Jenna Elizabeth (aka "JennaBeth") Song Lorenz

Waiting For Our Little One To Come Home From China!

Lilypie Waiting to Adopt tickers

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Merry Christmas & "JennaBear" ♥

The stockings are hung. Candles glow in the windows. Wreaths are on the doors. The tree stands tall with Baby Jesus placed front and center. Cards are arriving daily from loved ones far and near. Manger scenes remind us of the true reason for this celebration. It's definitely Christmas in our Kentucky home. Both children are home from college and Tim will soon be on vacation from work. The list of last minute details remains in constant view. My heart holds joy, gratitude and love as I sense this time of being together with dear family and friends.

Sitting in the high chair beside the softly illuminated China cabinet is a beautiful, plush white Bear wearing festive red and white Christmas clothing. She reminds us that a part of our family strongly lives in our hearts but resides in a country half-way around the world. "JennaBear" came home a few days ago when our daughter, Rachel, saw her in a store and brought her home for our baby girl/s in China. We are daily reminded as we see JennaBear sitting in the high chair that someday soon, our baby girl/s will be home with us. Yet until that wonderful time, our hearts, love, prayers and thoughts always carry our JennaBeth/EmmaKate with us. We were so touched by Rachel's thoughtful and kind deed. I so enjoyed watching Rachel place JennaBear in the high chair with such love, anticipation, joy and hope. Now we celebrate the arrival of a long-awaited Baby Boy around two thousand years ago...while we anticipate the arrival of a long-awaited baby girl or two in our family. What a difference love, joy, hope and excitement bring into life!

There are no words to adequately express the love we have for the amazing Baby who came to this earth thousands of years ago to change the world. As the song says, "a Baby changes everything." He certainly did...and does...so that we may be Home with Him some day. It's also challenging to find words to describe how the love we have for this baby girl or two whom we have never met..but will travel around the world to bring home with us someday soon. She will definitely change our lives completely! Yet there are also other people in our lives whom we love dearly who continue to walk this journey of blessings with us as we wait, pray, love and hope along each step of the way. You...our faithful and dear friends, family members, agency workers, doctors, nurses, office workers and prayer warriors. We obviously could not endure this long journey toward our baby girl/s without you. You are appreciated immensely.

It is hard to imagine how a husband and wife felt years ago as they traveled a long distance before they held the Son of God in their arms. But He was and is life-changing for all the world. It is difficult to imagine the joy we will feel when we finally travel to China and hold our baby girl/s in our arms for the first time. But our lives are changed forever already by that little girl. Our journey is not alone as we sense the prayers and presence of each of you walking beside us. Thank you for another year of walking together. It is my sincere prayer that your Christmas and New Year will be blessed with unending love, amazing joy, indescribable hope and tremendous peace.
Cherishing Christmas with Love,
Terri & Family

Monday, December 13, 2010

Forty-Four Months & Getting So Wonderfully Close!

Dear Jenna Elizabeth/Emma Katherine~
Today marks forty-four months of our paperwork arriving in your home country and being entered in China's adoption system! That's a very long time but we are so close to seeing your face/s and coming to China to bring you home to your Forever Family!

I wonder...how you are doing, where you are, how your birth Mom is doing, what you look like, what you are thinking and feeling. I wonder what you are wearing today, if you have lots of hair yet, what you like to eat/drink....and if you like music. I wonder...if you have rolled over, walked or talked yet. I wonder if you smile lots, are outgoing or a bit shy. I wonder if you love to laugh and giggle lots or if you are more quiet and reserved. Do you favor your left or right hand yet? Do you go to sleep easily or do you like to stay awake as long as possible? When you are dreaming, do you ever see a family with a Dad, Mom, sister and brother who are waiting for you in a place called Kentucky? Do you have any idea how many people are praying for you, loving you and anxiously waiting to meet you someday soon? Will you enjoy flying on airplanes with Dad & Mom to bring you home? What will be your first word in English? Dad? Mom? Rachel? Micah? Will you enjoy books? We love to read and will enjoy taking turns reading to you!

Do you know that your Dad is a very wonderful man who works hard, loves deeply and is a great father to your sister and brother? Do you know that your big sis is getting ready to graduate from college and will be a nurse? Do you know that your big brother is in college, too, and wants to work in the medical field to help sick people feel better? Do you know your Mom loves to listen to people share their thoughts, hearts and life stories? Do you know that we also love to sing together and we play instruments like trumpets, flute, piano, organ & keyboard? Will you like pop music like your Dad or country music like your sis and brother? Or classical music like your Mom...or Contemporary Christian music like your entire family? We have so much to learn about you and we can hardly wait to share life with you, precious one/s.

When we put up the Christmas tree this year, we realized that this will most likely be the last Christmas we will be apart from you. We can hardly wait to watch you next year when you see the Christmas tree lights, the snow on the ground and the pretty colors decorating our home, the town and the city we often visit. How will you respond when you see packages under the tree for you on Christmas morning? And all the precious people who love you so much will be wishing you Merry Christmas on your first Christmas home with us. It will be wonderful!

For now, I miss you so much but I know you are loved and taken care of by some very kind people placed in your life. It isn't the same without you here but you are always in my heart, my thoughts, my prayers and my dreams. There may be many miles between us...but our love is always with you, sweet daughter/s. May your Christmas in China be very special. May your new year be amazing as you plan to come home to your Forever Family. I love you, baby girl/s. We are holding you closely in our hearts until we can hold you in our arms. You are never alone and you are always loved. Rest, dear daughter/s. We will see you soon and love you forever. ♥ Mom
Cherishing the dreams of holding our baby girl/s soon,
Terri & family