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
Jenna Elizabeth (aka "JennaBeth") Song Lorenz
Waiting For Our Little One To Come Home From China!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
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
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Prayers, Please! :)
It's a cold, snowy day in Kentucky and we are only a few days away from having all documents completed for our 36-Month Homestudy Update. It's been a stressful six weeks or so...but there has been definite progress. Your thoughts and prayers have certainly helped us get through this overwhelming part of the adoption process. Thank you so very, very much!
Would you be so kind to pray specificially for the ONE LAST DOCUMENT to arrive at our agency? This is a document that had to be sent out-of-state and we are now waiting for it in order to complete the homestudy. As I've written before, adoptive parents will tell you that there is usually that "ONE LAST DOCUMENT" that brings great stress because so much depends on it. Well, that's exactly where we are. This document has been the most challenging to complete and obtain...but we are anxiously waiting for it before the expiration date soon arrives. So please, please pray!!
Two other documents were also of concern but we now have those in our hands! Yay! I haven't made a complete count just yet, but I believe this homestudy update required somewhere around 36 to 40 separate documents/letters, etc.!!! So we're on the homestretch and will be extremely relieved when the last one is complete! It's been a challenging time with new regulations, less time to complete the tasks at hand and added pressures of the holidays, illness, etc.. BUT we are very thankful for the many ways so many precious people and prayers have brought us this far.
We know that each step of this journey brings us closer to our little girl/s and that God's timing will be so perfectly designed. I recently found a picture of a little sweetie from China in some literature and posted it on our desk. Her little arms are reached out as if to say, "I'm waiting for you" and she is precious! Each time we sit at our desk to work on more documents, emails, letters, etc., we look at her picture to remind ourselves that there is a tremendous blessing waiting in China and every moment we spend in paperwork, prayer, sleepless nights and hectic days is very worthwhile!
So...dear Jenna Elizabeth +Chinese name, aka "JennaBeth" (and maybe Emma Katherine +Chinese Name aka "EmmaKate"?)...we're getting closer each day and each document to holding you in our arms and bringing you home. We love you so much already and you are surrounded by the hearts, prayers and efforts of so many wonderful people. Hold on, baby girl/s! Our journey has been extremely long, but our hearts are already with you. This "paper trail" certainly brings us closer and closer to you, too. It will be such an incredible day to finally see you. And the joy of you joining our Forever Family will be far more precious than we can even imagine. Meanwhile, know that you are already in our hearts, family and lives. We simply must wait to bring you home!!!
Thank you, dear friends, family and everyone involved in our journey...for your prayers, encouragement, thoughts and kindness. Knowing you are walking beside us and praying us through makes all the difference. PLEASE keep praying for that ONE LAST DOCUMENT...and we'll keep you posted. You are such an amazing part of our journey of blessings!
Cherishing each step of the journey...
Terri & Family
Would you be so kind to pray specificially for the ONE LAST DOCUMENT to arrive at our agency? This is a document that had to be sent out-of-state and we are now waiting for it in order to complete the homestudy. As I've written before, adoptive parents will tell you that there is usually that "ONE LAST DOCUMENT" that brings great stress because so much depends on it. Well, that's exactly where we are. This document has been the most challenging to complete and obtain...but we are anxiously waiting for it before the expiration date soon arrives. So please, please pray!!
Two other documents were also of concern but we now have those in our hands! Yay! I haven't made a complete count just yet, but I believe this homestudy update required somewhere around 36 to 40 separate documents/letters, etc.!!! So we're on the homestretch and will be extremely relieved when the last one is complete! It's been a challenging time with new regulations, less time to complete the tasks at hand and added pressures of the holidays, illness, etc.. BUT we are very thankful for the many ways so many precious people and prayers have brought us this far.
We know that each step of this journey brings us closer to our little girl/s and that God's timing will be so perfectly designed. I recently found a picture of a little sweetie from China in some literature and posted it on our desk. Her little arms are reached out as if to say, "I'm waiting for you" and she is precious! Each time we sit at our desk to work on more documents, emails, letters, etc., we look at her picture to remind ourselves that there is a tremendous blessing waiting in China and every moment we spend in paperwork, prayer, sleepless nights and hectic days is very worthwhile!
