The last several weeks have been so busy...and exciting! It's hard to know exactly where to begin but I will try my best to cover everything as concisely and completely as possible.
Our family continues to adjust as Rachel lives two hours away from home. She was here this weekend for the first time in a month. We were so thrilled to be together again. Of course, she will come home as often as possible and we will visit her and spend weekends with her when we can. But we are grateful that she is doing well and enjoying the opportunities God has given her.
Micah has moved into his new apartment and we have been working on it for the past few weeks. He continues to work at the pharmacy but after this week, it will be every other weekend for awhile. He will move "officially" to his apartment this weekend for his new year at the Univ. of KY. It sounds like an exciting year is ahead for him and we are thrilled. We're going to miss him here everyday but he isn't too far away and that is a blessing.
Tim has been very busy at work. It is highly suspected that there will be much overtime in the coming months due to new model changes beginning immediately. So we are thankful for his job and prayerful for his safety while there.
I have been very busy, as well. It's been much like "Grand Central Station" here all summer. With graduation, job searches, moves, updates, paperwork, appointments, the home study visit and many other things going on in our lives, our home is always busy and full of life, love and laughter. :) I am grateful that I enjoy multi-tasking! :) It's the only way I can get things done...but I am so blessed to be a wife, mom and all the other roles I have in this life. I can't imagine it any other way.
As of last Saturday, we have been "Logged In" 52 months in our adoption journey. We have been in the process for over five years and our paperwork has been in China almost four and a half years. It's been quite a journey. But so much is happening now and we are more excited than ever!
Just before our Home Study visit with our amazing social worker, I decided to look around on our adoption agency website. I noticed a new checklist for Special Needs and mentioned it to our social worker. We had never seen this before, for "some reason." We were approved for Special Needs during our 36 month update but had not heard anything about this form. From what we understand, the SN system had been revised after our 36 month update and we were not made aware of it until I discovered it. But we truly believe that God's hand was in this all along. Our social worker immediately connected us with the SN Advocate at our agency. We set up an appointment with her and had a wonderful meeting with her last Friday.
During all this time, Tim and I have been praying for God's direction...specific, obvious and unquestionable direction...in regard to His will and plan for our little one/s in China and our journey to her. We know we are NOT making a choice simply based on a time frame...and that we are very willing to wait as long as it takes to do whatever God leads us to do. We continue to pray for God to open the doors He wants us to enter and He has been doing just that.
There have been countless incidents of God's direction and assurance. Whether in doctor's offices, conversations with friends and family, notes that "just happen" to come to us in amazing perfect timing, our daughter's job at KDMC in a specialized area...or other areas, God has laid it on our hearts to consider Special Needs options even more seriously. The more we pray about this, the more peace we have and the more clearly God directs our path. We know that at our ages, we are not able to handle a severely disabled child. But there are children with "mildly correctible" special needs...such as minor heart defects that are correctable..and often done before we bring her home...or club feet (which tugs at my heart because of my brother's childhood experiences with this)...or a birth mark...or a missing finger...or a minor scar...or something else very small and treatable. Tim and I have completed the newly-discovered form and are sending it to the agency tomorrow. This does NOT affect our possibilities for "healthy" children nor does it commit us to a special needs option alone. It merely opens the doors even wider for us to be ready for God's leading.
The Special Needs Advocate told us that there are regular monthly lists that become available. Upon their receiving and acceptance of our checklist, we will begin waiting for opportunities quite soon. There is an estimated time frame for a Special Needs adoption referral for us somewhere between the next five to seven months! That is very exciting! The wait for non-special needs is at least another two to three years. Again, we are willing to do whatever God calls us to do. But for now, it seems God continues to open doors consistently and clearly for us in Special Needs, as well.
For this month's prayer request, I ask that you please pray for God to continue making His perfect will OBVIOUS to us. We have no doubt whatsoever that God is at work and making our path very clear. Please pray for the child/ren He has created and designed to come home to us. We know it will be a major adjustment for her and for us. Please pray for all those who are working so hard to bring these precious children together with their Forever Families. And please pray that we will honor Him in this journey, in the wait, in the process of special needs and healthy opportunities...and that He will protect and provide for all those involved. We are absolutely amazed at how He continues to take care of our every need when we simply don't know how He is going to work it out. But He always does. He called us to love and take care of His precious child/ren in China....and He has never let us down in this journey. I truly pray that all we do, say and share in this journey honors Him above all else!
