The past week has been very exciting in the Lorenz family. Last weekend, we moved our oldest daughter, Rachel, to her first apartment about two hours away from home. She is now an RN, working at a nice hospital, and found an adorable apartment, surrounded by wonderful friends from our KCU family. We packed her furniture, books, clothes, books, stereo, books...and lots of other wonderful items, (did I mention she has lots of books?)...on a moving truck and took her to begin a brand new chapter in her life. It's been an adjustment for all of our family, but we are very excited for her. Thank God for cell phones, texts, pictures and laptops which keep us connected daily. We miss her so much but know we are always close in heart.
Yesterday, we moved our son, Micah, to a new apartment. Thankfully, he is in the same building so the move was not as major as it could have been. But we still had to pack things up, move things out, unpack...and set up. He will begin his sophomore year at UK in a few weeks so we are excited for all the new opportunities ahead for him. He continues to work at the pharmacy and doesn't live too far from home so that makes our contact with him much easier.
We have also been working diligently on our third adoption update. So far, it is going well. We have all the necessary appointments made...are getting paperwork out and back...and seem to be progressing smoothly. We will also have a home visit this week from our incredible social worker...a true gift from God! We are definitely moving forward in our journey to our baby girl/s!
It is not always easy to adjust to changes. Watching our precious children move away from home is no exception. It is not easy to look at an empty bedroom when we were used to having our daughter home...or at least the majority of her belongings...with us here for almost twenty-three years. Although we have taken some of our little one/s' things to the empty bedroom, I have told Rachel that there will always be a place for her to come home to and visit. There will always be a place for her to sleep, stay and be surrounded by family who loves her. Our family is growing on many levels...distance, maturity, addition/s of our baby girl/s, etc.. But our hearts and home will always make room for the love and laughter of our family.
Through all of the moves, changes and adjustments, we realize now more than ever that a family can...and does...love across the miles. Whether it is our daughter two hours away, our son an hour away, or our little daughter/s in China halfway around the world, we love our family and hold one another closely in our hearts. Of course, we look forward to the day when we are all under the same roof, even if only for a short time...and can celebrate, love and embrace the moments together. But between those times,our love reaches beyond miles and holds us together through it all.
We are so thankful for all of you who walk beside us in this journey. Whether you are our precious friends, dear family, doctors and nurses, adoption agency workers, office officials or Church family, we thank God for each of you. Your prayers, assistance, hope and help along this journey are so appreciated. May your journey be blessed as richly as you have blessed ours.
Cherishing the journey as we move forward...
Terri & family
Jenna Elizabeth (aka "JennaBeth") Song Lorenz
Waiting For Our Little One To Come Home From China!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Fifty-One Months...and Updating...and Waiting...and Trusting!
Fifty-one months ago today, our Dossier was logged-in China's adoption system! Wow...that's a lonnnnnnng time ago. It was also five years ago this month that we first began this journey by applying to adopt. That means that we are so much closer to seeing, meeting and bringing our little girl/s home. We are very excited as we move forward in this journey. Each step, each day, each moment, each part of the journey takes us closer and we are thrilled!
We are presently updating our paperwork for the third time. It is quite unusual to have to update at this point. In fact, our adoption agency had a staff meeting recently to determine how to update at fifty months since it is not something they are accustomed to doing! Leave it to us to be the "pioneers" in this stage of adopting! :) So far, we are making good progress. We have a few more appointments ahead and have done most of the paperwork. Our social worker will do a home visit very soon. Micah was re-fingerprinted last week. Tim and I will be re-fingerprinted again in the near future. So we are moving forward. Hopefully we will not be required to update again. Of course, we have said those words the last three times, too. :) But in God's perfect timing, it will all work out according to His amazing plan and design.
It is a very busy time in our family recently on other levels, too. Our daughter, Rachel, began her new job as an R.N. at a hospital a couple hours away. We will move her things to her new apartment in the coming days. Our son, Micah, is already getting plans together for the beginning of his sophomore year at UK next month. (Where did the summer go?) We have had other major events going on in our lives the last few months, too. So there is no time for boredom in the Lorenz home! We are so blessed with dear friends who help us at times like this. We could never do this alone and are very grateful for each precious person who helps us along this journey.
So for now we hurry up...and wait...as always. We will continue updating paperwork, adjusting to our adult daughter moving away, our son returning to college, pursuing our family and individual plans and trusting God as He guides, protects, provides and promises to never leave us alone.