So...dear Jenna Elizabeth +Chinese name, aka "JennaBeth" (and maybe Emma Katherine +Chinese Name aka "EmmaKate"?)...we're getting closer each day and each document to holding you in our arms and bringing you home. We love you so much already and you are surrounded by the hearts, prayers and efforts of so many wonderful people. Hold on, baby girl/s! Our journey has been extremely long, but our hearts are already with you. This "paper trail" certainly brings us closer and closer to you, too. It will be such an incredible day to finally see you. And the joy of you joining our Forever Family will be far more precious than we can even imagine. Meanwhile, know that you are already in our hearts, family and lives. We simply must wait to bring you home!!!
Thank you, dear friends, family and everyone involved in our journey...for your prayers, encouragement, thoughts and kindness. Knowing you are walking beside us and praying us through makes all the difference. PLEASE keep praying for that ONE LAST DOCUMENT...and we'll keep you posted. You are such an amazing part of our journey of blessings!
Cherishing each step of the journey...
Terri & Family
Monday, January 18, 2010
33 Months of L.I.D. & Still Moving Forward!
Our hearts have been on such a rollercoaster ride lately...and I'm not even referring to our own adoption process...yet. To hear from the Colliers while they were in China, (they even sent the picture of them blowing kisses to our baby girl/s...which I'll post as soon as I get some direction!) and to see pictures of them in the PRC as well as when they arrived home...have been very exciting and encouraging. Their family is precious! Three biological sons and now three little daughters from China are tremendous blessings to this wonderful couple. Forrest and Robin are full of love, patience, generosity and joy. They truly reflect God's love in countless ways. It is a joy to see their family grow in number, love and outreach. What a wonderful message they are living and sharing with this world! Thanks Forrest, Robin, Andrew, Aaron, Stephen, Laura, Shiyan and Maria for shining so beautifully for Him! It is a blessing to know and love you all!
Meanwhile, our hearts have also been touched by the Haiti earthquake and the lives lost, touched and shared in that situation. As many of you know, our daughter, Rachel, spent about two weeks in Haiti last June on a mission trip. The pictures she brought back as well as the accounts of her experience moved our hearts deeply. To know that the cities she visited and people she served have all been affected deeply by this disaster is shocking. Yet we see people from all over the world sending assistance, rescue workers and supplies which proves there are definitely wonderful hearts and lives in this world! The outpouring OF so many TO so many brings us all back to the basics of the way it should be! Let us never lose sight of the importance of helping one another along this life.
I must admit that I wish I could travel to Haiti and bring back several precious children who need a forever family. My heart aches for those families in the middle of their adoption processes with Haiti. I pray the process will be accelerated so those sweet children can join their loving families very soon. They need one another more than ever! I know they would all appreciate our prayers!
As we well know by now, the adoption process is not one for the weary of heart or impatient temperaments. :) We continue to secure final documents for our 36-Month update. We have the majority of our documents and appointments complete. But, as adoptive parents know all too well, there are always those "last minute down-to-the-wire" papers we are hoping and praying will arrive each day! Please pray for those documents to arrive very, very soon since time is quickly running out in our rush to meet this deadline. There have been so many, many wonderful people helping us along in this journey. Each precious soul who has prayed, completed forms, written letters, notarized, etc. has been an incredible and vital part of making this possible. We are so thankful for each of you!
I want to share a bit of news with you. Yesterday our social worker, (another true angel sent from heaven!), visited our home to interview our son, meet with us, collect paperwork and do a "home tour" of our house for the homestudy requirements. Tim and I had previously discussed the possibility with her re: special needs options. Yesterday we confirmed that we are willing to parent healthy and/or mild special needs little girl/s from China. We have been praying about this for a very long time and now the door is open "just a bit wider" in this capacity. We know that at our ages, we could not assume care of any major special needs child. But there are so many little children with very mild and treatable needs and we feel led to open our hearts and family to what (and who!) God has in store. So please continue praying that in His perfect timing and design, God will lead us to the very specific little girl/s that He has already selected to join our family! Hold on, dear JennaBeth...(EmmaKate?)...we're moving closer and closer to you each day!