JennaBeth...(maybe EmmaKate)...we are quite possibly MONTHS from seeing you and bringing you home! Hold on, sweetie/s. You are definitely in God's arms of love, protection and provision. We hope to see you soon...and we are holding you in our hearts until we hold you in our arms. We love you so much already!
To all of you...our family, friends, doctors, nurses, office staff, agency, USA government offices...and the PRC...thank you for all you are doing for Him, for our precious children in China...and for all the orphans and Forever families. You are truly blessing our journey more than we ever imagined. We thank each of you for your prayers and kindness. May you all be blessed on your journeys as beautifully as you are blessing ours.
I will continue to keep you posted as we learn more in the days...weeks...and months ahead....
Cherishing His perfect plan and master design,
Terri & family
Jenna Elizabeth (aka "JennaBeth") Song Lorenz
Waiting For Our Little One To Come Home From China!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Moving Forward...the theme of the Lorenz Family!
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
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
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
Thursday, June 16, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Forty-Nine Months, Graduation & Updating!
Wow...it has been a busy season recently. We have had so many celebrations in our family and I have been eager to share all of them with you. On May 7, our daughter, Rachel, graduated from Kentucky Christian University with her BSN...Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She is now home for a little while as she continues to work at the pharamacy and consider different job opportunities. Ironically, Rachel graduated exactly 29 years to the day after I graduated from the same school. So we are thrilled for her. But it doesn't seem possible that she has grown up so fast. Micah also completed his freshman year at the University of Kentucky. Where has the time gone?
Then we enjoyed a wonderful Mother's Day on May 8, our 27th anniversary on the 12th, our 49 Months of Log-In on the 13th and Tim's birthday on the 15th. What an exciting time. But...it is going to remain busy for awhile. Now we are beginning to update our paperwork for our adoption and that is always an interesting, exciting and demanding time. We would truly appreciate your prayers for God's continued protection of our little one/s...and provision for all that we must do in the coming months of updating. It is a challenging and expensive process...but we know it will be worth it all when we bring our little JennaBeth(EmmaKate) home with us.
So...our journey continues and we are thrilled that we are 49 months closer to our little girl/s. Meanwhile, life continually changes here at home with Rachel's graduation, Micah's progress at UK, Tim's work and my ever-growing to-do list at home and elsewhere. We thank God for each of you along this journey. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, faith and understanding as we continue to move closer to our little sweetie/s in China. The journey may be long but it is definitely blessed.
Cherishing each step closer,
Terri & Family
Then we enjoyed a wonderful Mother's Day on May 8, our 27th anniversary on the 12th, our 49 Months of Log-In on the 13th and Tim's birthday on the 15th. What an exciting time. But...it is going to remain busy for awhile. Now we are beginning to update our paperwork for our adoption and that is always an interesting, exciting and demanding time. We would truly appreciate your prayers for God's continued protection of our little one/s...and provision for all that we must do in the coming months of updating. It is a challenging and expensive process...but we know it will be worth it all when we bring our little JennaBeth(EmmaKate) home with us.
So...our journey continues and we are thrilled that we are 49 months closer to our little girl/s. Meanwhile, life continually changes here at home with Rachel's graduation, Micah's progress at UK, Tim's work and my ever-growing to-do list at home and elsewhere. We thank God for each of you along this journey. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, faith and understanding as we continue to move closer to our little sweetie/s in China. The journey may be long but it is definitely blessed.
Cherishing each step closer,
Terri & Family
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Four Years Since Log-In!
Wow....as of Wednesday, April 13, our Dossier has been Logged-In for four years! It has been a long, extensive and expensive journey but God has faithfully protected and provided for us all along. Of course, no one ever expected that the wait would extend this far but we know God is in control of this journey to our little one/s. He led us to this journey over five years ago and He will continue to see us through to the time we meet our little daughter/s and arrive home as a Forever Family.
