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!