Something I recently told our daughter as she begins life as an "independent adult" also applies here. The phrase is often used that someone is "living on their own." But I couldn't disagree more. Whether it is our Rachel working/living away from home, our son living/studying away from home, our baby daughter/s living in China until we bring them home....or the many family and friends who live far away or closeby...we are NEVER really on our own. God is holding each of us in His loving arms while He places loved ones in our paths to help one another. What a blessing it is each day as a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend or other loved one to know that we are never alone in any situation we face. Walking this amazing journey of blessings would not be possible "on our own" either. We could never go through all the intense paperwork, the countless appointments and challenges...the continuing and increasing expenses...the heartfelt longing for our little girl/s to come home...the hope of our family being together someday soon...and the uncertainty of the time involved in this journey...alone. We thank God for each of you as you pray, care, hope, trust and walk beside us each day. We thank God for calling us to this incredible journey that only HE could orchestrate and make possible. We thank Him for holding our little JennaBeth/EmmaKate in His hands...as He holds all of us together in His arms. That, my friends, is what we call "never alone" and "never on our own." Please pray for our little ones, our family, those who are caring for our baby girl/s, those helping us move closer to her/them in this journey, and for one another in each journey of life faced.
Hold on, our precious little baby girl/s. I long for you each day. My heart leaps as I think about you....miss you...love you...and pray for you. I can only imagine how wonderful it will be when you are in our arms...finally. But until that day...you remain in our hearts, lives, hopes, thoughts and prayers...continually. While I carried Rachel and Micah in my body before holding them in my arms, I carry you deep within my heart...and you are never alone, sweet one/s. Dad and I will see you very soon.
Cherishing fifty-one months of blessings....
Terri & family
We are presently updating our paperwork for the third time. It is quite unusual to have to update at this point. In fact, our adoption agency had a staff meeting recently to determine how to update at fifty months since it is not something they are accustomed to doing! Leave it to us to be the "pioneers" in this stage of adopting! :) So far, we are making good progress. We have a few more appointments ahead and have done most of the paperwork. Our social worker will do a home visit very soon. Micah was re-fingerprinted last week. Tim and I will be re-fingerprinted again in the near future. So we are moving forward. Hopefully we will not be required to update again. Of course, we have said those words the last three times, too. :) But in God's perfect timing, it will all work out according to His amazing plan and design.
It is a very busy time in our family recently on other levels, too. Our daughter, Rachel, began her new job as an R.N. at a hospital a couple hours away. We will move her things to her new apartment in the coming days. Our son, Micah, is already getting plans together for the beginning of his sophomore year at UK next month. (Where did the summer go?) We have had other major events going on in our lives the last few months, too. So there is no time for boredom in the Lorenz home! We are so blessed with dear friends who help us at times like this. We could never do this alone and are very grateful for each precious person who helps us along this journey.
So for now we hurry up...and wait...as always. We will continue updating paperwork, adjusting to our adult daughter moving away, our son returning to college, pursuing our family and individual plans and trusting God as He guides, protects, provides and promises to never leave us alone.
Something I recently told our daughter as she begins life as an "independent adult" also applies here. The phrase is often used that someone is "living on their own." But I couldn't disagree more. Whether it is our Rachel working/living away from home, our son living/studying away from home, our baby daughter/s living in China until we bring them home....or the many family and friends who live far away or closeby...we are NEVER really on our own. God is holding each of us in His loving arms while He places loved ones in our paths to help one another. What a blessing it is each day as a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend or other loved one to know that we are never alone in any situation we face. Walking this amazing journey of blessings would not be possible "on our own" either. We could never go through all the intense paperwork, the countless appointments and challenges...the continuing and increasing expenses...the heartfelt longing for our little girl/s to come home...the hope of our family being together someday soon...and the uncertainty of the time involved in this journey...alone. We thank God for each of you as you pray, care, hope, trust and walk beside us each day. We thank God for calling us to this incredible journey that only HE could orchestrate and make possible. We thank Him for holding our little JennaBeth/EmmaKate in His hands...as He holds all of us together in His arms. That, my friends, is what we call "never alone" and "never on our own." Please pray for our little ones, our family, those who are caring for our baby girl/s, those helping us move closer to her/them in this journey, and for one another in each journey of life faced.
Hold on, our precious little baby girl/s. I long for you each day. My heart leaps as I think about you....miss you...love you...and pray for you. I can only imagine how wonderful it will be when you are in our arms...finally. But until that day...you remain in our hearts, lives, hopes, thoughts and prayers...continually. While I carried Rachel and Micah in my body before holding them in my arms, I carry you deep within my heart...and you are never alone, sweet one/s. Dad and I will see you very soon.
Cherishing fifty-one months of blessings....
Terri & family
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