We began this journey in March of 2006 when we began talking about it, praying about it and meeting with the adoption agency. In July of 2006, we submitted our official application and began compiling our Dossier. In March of 2007, we sent our paperwork to China and on April 13, 2007, our Dossier was officialy Logged-In. The Log-In date is the "waiting ticket number" for the order of Referral. So our wait has been long but we choose to perceive it as being that much closer to seeing, traveling and holding our baby girl/s for the first time.
We originally prayed that all of our children would live together at home when our little one/s from China arrived. But it just didn't work out that way. We were a bit concerned that our travel time to China might conflict with Rachel's high school graduation, Micah's high school graduation...or Rachel's college graduation. But that didn't happen, either. Our Rachel will graduate from KCU next month and we are so proud of her. Micah will not graduate from UK for another three years so we firmly anticipate having our daughter/s by then! :) We are thankful that although the wait has been long, we didn't miss these important milestones in our children's lives. Again, God has taken great care of the details along the way.
Now we anticipate our oldest daughter's college graduation in a few weeks, the close of our son's freshman year of college in a few weeks...and the continuing journey to our little daughter/s in China. Tim and I will also celebrate our 27th anniversary in May. Yes...life is blessed.
Hold on, precious Jenna Elizabeth (JennaBeth) and possibly Emma Katherine (EmmaKate). We are four years closer to you and the time is much closer now than ever before. Although we long to hold you in our arms and bring you home, we continue to hold you in our hearts, thoughts and prayers each day. You are loved so very much.
Many thanks to all of our dear friends and family members who continue to walk this journey with us. Your prayers for our little girl/s in China, our family here in KY and God's protection and provision as we continue this journey are appreciated immensely. It will soon be update time again for our paperwork...but we know God will see us through the challenges of that season, as well. For now, we celebrate four years of waiting...and loving our little girls! Each moment is definitely worth the wait of this wonderful calling God has placed before us.
Cherishing four years of waiting for our baby girl/s,
Terri & family
We began this journey in March of 2006 when we began talking about it, praying about it and meeting with the adoption agency. In July of 2006, we submitted our official application and began compiling our Dossier. In March of 2007, we sent our paperwork to China and on April 13, 2007, our Dossier was officialy Logged-In. The Log-In date is the "waiting ticket number" for the order of Referral. So our wait has been long but we choose to perceive it as being that much closer to seeing, traveling and holding our baby girl/s for the first time.
We originally prayed that all of our children would live together at home when our little one/s from China arrived. But it just didn't work out that way. We were a bit concerned that our travel time to China might conflict with Rachel's high school graduation, Micah's high school graduation...or Rachel's college graduation. But that didn't happen, either. Our Rachel will graduate from KCU next month and we are so proud of her. Micah will not graduate from UK for another three years so we firmly anticipate having our daughter/s by then! :) We are thankful that although the wait has been long, we didn't miss these important milestones in our children's lives. Again, God has taken great care of the details along the way.
Now we anticipate our oldest daughter's college graduation in a few weeks, the close of our son's freshman year of college in a few weeks...and the continuing journey to our little daughter/s in China. Tim and I will also celebrate our 27th anniversary in May. Yes...life is blessed.
Hold on, precious Jenna Elizabeth (JennaBeth) and possibly Emma Katherine (EmmaKate). We are four years closer to you and the time is much closer now than ever before. Although we long to hold you in our arms and bring you home, we continue to hold you in our hearts, thoughts and prayers each day. You are loved so very much.
Many thanks to all of our dear friends and family members who continue to walk this journey with us. Your prayers for our little girl/s in China, our family here in KY and God's protection and provision as we continue this journey are appreciated immensely. It will soon be update time again for our paperwork...but we know God will see us through the challenges of that season, as well. For now, we celebrate four years of waiting...and loving our little girls! Each moment is definitely worth the wait of this wonderful calling God has placed before us.
Cherishing four years of waiting for our baby girl/s,
Terri & family
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Thinking....and Praying...and Missing our Girl/s...
