Introducing....

Chan!!!!

We have LOA (Letter Of Approval)!!!!  WOOHOO!

For most people, you've been reading posts about "ADB".  These are the initials of our son's Chinese name. I'm so thrilled to be able to share his American name (Chan...still deciding on his full name!), picture, and a bit of history now that we have word that our official  "Letter Of Approval" from China is on the way. Chan and Audrey An have lived together before! They were foster brother and sister in a very small farming village in China. For all practical purposes Audrey An knew him as "brother" and he knew her as "sister".  By the time we meet Chan they will have been apart from each other almost five years. It's amazing what God can do in the hearts of many in five years!  We have prayed for this boy for almost five years- never anticipating then that we'd be bringing him into our home as his forever family!!

2009 & 2013...Pretty cool!!!  We've never met him him or their foster family face to face, but the top picture in this collage was taken by a disposable camera we sent Audrey An prior to us traveling to bring HER home!!! What a treasure.  We. had. no. idea. how significant that role of film would play into our lives now!  How BIG is our God!

This past year has been unbelievable in seeing God's faithfulness in my physical healing and our journey navigating through adoption #2.  Each step we have taken in faith has always been confirmed (sometimes within minutes...literally!).  This doesn't mean it's been easy emotionally. There have been some very trying times. There have been some real fears on the parts of several in our lives- including us. David and I have just had to cling to the Holy Spirit's prompting to expand our family even when it hasn't made since at times to others. I'm trusting The Lord that He knows best.  He will provide. He has reminded me so many times this year that this about--- choosing me, choosing David to parent another child for Kingdom purposes-using Abigail and using Audrey An as siblings to love, encourage and introduce him to the Good News as well.

Wow. What a privilege. Are we nervous? Yes. Are we excited? Yes. Are there unknowns? Yes. Were there unknowns when I was pregnant with Abigail? Absolutely.  Were there unknowns when I was "paper pregnant" with Audrey An? Absolutely. There are just a lot of unknowns in life. Period.

Our journey to Chan has been "same same but very different" than our journey to Audrey An, but that could be an entire other post!  We covet your prayers as we embark upon this journey with three kiddoes- three amazing miracles!  The real work is about to start!!  Pray for our marriage. Pray for our expanding family. Pray for my continued stable health. Pray for Chan's health- that God would would stop and reverse any physical and emotional delays he might have. Pray for proper nutrition and clean water for Chan and his foster family.  Pray for Chan's heart as he is processing all that is about to happen and no doubt grieving the only life he's known. Pray for God's perfect timing and placement of him prior to our travel (all foster children are moved back into the orphanage prior to travel (AA was), but we have a very unique situation that is available to us).  Pray for Abigail and Audrey An-I have a feeling AA's little world is about to be rocked! God is faithful and will provide all these answers.

It's not about us- it's about what God wants to do through us. I'm perplexed why He chooses the way He chooses to work, but it sure is cool to see Him work!  Again, that is an entire other blog post (or two, or three...).  I'm expecting God to continue to show up in amazing ways. Habakkuk 1:5 states, "Look at the nations and watch-- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.


Ahhhh, who would've thought acronyms could make me so happy...

REJOICING!!!!

Handsome little fella, isn't he?!

All I Want for Christmas...

On Saturday, David, the girls and I celebrated our family Christmas.  Yes, it's a bit early, but we had to grab what day we could since the girls had their Festival of Carols Christmas program last night (which Miracle #2 didn't get to participate in because she was sportin' 101 fever...uggh!), hubby traveling, Miracle #1 having exams this week, and then we'll all be flying the friendly skies a bit, too!

It truly was one of the best Christmas' we've had!  We took our time and really enjoyed the day together, and made a very concerted effort to slow.down.and.remember.the.Reason.for.the.Season.  It was fabulous!  Let me share in pics...

The day started out with the girls opening their stockings and then having brunch.  Who doesn't want a smiley face made out of sausage, eggs and monkey bread!?!

We all got scarves.  A sweet girl from Audrey An's GA (Girls In Action) class at church made these scarves with her mom to raise money in order to provide clean water for people in Tanzania.

We stopped and David read the Christmas story out of Luke 2 (btw...this manger scene is FROM Bethlehem! David's dad traveled to Isreal a few years ago and brought it back for us).  We had such a wonderful time reading, praying, and asking questions about the birth of Jesus and all the details in which we wonder.  Great conversations!  Wow...it hits a little closer to home now that Abigail is almost a teenager and knowing that Mary, the mother of the Creator of the Universe was probably not too much older than my own daughter.  Ok, like we really have some interesting conversations now! Every time we read The Story (and watch The Nativity Story) some new thought will pop into my mind about my Savior's miraculous birth.  This year was the thought of how ridiculed Mary & Joseph must have been in their village prior to Jesus' birth.  What a man of integrity Joseph was and what a strong woman of character Mary was.  How incredible to be chosen by God to be Jesus Christ's earthly parents.  It was great, too, when Audrey An heard David reading Luke 2:11-12, she shouted, "Oh, I know that one!  That was my bible verse at school this week!" (then quoted it...yay, Audrey An!).