Yes...we're still moving forward...slowly but surely. It's been 33 months since we were logged in China's system and almost four years since we first applied to adopt. The wait is much longer than we ever anticipated...but the joy and love will definitely exceed every concern, frustration, moment and action involved in bringing our daughter/s home. May God bless you all as abundantly as you have blessed our lives along this journey! May we all move forward...and reach out to those who need our help to do so...as we all continue our journeys of blessings!
Cherishing each step in the journey...
Terri & Family
Meanwhile, our hearts have also been touched by the Haiti earthquake and the lives lost, touched and shared in that situation. As many of you know, our daughter, Rachel, spent about two weeks in Haiti last June on a mission trip. The pictures she brought back as well as the accounts of her experience moved our hearts deeply. To know that the cities she visited and people she served have all been affected deeply by this disaster is shocking. Yet we see people from all over the world sending assistance, rescue workers and supplies which proves there are definitely wonderful hearts and lives in this world! The outpouring OF so many TO so many brings us all back to the basics of the way it should be! Let us never lose sight of the importance of helping one another along this life.
I must admit that I wish I could travel to Haiti and bring back several precious children who need a forever family. My heart aches for those families in the middle of their adoption processes with Haiti. I pray the process will be accelerated so those sweet children can join their loving families very soon. They need one another more than ever! I know they would all appreciate our prayers!
As we well know by now, the adoption process is not one for the weary of heart or impatient temperaments. :) We continue to secure final documents for our 36-Month update. We have the majority of our documents and appointments complete. But, as adoptive parents know all too well, there are always those "last minute down-to-the-wire" papers we are hoping and praying will arrive each day! Please pray for those documents to arrive very, very soon since time is quickly running out in our rush to meet this deadline. There have been so many, many wonderful people helping us along in this journey. Each precious soul who has prayed, completed forms, written letters, notarized, etc. has been an incredible and vital part of making this possible. We are so thankful for each of you!
I want to share a bit of news with you. Yesterday our social worker, (another true angel sent from heaven!), visited our home to interview our son, meet with us, collect paperwork and do a "home tour" of our house for the homestudy requirements. Tim and I had previously discussed the possibility with her re: special needs options. Yesterday we confirmed that we are willing to parent healthy and/or mild special needs little girl/s from China. We have been praying about this for a very long time and now the door is open "just a bit wider" in this capacity. We know that at our ages, we could not assume care of any major special needs child. But there are so many little children with very mild and treatable needs and we feel led to open our hearts and family to what (and who!) God has in store. So please continue praying that in His perfect timing and design, God will lead us to the very specific little girl/s that He has already selected to join our family! Hold on, dear JennaBeth...(EmmaKate?)...we're moving closer and closer to you each day!
Yes...we're still moving forward...slowly but surely. It's been 33 months since we were logged in China's system and almost four years since we first applied to adopt. The wait is much longer than we ever anticipated...but the joy and love will definitely exceed every concern, frustration, moment and action involved in bringing our daughter/s home. May God bless you all as abundantly as you have blessed our lives along this journey! May we all move forward...and reach out to those who need our help to do so...as we all continue our journeys of blessings!
Cherishing each step in the journey...
Terri & Family
Friday, January 8, 2010
Still in Motion!!!
Christmas has come and gone. New's Year's also came and went. Micah's 18th birthday, (New Year's Eve), came and went way too fast. Rachel returned to school last weekend and Micah went back this past Monday. Our 2010 is off to a fast and furious start. One thing is for sure....there is never a dull moment in our home or lives!
