More Prayers, Please!

This is just a quick update for you so you will be aware of our specific prayer requests. I contacted the adoption agency today to see if they have heard anything from China in regard to our pending Travel Letter extension. The agency's efficient response to us said that they have not heard anything back yet but they will call us as soon as it arrives. It remains a matter of WHEN...not IF. So that is very exciting for us, to say the least!

There will be a week-long holiday in China beginning next week for their Chinese New Year. So if we don't hear anything this week, there won't be any news during the next week. Our agency had hoped to hear something sooner but they are not alarmed because there is no standard response time when dealing with the CCCWA. So...we wait and pray.

Of course, we know that God's timing is always best. We know His plan will unfold just as His perfect design allows. So we are not overly stressed. We just miss our little Song! :) But if you would be so kind, please continue to pray that the Travel Letter will arrive according to God's perfect timing. Please pray for precious little Song as she waits for her Forever Family to come for her. Please pray that God will protect her, provide for her and prepare her for this major transition. Please pray for our family as we seek His protection and provision here on many levels at home. Most of all, please pray that He will be honored as we continue this journey of blessings.

Of course, I will keep you posted as we learn more. Meanwhile, we are busy planning for little JennaBeth Song...her bedroom, carseat, clothes, etc.. How thrilling! Even more importantly, we are growing in faith and excitement for our family to finally hold her in our arms and welcome her into our lives. Thank you for your continued prayers, presence and kindness as this journey continues.

Hold on, precious little Song! We love you, miss you and are praying that we will see you very, very soon! You are so dear to us already. What a glorious day it will be when we meet you and bring you home with us! But we continue to hold you in our hearts until we can hold you in our arms.
Cherishing this journey of faith,
Terri & Family

Still waiting...and walking at 57 months since Log-In!

There's no big news today but I am just sharing from my heart. Yesterday marked 57 months since our Dossier was logged in China's system...just three months shy of five years. In March of this year, we will celebrate six years of beginning our adoption journey. In March of '06, we began talking to the adoption agency and then our official application was submitted in July of '06. So, it's been a very long road but well worth it. It has also been almost four months since our Sept. 26, 2011 Referral of little Song. It's a vast difference in the 18 month wait that was the standard when our journey first began. But we knew our journey could be very different. We had no idea how different...but we trust that God's plan, timing and design are always best. So...we continue to wait and walk in this journey.

We hope to hear something soon about our possible extension from China. The agency doesn't seem to think it will be a problem. But it will be a major relief when we actually hold the new travel letter extension in our hands. :) Please pray that God will bring it into our lives as He knows best. Meanwhile, we continue to love, miss and plan for our little JennaBeth Song's arrival. Most of all, we continue to believe and trust God's protection of little Song, His provision for all her needs there and our needs here as we prepare to go to China, and for Him to direct our paths as He knows best. It is our hope and prayer that He is glorified, honored and praised above all else in our journey, our family and our lives.

We continue to thank God for each of you as you walk beside us with your love and prayers. It makes all the difference. May your journeys be full of hope, peace, joy, love and assurance that you are never alone and always loved.

Cherishing the journey to our little girl in China,
Terri & family

A New Year's Update....

Our 2012 has begun with a great start. We are very grateful for each blessing and I want to update you on the latest news.

Tim had surgery this past Monday and is recovering nicely at home. He is looking forward to feeling stronger and better each day. We are so grateful for the wonderful love, support and prayers from family and friends. It makes all the difference. Having friends who also worked at the hospital made our wait and experience much better, also. We were so blessed on many levels and appreciate each doctor, nurse and friend who walked beside us through this time.

Rachel began her new job as an RN at our local hospital. She loves it and feels so blessed to work in her hometown. We are thrilled to have her living closeby and to know this new chapter of her life is abundantly blessed already.

Micah began his spring semester this week at UK. He looks forward to new classes and a positive learning experience. He also continues to work at the pharmacy on weekends and breaks and is very grateful. We are thrilled for him and look forward to seeing his journey unfold, as well.

We continue to wait for the extension travel letter from China. We know God's timing is perfect and His plan is always for the best. We ask for your continued prayers for little Song and for God's leading as our family waits for the extension.

We have complete peace as we wait for our life journey to unfold on so many levels. We hope your new year is unfolding with many daily blessings. Please cherish each moment as a blessing and remember that you are never alone and always loved.

Hold on, precious JennaBeth Song! Daddy is feeling better each day. Mommy is working on designing your new room and preparing for your arrival. Your brother and sister are so excited to meet you and love you. We know God is holding you in His arms until we hold you in ours. We love you, sweetie. We hope to see you very soon.
Cherishing this blessed journey...
Terri & Family

A Song to Share....

Last weekend, this song was shared at our Church service. I think it is very fitting to share with you as we continue our adoption journey...and our journey of blessings in life.

"Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer" (Getty/Becker)

Jesus, draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm
You have called me to this passage
And I'll follow though I'm worn

Chorus:
May this journey bring a blessing
May I rise on wings of faith
At the end of my heart's testing
With Your likeness let me wake

Jesus, guide me through the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure
When the midnight meets the morning
Let me love You even more

(Chorus)

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go
And at the end of this long passage
Let me leave them at Your throne

(Chorus)

Isn't the message fitting? It can be found on youtube if you would like to hear it. May each step we take in our lives honor Him, praise Him and make us more like Him. This journey of adoption...and life...continues to build our faith beyond anything we imagined. But what joy, peace, hope and purpose we have knowing God is already holding our journey in His arms of love.
Cherishing the journey in Him,
Terri & family

Happy New Year of Blessings!

A brand new year is here! 2012 has arrived and we are thrilled! Each moment of 2011 was certainly a gift from God. But it was a challenging year on many levels and we thank Him for His faithfulness each step of the way.

Now we welcome a new year of blessings and opportunities. I pray that each of you will know that no matter what this year brings, you are never alone, always loved and you have a valuable purpose in this life. Our journeys will consist of twists, turns, unexpected event and amazing surprises. Some steps will be much easier than others. But we never walk alone. What an amazing gift that is in our lives!

From the Lorenz family to yours, have a wonderful, blessed and amazing 2012. Thank you for walking beside us in our journey so far. We thank God for each of you and we look forward to sharing more with you in this new year. May your lives be filled with peace, joy, love, good health and hope.
Cherishing the journey in 2012,
Terri & Family