Then...we opened a few gifts.  Daddy's girls KNOW what he likes..."holiday heat"- TEN different HOT salsas!!

PRICELESS expression and such gratitude- a "dreamlight" was #1 on her list!

The girls know what mommy likes...lotions and potions, candles and chocolate!

Bulletin boards David and I made for Abigail's "new" room (she'll be giving up her room for ADB and moving down to our "now" guest room).  She loves chevron!  They turned out pretty cute...a little stressful just cutting out the fabric for me-lol!!

My sweets!  Can't wait to have a third "sweet" under that tree next year!

Then we stopped and watched "The Nativity Story" movie...an annual tradition! After that we started a new tradition.  I had told the everyone a few weeks ago when we open our gifts we were going to be giving Jesus a gift.  They've had some time to think about it.  It was not to be a tangible gift but a letter to Jesus or just a single word or phrase that would be significant and they would focus on giving to Jesus this coming year.  We all wrote down our "gift" and placed it in this beautiful box.  We prayed and asked God to help us honor Him with our gifts.  It will be neat to open the box year after year and have each person remember what their gift was the previous year.

Then we opened some more gifts...Guess what was on Miracle #1's list this year?

and a very close second for Miracle #2 as well!

AND she wanted leg warmers...yuck!!  But, oh well...she got MINE frpm the 1980's!!

Then...we stopped and made some sugar cookies- one of David's mom's special recipes.  David really enjoys baking and cooking (and he's really great at it!).  It's neat for the girls to remember their "Meggy"  (although Audrey An never met her) with their daddy's memories of all the special things she did during the holidays.

We topped off the night with all of us sleeping in the living room together.  We fell asleep watching movies (accompanied by Audrey An's "dream light!")-  Perfect day! 

Sunday morning and the girls are stylin' with their new duds.

We were so full from our Saturday brunch we didn't even make our special Christmas dinner.  We waited until Sunday lunch...It was tasty!  David did steaks, and I made the girls and my favorite "strawberry pretzel salad" (mom, it wasn't quite as "explosive" as last year...lol- inside joke!), roasted potatoes and brussel sprouts.

Abigail took this...love it!

Last weekend both girls were in our church's "Gloria" performance- wonderful production of our Savior's birth. It was their first time to be a part of it, and they were so thrilled!

Abigail is right in the center.

 

Our little Christmas box.

 

Audrey An as one of the king's attendants...  Although I don't think I got a close up picture of all the king's attendants, I thought it was pretty cool they were "red and yellow, black and white"  They WERE precious in His sight.  I'm so thankful the girls had the privilege of participating in the performance.  Hopefully, they got a better glimpse of the meaning of Christmas by BEING a part of it.

Backstage...sweet friend, Lindsey, being a sassy angel with Abs- oops, is that legal??? Sure!  I think God was smiling on two angels having a good time ;-)

Luke 2:11-12 "The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Merry Christmas!

 David, Christa, Abigail & Audrey An

Turkey Day

Since David, the girls and I  had our family Christmas this weekend I decided to post Thanksgiving before I posted Christmas or all my ducks would NOT be in a row!

As you can see from the pictures the girls and I were without daddy-o this year at Thanksgiving due to his work schedule.  Grateful he has a job but sad when he has to miss special family times...someone's gotta pay the bills and for our adoption!  Thankful for all his hard work and extra flights he's picking up to provide for us.  I love you, David!

Fun times getting to attend my oldest nephew, Steven's, basketball game...Go Cowboys!

Got to have a mini-reunion with my oldest cousin, Steven, while at nephew Steven's game (along with sis and nephew Jonathan).  Cousin Steve is the principal at the high school where nephew Steven was playing....GREAT seeing him.  It had been way too long!

The girls love Steven and J-man's dog, Bella!

Thankful Nini could celebrate with us!  She look pretty great for 95!!!

Nini and Abigail...about 83 years in between them.

Nana and Audrey An

Steven, Debs, Jonathan and Mark

 This pic CRACKED me up!  Everyone was on a screen (even Steven in the mirror...noticed that after i took the picture!).

Nana & Papa D with all the grands...for now!

We missed our man/daddy!!!

Another "normal" CPK this week...THANKFUL where God has brought me this year-wow!  Still waiting on our LOA for ADB.  We are REALLY praying we will see it come this week!  That's really all I want for Christmas ;-) 

When we arrived backed home, David had pulled out the Christmas tree and put up all the lights in the house...yay, David!!!  We decorated the tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving and then went for mexican food...our tradition!