Meanwhile, Micah has been a bit ill. Rachel changed rooms in the dorm, (and yes, we drove up there and helped her move.) We've had a pretty decent snowstorm this week. And...Tim's Dad had open heart surgery this morning. Thankfully, everyone seems to be doing ok and we are very grateful for that. As I told Tim earlier this week, it's a bit like those commercials on tv when the dog is barking, the children are yelling, the doorbell is ringing, the phone is also ringing, dinner is boiling over on the stove...and someone wishes "Calgon" would take them away.
But we don't want to go away...except to China! :) So we continue doing what has to be done in order to complete our 36-Month Homestudy in the next couple of weeks. And life is definitely still in motion! Are we stressed? Sure. Are we exhausted? Absolutely. Are we going in several directions at one time? Seems like it. But are we grateful for all the blessings? That's a definite YES!
As I type this entry, our dear friends are in China receiving their third daughter. Forrest was a friend in college and his wife, Robin, was my roommate. They are an incredible family. They have three biological sons who are wonderful young men. And their three daughters from China are precious, as well. As I read their blog each day, I am reminded so vividly just how worth it this journey is when we look at "the big picture." Although the last few weeks have been hectic, tiring and full of a mountain of documents, appointments and continuous running, it doesn't take long to realize that the reason behind all of our activity...is indeed worth every moment...and every step to our little sweetie/s in China.
Before Forrest and Robin left to receive their youngest daughter, I asked them to "blow a kiss" to our little one/s while there. I believe that Forrest and Robin planned to blow that kiss to our baby girl/s from the Great Wall of China. How amazing to know that our friends are now in our daughter/s' homeland...and have even thought of her during their very busy schedule. Somehow, it just makes our recent "mad rush" so worthwhile. For now we see papers, bills, to-do lists, etc.. But someday...we will see our little girl/s...and we will put our arms around her and bring her home to be a part of our family...forever!!! Now THAT'S worth it all!!
Please continue to pray for our sweet daughter/s in China, for our dear friends who are there right now, and for all that needs to be done in the coming weeks. We have had some documents coming in right on schedule while others have not. We have more appointments, meetings, interviews, expenses, a home tour with our social worker next weekend and more forms to prepare...just to name a "few" steps ahead. Would you please keep all of these in your thoughts and prayers? It is so overwhelming but possible with His help and your prayers!
We truly thank you for your prayers as our "marathon" continues. We are grateful for all the wonderful folks who are helping us along our journey: our doctors, nurses, notary people, social worker, agency advocate, bank employees, government office folks in OH, VA and KY, sheriff's office, attorney, Tim's employer and office workers there. There are also our friends, ministers, family members and other adoptive parents who keep encouraging us. Hearing your words of hope, kindness, understanding and support are priceless! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so very, very much. Honestly, we are extremely tired and the road is not always easy...or inexpensive...or smooth..or quick. But it is always worth it! You are such a blessing to us along this journey and we thank God for shining through each of you. You share light along this path and as we see your smiling faces and hear your loving kindness...we know we aren't alone. Neither is our precious JennaBeth (EmmaKate?). May God bless you all as you touch many lives, including ours. May you be blessed as you continue being a blessing in this world.
Cherishing those lighting our journey,
Terri & Family
Meanwhile, Micah has been a bit ill. Rachel changed rooms in the dorm, (and yes, we drove up there and helped her move.) We've had a pretty decent snowstorm this week. And...Tim's Dad had open heart surgery this morning. Thankfully, everyone seems to be doing ok and we are very grateful for that. As I told Tim earlier this week, it's a bit like those commercials on tv when the dog is barking, the children are yelling, the doorbell is ringing, the phone is also ringing, dinner is boiling over on the stove...and someone wishes "Calgon" would take them away.
But we don't want to go away...except to China! :) So we continue doing what has to be done in order to complete our 36-Month Homestudy in the next couple of weeks. And life is definitely still in motion! Are we stressed? Sure. Are we exhausted? Absolutely. Are we going in several directions at one time? Seems like it. But are we grateful for all the blessings? That's a definite YES!