We're only one week away from being logged in China's adoption system for four years! That's so hard to grasp. Since the wait was eighteen months when we first logged in....and it was much less than eighteen months prior to the beginning of our journey...it's very difficult to imagine that we have already waited almost forty-eight months since our Log-In time. But every day brings thoughts, prayers and dreams of having our little daughter/s home with us soon. And we continue to hold onto that dream with much hope, trust, love, joy and peace.
It's also difficult to believe that in about one month, our daughter, Rachel, will graduate from Kentucky Christian University with majors in Nursing and Bible. Wow! Our son, Micah, will finish his freshman year at the University of Kentucky around the same time. Life is so blessed and moving so quickly. Well...that is in every area except for bringing our little ones/s home from China. :)
It occurred to me tonight that as much as I ask for your prayers on behalf of our little daughter/s in China...and our family as we take each step toward bringing her home, that I have not asked for your consistent prayers on a more specific level. Of course, we realize that God's perfect timing and Master design include each day of this journey already and will also include each day ahead. But I think it would be very meaningful to ask you to pray daily for more specific areas of concern along this journey. Perhaps each month I can post detailed requests as we approach each step toward our little one/s and determine new information. Would you be so kind to do that for our precious daughter/s?
For April of 2011, I ask that you pray for the birthmother of our daughter/s. After giving birth twice to our now adult children, I cannot imagine the heart of our daughter's birthmom knowing that her little girl/s will be placed in the care of another family she has never met. It has to be so very difficult to love her little one/s and realize that someday she will no longer hold her baby girl/s in her arms or see her/them again. My heart aches for this woman who loves her baby girl/s so much that she is willing to choose adoption for their well-being. I thank God for this birthmother and I will always be grateful for her sacrifice. Our little daughter/s will always be aware of their incredible birthmother who shared them with us. May God hold her, comfort her, strengthen her and give her peace now and in the days ahead. While it is challenging for us to wait until we see and hold our baby girl/s in our future...I cannot imagine how heartbreaking it will be for the birthmother to miss seeing and holding her daughter/s in her future. She will always be in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.
Thank you for your prayers for JennaBeth/EmmaKate...for her/their birthmother...and for our family as we continue this long yet very worthwhile journey. We thank God for each of you in this journey of blessings.
Cherishing the gift of our daughter/s' birthmother,
Terri & Family
It's also difficult to believe that in about one month, our daughter, Rachel, will graduate from Kentucky Christian University with majors in Nursing and Bible. Wow! Our son, Micah, will finish his freshman year at the University of Kentucky around the same time. Life is so blessed and moving so quickly. Well...that is in every area except for bringing our little ones/s home from China. :)
It occurred to me tonight that as much as I ask for your prayers on behalf of our little daughter/s in China...and our family as we take each step toward bringing her home, that I have not asked for your consistent prayers on a more specific level. Of course, we realize that God's perfect timing and Master design include each day of this journey already and will also include each day ahead. But I think it would be very meaningful to ask you to pray daily for more specific areas of concern along this journey. Perhaps each month I can post detailed requests as we approach each step toward our little one/s and determine new information. Would you be so kind to do that for our precious daughter/s?
For April of 2011, I ask that you pray for the birthmother of our daughter/s. After giving birth twice to our now adult children, I cannot imagine the heart of our daughter's birthmom knowing that her little girl/s will be placed in the care of another family she has never met. It has to be so very difficult to love her little one/s and realize that someday she will no longer hold her baby girl/s in her arms or see her/them again. My heart aches for this woman who loves her baby girl/s so much that she is willing to choose adoption for their well-being. I thank God for this birthmother and I will always be grateful for her sacrifice. Our little daughter/s will always be aware of their incredible birthmother who shared them with us. May God hold her, comfort her, strengthen her and give her peace now and in the days ahead. While it is challenging for us to wait until we see and hold our baby girl/s in our future...I cannot imagine how heartbreaking it will be for the birthmother to miss seeing and holding her daughter/s in her future. She will always be in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.
Thank you for your prayers for JennaBeth/EmmaKate...for her/their birthmother...and for our family as we continue this long yet very worthwhile journey. We thank God for each of you in this journey of blessings.
Cherishing the gift of our daughter/s' birthmother,
Terri & Family
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)