 

Fall fun, back to training and hard places...

Yes! We got word on Thursday that there's been some movement in our LOA process- we are OOT (Out Of Translation)! Now, we are in "review"- woo hoo! One. Step. Closer.

Thanks to those of you who prayed for us last weekend during our adoption seminar. David and I were so grateful to be a part of the training, and it was such good information for us. If you followed along our first adoption you know we had a difficult experience with that agency. This time we switched agencies, and it has been SO different- such a blessing!!! Yes, The Lord used agency #1 to bring us our daughter (blessing!) and ultimately our son (blessing!) because of being the foster sibling of Audrey An, but our experience with agency #2 has been absolutely wonderful. I actually was corrected last weekend at the seminar by one of the directors stating they weren't an adoption agency. He proceeded to explain, and David wholeheartedly agree- they are a ministry trying to present the love of Jesus Christ to people. Adoption is just aprt of what they do.  The have many facets to their ministry and one being is education and support.  I've told so many people they truly have the heart of ministry not business. Yes, I'm ALL about a well-oiled machine, but ministries who lose their "heart" for Christ are...ummm, a bit too "squeaky" if you know what I mean.

The biggest blessing from the weekend for me personally is that I've seen Audrey An through different eyes this week, and quite frankly I've needed that. I was reminded through the training (based on training and book from Dr. Karyn Purvis- www.empoweredtoconnect.org and required reading, The Connected Child) that parenting a child from "hard places" (orphanage, foster care, abuse, etc ) IS different. There are so many factors that go into a child's development- including the stress of birth mom.  These kiddoes we bring into our homes have been in HARD PLACES.  They are being adopted because of this.  They have been abandoned because birth parents were in HARD PLACES.  Some have laid on their backs for years on a wooden board/crib and stared at the ceiling for hours upon hours and are cross-eyed.  Their food is sometimes shoveled into their mouths because a nanny has so many children to feed.  Their cry is unheard.  Their needs are not met.  They are not loved on and nurtured like our bio kids.  We are making up for years of lost time. But isn't that the beauty of earthly adoption...an exact picture of my heavenly adoption!  My very gracious God and Creator of the entire universe rescued me from my HARD PLACES...eternal separation from Jesus Christ because of my own sin. Wow...

Psalm 68:5-6 " Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
    this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
⁶ God places the lonely in families;
    he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land."

Psalm 10:17-18 "Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.
    Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
¹⁸ You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
    so mere people can no longer terrify them."
 
 John 3:16 “For God so loved the world^, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

 I sooooo forget Audrey An's hard places because only by the grace of God she transitioned so well into our family, but the issues we DO have make more sense now. I know WHY we are having the issues.  I truly would like to say I've parented my girls differently but, no, for the most part I really haven't. That will be changing. That is changing already. That will really be changing once we get ADB, too. Not just because he's a boy. Not just because he's twice the age as when we brought AA into our family. Yes, those are both HUGE factors, but most of all, David and I have such a better grasp on what it really means to parent a child from "hard places" (as she terms it). I feel like David saw and understood a part of my heart over the weekend in regards to my "retired" teaching career that he's really not understood before. With what he (both of us) heard in the training I was able to explain why it's been so hard for me to not be as engaged with some of my parenting. Not exactly earth shattering but enough for me to make some changes and hubby to understand wifey better :-)

All that to say, God makes up for our weaknesses in our parenting. Man, I have PLENTY- He's kinda having to work overtime for me!

Ok, so onto some of the "fun"... Here are a few pics from the week. Abigail's band concert, AA's "Grandparent Day" program, and them reading special letters from Nana and Papa D on the way to school since they couldn't be here for Grandparents Day.

HAPPY birthday, ADB!!

So...just warning ya- I'm feeling...umm...sentimental.  No, that's not the word.  I'm feeling...well, not sure how to describe it!   My boy's birthday is Thursday, and we're not there to celebrate with him.  We've not been there the past 9 years to celebrate with him- kinda breaking my heart.  Okay, I found the word...WEEPY!  I'm weepy!  Not knowing if he's received his birthday care package is killing me.  Oh , how I've prayed that'd receive JOY from opening something that is HIS...ALL HIS.  Praying that is is not causing pain and heartache when he reads our letters- but anticipation and love.  Praying for his entire foster family with this transition.  Praying when the see our pictures of Audrey An, of all us, of ADB with Audrey An from 4 years ago they'll rejoice knowing that he'll be with his forever family soon!  Like I've said to many in the last few months- God just keeps reminding me to think of the long term blessings for him and not the short(er) term pain he may feel (and most assuredly will to some extent).  I said it in my last post, but I'll say it again.  God can only know what he truly needs and will be the One to provide way better tha n I ever could/can.