As I type this entry, our dear friends are in China receiving their third daughter. Forrest was a friend in college and his wife, Robin, was my roommate. They are an incredible family. They have three biological sons who are wonderful young men. And their three daughters from China are precious, as well. As I read their blog each day, I am reminded so vividly just how worth it this journey is when we look at "the big picture." Although the last few weeks have been hectic, tiring and full of a mountain of documents, appointments and continuous running, it doesn't take long to realize that the reason behind all of our activity...is indeed worth every moment...and every step to our little sweetie/s in China.
Before Forrest and Robin left to receive their youngest daughter, I asked them to "blow a kiss" to our little one/s while there. I believe that Forrest and Robin planned to blow that kiss to our baby girl/s from the Great Wall of China. How amazing to know that our friends are now in our daughter/s' homeland...and have even thought of her during their very busy schedule. Somehow, it just makes our recent "mad rush" so worthwhile. For now we see papers, bills, to-do lists, etc.. But someday...we will see our little girl/s...and we will put our arms around her and bring her home to be a part of our family...forever!!! Now THAT'S worth it all!!
Please continue to pray for our sweet daughter/s in China, for our dear friends who are there right now, and for all that needs to be done in the coming weeks. We have had some documents coming in right on schedule while others have not. We have more appointments, meetings, interviews, expenses, a home tour with our social worker next weekend and more forms to prepare...just to name a "few" steps ahead. Would you please keep all of these in your thoughts and prayers? It is so overwhelming but possible with His help and your prayers!
We truly thank you for your prayers as our "marathon" continues. We are grateful for all the wonderful folks who are helping us along our journey: our doctors, nurses, notary people, social worker, agency advocate, bank employees, government office folks in OH, VA and KY, sheriff's office, attorney, Tim's employer and office workers there. There are also our friends, ministers, family members and other adoptive parents who keep encouraging us. Hearing your words of hope, kindness, understanding and support are priceless! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so very, very much. Honestly, we are extremely tired and the road is not always easy...or inexpensive...or smooth..or quick. But it is always worth it! You are such a blessing to us along this journey and we thank God for shining through each of you. You share light along this path and as we see your smiling faces and hear your loving kindness...we know we aren't alone. Neither is our precious JennaBeth (EmmaKate?). May God bless you all as you touch many lives, including ours. May you be blessed as you continue being a blessing in this world.
Cherishing those lighting our journey,
Terri & Family
Monday, December 21, 2009
It's Christmastime...& Adoption Update Time...& Family Time, Etc.
Stating that it is a busy time of the year is a true understatement in our lives right now. It's Christmastime...and Adoption Update time...and family time...and shopping time and baking time and wrapping time and family illness time and..well, you get the picture. It's been a very stressful time in our home for the past couple of weeks but we're doing the best we can and counting our blessings along the way.
Are we done with our shopping? No. Are we done wrapping packages? Haven't even started. Are we done with the baking? Only about halfway there. Decorated the house? Finished this afternoon. Rested, relaxed and ready to enjoy the season? No, no and trying. Tim and I have been working very hard to get as much paperwork done and sent out before the holidays so it will be "in motion" and hopefully returning to us before the impending deadline for our homestudy update. There's still MUCH to do...but we're slowly making progress. When we're not working on adoption papers, we're picking up this or that for Christmas, grocery needs, running errands, etc.. Before moving here years ago, we had three weeks between Tim accepting his new job and finding a place to live, pack up the house and two children...and relocate...all around Christmastime. I honestly believe this season has been more demanding and stressful than the one involving a major move.
So...why are we wearing ourselves out and "burning the candle at both ends?" I ask myself that each day and feel so guilty because it's not the Hallmark setting I'd imagined. As our children often do...our daughter and son answered that question for us quite clearly this weekend. Tim and I had spent hours working on documents while trying to make holiday plans for our family. I was feeling quite guilty for not spending time with our children as much as we wanted. So I apologized to our children for the delay in our family time. Our daughter kindly responded with understanding and kindness and offered to help with household chores, which meant so much to us. Then our son said, "Mom, you're not taking time AWAY from the family. You're working FOR our family." Wow! Sure, they realize that it is Christmas and staying in Mom and Dad's good graces is advantageous. :) But Tim and I were moved by the love, patience and support our children geniunely extended as they watched a flurry of papers, mail, phone calls, emails and lists take over our household. They realized that this challenging time is not without an incredible blessing down the road. They know that their little sister continues to wait to come home from China...and they are willing to do/sacrifice whatever it takes to ensure that she is able to come home as soon as possible. Pretty amazing children, aren't they? We think so!
