges worthwhile. Climbing the mountains of paperwork...and crossing the ocean to meet her are the least we can do for our little daughter/s. For now, we wait...until another update is required...or until a referral arrives. (Let's pray the referral comes first!) We've been logged-in China's adoption system for Thirty-Four months now...and each step toward our sweetie/s is a tremendous blessing. Thank you...for blessing our journey in so many tremendous ways.
Hold on, sweet girl/s! Daddy, Mommy, Rachel and Micah are holding you in our hearts until we can hold you in our arms and bring you home! We love you, baby girl/s! Sweet dreams and may you feel the hand of God holding you until He brings us together...forever.
Cherishing each step forward...
Terri & Family
Sunday, February 7, 2010
GREAT NEWS!!!
Here it comes...great, great news to share!!! We just received word from our social worker that the ONE LAST DOCUMENT has arrived at the agency! Yay!!! Now our Home Study report will be sent along with our I-171H application to Homeland Security. Then we should hopefully receive the "official word" that we have been approved once more for another eighteen months as we wait for our JennaBeth (EmmaKate?)! We are so very, very grateful for your prayers, encouragement, kindness and love as we have walked yet another portion of our journey. It's so much better having you walk beside us.
Hold on, dear little daughter/s! We are moving closer to you each day...and through each document. You are loved so very much and we can hardly wait to tell you about all the prayers, friends, love and efforts of so many people that joined together to help get you home!
Again, thanks to everyone for all you have done! Besides the long wait, this has been the most difficult part of the journey yet. But we have been blessed each step of the way with your presence, patience and perseverance. Thank you for being so faithful in our journey of blessings.
Cherishing another celebration in the journey,
Terri & Family
Hold on, dear little daughter/s! We are moving closer to you each day...and through each document. You are loved so very much and we can hardly wait to tell you about all the prayers, friends, love and efforts of so many people that joined together to help get you home!
Again, thanks to everyone for all you have done! Besides the long wait, this has been the most difficult part of the journey yet. But we have been blessed each step of the way with your presence, patience and perseverance. Thank you for being so faithful in our journey of blessings.
Cherishing another celebration in the journey,
Terri & Family
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Urgent Prayers Needed Immediately!!
Hi everyone! All documents are complete...except THE ONE we mentioned last weekend. And the deadline is...THIS FRIDAY. However, that ONE document has not arrived yet. Tim called the out-of-state office today that needs to send that document...and it has not even been mailed yet!!!! (****silent scream****)
We were told that it would be mailed tomorrow, (Wednesday), and should arrive in Lexington by Friday! Have I mentioned how extremely important it is that we need that document by Friday at the latest????? (***sound of inhalers being used due to stress robbing my breath****)
We are praying and trusting God, who created the entire universe...as well as all of us....and our precious baby girl/s in China...to see us through this ONE LAST DOCUMENT's arrival at our agency. However, we would deeply appreciate your fervent prayers over the next few days!!!! We realize God has it all in His hands...but we also realize that some people do not work as efficiently as God does! :) The document has been processed and printed. It simply needs signed and sent!!!! (***silent screams continue***) Soooooo, we really, really need some extremely efficient work by that office and the USPS. Would you be so kind to pray that it all work together and that every document we have diligently worked on for the last six weeks, including this ONE LAST DOCUMENT, will be ready and sent to Homeland Security this Friday...ON TIME? It's extremely vital!!
Please pardon my stress. We have worked extremely long and hard to complete all of these documents recently. We have labored night and day to compile such important paperwork. It has required lots of help and patience from family, friends, medical professionals, office workers, etc....and it has been an incredibly expensive effort in multiple ways. We know it is all worth it. But to watch all this effort and expense be halted due to ONE DOCUMENT's late arrival is quite disheartening, to say the least. IF WE HAVE EVER NEEDED YOUR PRAYERS MORE THAN EVER, IT IS NOW!!!!! Please pray individually, with your family and friends, your Church families...as well as with anyone who will share this urgent prayer request. We're not simply concerned about the paperwork, expense, etc.. We are concerned about our little girl/s in China and making sure that we are doing everything possible to do what is required of us with the USA, PRC, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. Every moment counts...and every prayer is extremely important.
I will keep you posted as we continue this last segment of this race in our update. To be very honest, we are stressed beyond belief, weary beyond words and feeling enormous pressure to see this through. What a difference it makes to know that you are praying us through. God bless you all!!
Continuing the journey...under pressure! :)
Terri & Family
We were told that it would be mailed tomorrow, (Wednesday), and should arrive in Lexington by Friday! Have I mentioned how extremely important it is that we need that document by Friday at the latest????? (***sound of inhalers being used due to stress robbing my breath****)
We are praying and trusting God, who created the entire universe...as well as all of us....and our precious baby girl/s in China...to see us through this ONE LAST DOCUMENT's arrival at our agency. However, we would deeply appreciate your fervent prayers over the next few days!!!! We realize God has it all in His hands...but we also realize that some people do not work as efficiently as God does! :) The document has been processed and printed. It simply needs signed and sent!!!! (***silent screams continue***) Soooooo, we really, really need some extremely efficient work by that office and the USPS. Would you be so kind to pray that it all work together and that every document we have diligently worked on for the last six weeks, including this ONE LAST DOCUMENT, will be ready and sent to Homeland Security this Friday...ON TIME? It's extremely vital!!
Please pardon my stress. We have worked extremely long and hard to complete all of these documents recently. We have labored night and day to compile such important paperwork. It has required lots of help and patience from family, friends, medical professionals, office workers, etc....and it has been an incredibly expensive effort in multiple ways. We know it is all worth it. But to watch all this effort and expense be halted due to ONE DOCUMENT's late arrival is quite disheartening, to say the least. IF WE HAVE EVER NEEDED YOUR PRAYERS MORE THAN EVER, IT IS NOW!!!!! Please pray individually, with your family and friends, your Church families...as well as with anyone who will share this urgent prayer request. We're not simply concerned about the paperwork, expense, etc.. We are concerned about our little girl/s in China and making sure that we are doing everything possible to do what is required of us with the USA, PRC, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. Every moment counts...and every prayer is extremely important.
I will keep you posted as we continue this last segment of this race in our update. To be very honest, we are stressed beyond belief, weary beyond words and feeling enormous pressure to see this through. What a difference it makes to know that you are praying us through. God bless you all!!
Continuing the journey...under pressure! :)
Terri & Family
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