Birthdays are a time to celebrate, but when you have expereinced(ing) international adoptions there's an entire set of other emotions as well.  One ponders question/thoughts like (well, I do...)
1.  This mostly likely is not his actual birthday.  For many this is an abandonment day- and that day was "given, chosen or guessed" as their birthday.

2.  What were the circumstances of that day?

3. Where did this take place?

4.  What were the thoughts/feelings of the birth parents?   and the list goes on....

We are piecing together the ever so complicated puzzle and it's just hard.  No way around it.  Plain hard.  The circumstances of abandoned orphans is just plain. hard. reality. but I'm REJOICING in his birth!  I'm REJOICING that his birth mother chose life for him!  I'm REJOICING that he (and AA) have been cared for and loved by many until we can get them home!  I'm REJOICING that some very detailed prayers of mine are being answered (and I'll be able to share later)!  I'm REJOICING in God's providence that so many families are answering the call to bring orphans into their homes and see God's redemptive work through the miracle of adoption!  I'm REJOICING for two new friends who we already are sharing laughter, tears, and prayers together because of the journeys and timelines we're on together with our same agency...how cool is that!

Please pray specifically on his birthday day:
1.  His package arrives (or it would be totally ok if it's already been delivered to him!) for his special day!

2.  JOY and LOVE felt as he opens it!

3.  Warmth for him and his foster family (no heat in their home).

4.  Vitamins to be delivered (another cool God story to be shared later!) and he's taking them daily.

5.  That we'll see some movement towards our LOA (got word our dossier is only "registered" as LID- not being reviewed or translated quite yet...ugh). BUT God can move mountains and I'm asking boldly that happens on his special day. THAT would be a great birthday present of ALL of us!)

6.  ok, one for me!!!  David and I will be attending an aoption seminar hosted by our agency this weekend, and I'm really excited.  Please pray that it would be a special time for the two of us, we'd meet/click with other couples from our agency, and that it would be a time of spiritual renewal/calling as well as great informational gathering for both of us.


I'm writing this post before his birthday "here" because technically it's his birthday "there", and I'm expecting God to answer on China time!!!

Yes, I know, I know. I've not posted a photo of our sweet little guy yet.  Forgive!!  Aren't those some sweet hands though (I know you've seen them before)!?  I want that LOA in my hand before I start plastering his sweet smile all over the place.  Yes, call me weird.  I'm rine with that :-)

So, can you imagine those little hands pulling up these covers?  I can!!  hopefully this will be arriving this week- how fun is that!!!  Let the nesting begin!  Aunt Stina, I need your decorating expertise, girl!!  I sanded his new (to us) dresser today.  It's just waiting on some paint.  My elbow grease kinda went "bye bye" for a bit.  I'll have to finish that up later next week.  Oh my....he's not going to know what to do with himself with a queen size bed!!!  

Oh...and if you are an email subscriber, my apologies if you're receiving this twice.  Something FUNKY is going on with my blog!  It sent out a post again this morning from January and I ended up having to retype THIS one....gotta love technology!

Our week

Mommy/daughter GA (Girls In Action) brunch...two alumnae in this pic!

Celebrated two spiritual birthdays this week...Abigail on Thursday and Audrey An on Friday- THANKFUL for a "7" and a "3" year old respectively!  You would have thought a million dollars had been delivered to their school as a surprise!  Let me just say...I was a tad short ;-)

Abigail was inducted into the Jr. Beta Club.  I'm so proud of not only her hard work academically but most of that others see leadership and Christian character and growth in her.

I received an email Wednesday that ADB's birthday care package arrived at the orphanage. I'm not sure if they immediately drove it out to his foster home (which is an 1-1.5 hours away) or it's being held for awhile- I wish I knew! Either way the realization for him of what is about to transpire is becoming very real, and I cannot stop praying for his little heart. I just know and I'm trusting the Lord is guarding, protecting and preparing it far better in ways than I ever could. In some ways I feel so helpless, but more ways I feel confident. Confident that my God is way smarter than I. It's unreal to think about the amount of people God has placed in his/our path to make this happen already and we've not officially met him- friends (here and overseas who helped me translate), family, church members, Moms In Prayer warriors, adoption agency workers (stateside and China), state government workers (from 3 states), embassy workers, FBI, Chinese government, foster home parents and siblings, medical doctors and teachers (here and there), fed ex workers, courriers, liaisons from new foster home...and this list goes on! Wow. He has no idea...yet. Someday he will. It's been interesting for me to explain the process to Audrey An. I think it's a bit over her head (of course!), but she knows momma has basically had a full time job with paperwork trying to get him (and her) home. She sees how much we are praying for ADB...that's got to reassure her in regards to her OWN adoption story.