So...it IS Christmas....and although we have had to make some pretty interesting sacrifices to accomplish the goals before us, we are taking time to be thankful for our precious children who care, understand and are willing to share their parents with vital paperwork and deadlines. We are thankful for the folks in attorney offices, post offices, banks, government offices, doctor offices and sheriff offices as they help us put together information needed. We thankful for our adoption agency who listens to our many questions and helps us try to find answers. We are thankful for dear friends who make phone calls to check on us and encourage us to hold on in this journey. We are thankful for grandparents and relatives who understand the challenges we are dealing with and who unselfishly encourage us to keep moving forward in this journey. We are thankful for ministers who pray and each individual who offers strength and hope when we are exhausted. We are truly blessed and we are deeply grateful.
Although I don't feel as peaceful or prepared for Christmas this year as I had hoped, I believe I have already seen the spirit of Christmas in unexpected ways. To each person who has touched our hearts in our frantic "pace of panic" recently...we've seen kindness, hope, encouragement, peace, understanding and compassion along the way. We have seen Christmas...in ways that cannot be packaged but will always be cherished.
This year, as I gaze into the skies and remember two very overwhelmed parents who traveled a long way full of obstacles and concerns before the arrival of their precious Child...I will also thank God for those who made room for us in their schedules, offices, hearts and lives as we await the arrival of our daughter. I may not be ready for lots of Christmas details this year. But my heart has been stirred by the ways Christmas was shared with us in ways we never imagined. We won't forget the true spirit of love, sacrifice, kindness and hope each of you shared with us. Thank you...from the bottom of our hearts.
Merry Christmas to each of you. Many blessings in 2010 for you, too. May you experience the true spirit of Christmas every day.
And JennaBeth, (Emma Kate?)....Merry Christmas, sweetie/s. Oh, how you are loved...and missed...and so worth every step of our journey. May you always know that many people worked together to bring you home. And may you always know the true spirit of love that so many people have shared in our lives...to touch yours forever.
Cherishing the blessings of Christmas, Family, Adoption...and Life,
Terri & family
Are we done with our shopping? No. Are we done wrapping packages? Haven't even started. Are we done with the baking? Only about halfway there. Decorated the house? Finished this afternoon. Rested, relaxed and ready to enjoy the season? No, no and trying. Tim and I have been working very hard to get as much paperwork done and sent out before the holidays so it will be "in motion" and hopefully returning to us before the impending deadline for our homestudy update. There's still MUCH to do...but we're slowly making progress. When we're not working on adoption papers, we're picking up this or that for Christmas, grocery needs, running errands, etc.. Before moving here years ago, we had three weeks between Tim accepting his new job and finding a place to live, pack up the house and two children...and relocate...all around Christmastime. I honestly believe this season has been more demanding and stressful than the one involving a major move.
So...why are we wearing ourselves out and "burning the candle at both ends?" I ask myself that each day and feel so guilty because it's not the Hallmark setting I'd imagined. As our children often do...our daughter and son answered that question for us quite clearly this weekend. Tim and I had spent hours working on documents while trying to make holiday plans for our family. I was feeling quite guilty for not spending time with our children as much as we wanted. So I apologized to our children for the delay in our family time. Our daughter kindly responded with understanding and kindness and offered to help with household chores, which meant so much to us. Then our son said, "Mom, you're not taking time AWAY from the family. You're working FOR our family." Wow! Sure, they realize that it is Christmas and staying in Mom and Dad's good graces is advantageous. :) But Tim and I were moved by the love, patience and support our children geniunely extended as they watched a flurry of papers, mail, phone calls, emails and lists take over our household. They realized that this challenging time is not without an incredible blessing down the road. They know that their little sister continues to wait to come home from China...and they are willing to do/sacrifice whatever it takes to ensure that she is able to come home as soon as possible. Pretty amazing children, aren't they? We think so!
