Fifty Months....and Moving Along!

Another month has passed. More milestones have been reached. And now we celebrate fifty months since Log-In. Wow! What an exciting, busy and interesting time in our lives.

Last month I mentioned that our daughter, Rachel, graduated from KCU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Our son, Micah, also completed his first year at UK. Now our Rachel has been hired by King's Daughters Hospital in Ashland, KY and is planning to move to that area very soon. It's the first time in twenty-three years that she will move away in a more permanent way. Of course, she will not be far away and we will see her when she comes home for occasional weekends...or when we visit her. But things will not be the same again. How did these years go by so quickly? We count our blessings that she has done so well in her life and now begins a new chapter. It's another reminder of cherishing each day, opportunity and season. Life passes so quickly.

A few days ago, on June 13, we reached the fifty month mark since Log-In. Now we begin yet another round of updating our paperwork. It's a grueling, extensive, expensive and detailed process but we continue to look forward to bringing home our little daughter/s from China. We know it will be worth every effort in this journey. Our Micah is scheduled for another fingerprinting appointment in Cincinnati soon. Tim and I will do so in the next couple of months. Plus all the new reports, appointments, inspections, etc. will be processed, as well. Here we go again....hurrying up...and waiting once more. Our social worker told us that the Adoption Agency met recently because they had to discuss the requirements for 50 Month updates. They have never had to do updates this far along in the journey before as families wait longer now. But...we continue to trust that God knows what is best and will do exactly what is in His perfect plan and Master Design for our little ones in China...and for our family here.

Please continue to pray for our baby girl/s. We pray for a Referral soon but realize it could be another year or so since the wait in China increased in the last year. However, we now have a little more time to plan and prepare the bedroom and necessities for our little one/s. Meanwhile, please pray for our sweet daughter/s there and for her birthmom, the caregivers and all the government workers in China and in the USA as they care for the little ones and help these children connect with their Forever Families. Please pray for our family. We are going through so many transitions. It is not always easy, but it is exciting. Please pray for us as we try to relocate in the near future. We realize that we truly need to find a larger home for many reasons and with one child left in college...and a continued adoption process, the house needs to be within our budget, as well. Please pray for our family as we adjust to our oldest daughter relocating to her own place. She is excited but it is also a change for her. We are a very close-knit family and our hearts will remain close, but it will be different than before for all of us. Please pray for protection, provision, safety, health and faith as we continue to wait for JennaBeth/EmmaKate? to come home. Our Journey is indeed blessed. Our God remains in control. Our hearts continue to long for our baby girl/s to be with us. Our family continues to enter new seasons along the journey...but with joy, hope, faith and gratitude. Thank you for praying and for persevering with us along this very long but very worthwhile journey. We thank God for each of you as we continue moving forward.
Cherishing the journey,
Terri & family