So...it IS Christmas....and although we have had to make some pretty interesting sacrifices to accomplish the goals before us, we are taking time to be thankful for our precious children who care, understand and are willing to share their parents with vital paperwork and deadlines. We are thankful for the folks in attorney offices, post offices, banks, government offices, doctor offices and sheriff offices as they help us put together information needed. We thankful for our adoption agency who listens to our many questions and helps us try to find answers. We are thankful for dear friends who make phone calls to check on us and encourage us to hold on in this journey. We are thankful for grandparents and relatives who understand the challenges we are dealing with and who unselfishly encourage us to keep moving forward in this journey. We are thankful for ministers who pray and each individual who offers strength and hope when we are exhausted. We are truly blessed and we are deeply grateful.
Although I don't feel as peaceful or prepared for Christmas this year as I had hoped, I believe I have already seen the spirit of Christmas in unexpected ways. To each person who has touched our hearts in our frantic "pace of panic" recently...we've seen kindness, hope, encouragement, peace, understanding and compassion along the way. We have seen Christmas...in ways that cannot be packaged but will always be cherished.
This year, as I gaze into the skies and remember two very overwhelmed parents who traveled a long way full of obstacles and concerns before the arrival of their precious Child...I will also thank God for those who made room for us in their schedules, offices, hearts and lives as we await the arrival of our daughter. I may not be ready for lots of Christmas details this year. But my heart has been stirred by the ways Christmas was shared with us in ways we never imagined. We won't forget the true spirit of love, sacrifice, kindness and hope each of you shared with us. Thank you...from the bottom of our hearts.
Merry Christmas to each of you. Many blessings in 2010 for you, too. May you experience the true spirit of Christmas every day.
And JennaBeth, (Emma Kate?)....Merry Christmas, sweetie/s. Oh, how you are loved...and missed...and so worth every step of our journey. May you always know that many people worked together to bring you home. And may you always know the true spirit of love that so many people have shared in our lives...to touch yours forever.
Cherishing the blessings of Christmas, Family, Adoption...and Life,
Terri & family
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
More News, More Demands, More Work, More Prayers!
It's been a very windy day with major wind gusts rushing through our community and probably the entire state of Kentucky. Little did I know that between the very hectic pace of Christmas preparations and the winds howling through our area, our lives were about to become even more busy and rushed.
We have been aware for a couple months that our 36-month homestudy update was approaching and we were under the impression that it would be very similar to the previous 18-month update process. The 18-month update involved several documents and reviews plus a home-inspection and interviews. It was work...but not considered overwhelming. We found out today that due to new Hague convention stipulations, the USA is requiring much more than we anticipated for our 36-month update...and it all has to be done in the next month or so. Wow! It will be very similar to the very first process of assembling our Dossier before sending it to China 32 months ago. In fact, there are even more documents required now than before. So...we are trying to catch our breath, somehow, before finding a way to get all this done within a matter of weeks!
Have you ever had one of those experiences when you fell and had the breath knocked out of you? Well, that's how we feel today. We had expected more paperwork and expense...but not "intense" paperwork and even greater expensive fees than before. 'Guess we're still lying on the ground waiting for our breath to return. But...when it does, there's much to be done!
Someone asked me today if we felt like giving up. Without a shadow of a doubt, the answer is NO! We didn't begin this journey because it was easy. It is not easy at all. We didn't begin this journey because it was inexpensive. It is very expensive and a total walk of faith in many areas. We didn't begin this journey because everyone understands why we're doing it. Sometimes God leads us to do things that many people don't understand or consider "logical." The reason we began this journey is because God placed it on our hearts to bring a little girl (or two) home from China to join our family...forever. That part has not changed. Nor will our efforts or commitment to continue this journey to her/them. We will do whatever it takes to be ready when God decides it's time to welcome home our little girl/s. So...here we go. Our journey of blessings does not always involve sunny days and easy roads. Just as in life, we have to take the great days with the tough days...and keep moving forward no matter what the day brings.
We would deeply appreciate your prayers as we begin to face this "mountain" ahead of us for the next month or so. I'm a mountain girl by birth...and I know that mountains are not always easy to climb. But they are BEAUTIFUL when you get to the top! They're even beautiful when you gaze at them from a distance. So here we go. This mountain was unexpected...but we're not climbing it alone. God knew the day we began this journey that there would be steep inclines and rocky terrain. But He also knows how to get us through them. We have no doubt that when we have crossed this mountain, the view is going to be amazing! For now, it's time to prepare for this part of the journey. Your prayers are so very important and valuable to us. Thank you for being our faithful friends along the way. We'll keep you posted as we prepare for Christmas...and the mountain of updating ahead. It's going to be work...lots of it. But the view will definitely be worth it!
Hold on, baby girl/s. Each day...and each document will bring us closer to you! We love and miss you...and are always willing to climb mountains and cross oceans to find you. But what a day it will be when we are finally together! I love you, sweetie/s! I'm still holding you in my heart until we hold you in our arms.
Preparing for more of the journey...
Terri & family
We have been aware for a couple months that our 36-month homestudy update was approaching and we were under the impression that it would be very similar to the previous 18-month update process. The 18-month update involved several documents and reviews plus a home-inspection and interviews. It was work...but not considered overwhelming. We found out today that due to new Hague convention stipulations, the USA is requiring much more than we anticipated for our 36-month update...and it all has to be done in the next month or so. Wow! It will be very similar to the very first process of assembling our Dossier before sending it to China 32 months ago. In fact, there are even more documents required now than before. So...we are trying to catch our breath, somehow, before finding a way to get all this done within a matter of weeks!
Have you ever had one of those experiences when you fell and had the breath knocked out of you? Well, that's how we feel today. We had expected more paperwork and expense...but not "intense" paperwork and even greater expensive fees than before. 'Guess we're still lying on the ground waiting for our breath to return. But...when it does, there's much to be done!
Someone asked me today if we felt like giving up. Without a shadow of a doubt, the answer is NO! We didn't begin this journey because it was easy. It is not easy at all. We didn't begin this journey because it was inexpensive. It is very expensive and a total walk of faith in many areas. We didn't begin this journey because everyone understands why we're doing it. Sometimes God leads us to do things that many people don't understand or consider "logical." The reason we began this journey is because God placed it on our hearts to bring a little girl (or two) home from China to join our family...forever. That part has not changed. Nor will our efforts or commitment to continue this journey to her/them. We will do whatever it takes to be ready when God decides it's time to welcome home our little girl/s. So...here we go. Our journey of blessings does not always involve sunny days and easy roads. Just as in life, we have to take the great days with the tough days...and keep moving forward no matter what the day brings.
We would deeply appreciate your prayers as we begin to face this "mountain" ahead of us for the next month or so. I'm a mountain girl by birth...and I know that mountains are not always easy to climb. But they are BEAUTIFUL when you get to the top! They're even beautiful when you gaze at them from a distance. So here we go. This mountain was unexpected...but we're not climbing it alone. God knew the day we began this journey that there would be steep inclines and rocky terrain. But He also knows how to get us through them. We have no doubt that when we have crossed this mountain, the view is going to be amazing! For now, it's time to prepare for this part of the journey. Your prayers are so very important and valuable to us. Thank you for being our faithful friends along the way. We'll keep you posted as we prepare for Christmas...and the mountain of updating ahead. It's going to be work...lots of it. But the view will definitely be worth it!
Hold on, baby girl/s. Each day...and each document will bring us closer to you! We love and miss you...and are always willing to climb mountains and cross oceans to find you. But what a day it will be when we are finally together! I love you, sweetie/s! I'm still holding you in my heart until we hold you in our arms.
Preparing for more of the journey...
Terri & family
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