We have LOA

This is what I've been doing all afternoon! I knew the call would come at work and sure enough as I was scanning a patient I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and knew that someone had just left a message. I could barely contain my excitement, I knew it had to be the call because who else would call me in the middle of a work day!  So I made it through the exam and sure enough there was a message but I couldn't retrieve it because I was on the bottom floor of the hospital.  So I quickly found a computer and checked my email and  there was an email from my agency labeled LOA!

So what happens from here?   Well there are many steps but they will all happen fairly quickly and I will try and break them down.

1)  Tomorrow I will mail off our application to the US government to get official approved by the US side to adopt Hope.  This process will take 2-3 weeks.

2)The National Visa center will send us a letter to let us know that they have our file from the USCIS-2-3 weeks

3)US Consulate issues Article 5- 2 weeks

4) Article 5 picked up by agency and sent to Beijing

5) Article 5 delcivered to CCCWA

6)  Travel approval issued



After Travel approval is issued we can start making flight plans.   At this point it's still looking like we will travel in November but as you know we are never in control of any of this so it could be sooner and still could be later.  We trust that God has this under control and when he's ready for us to go we will go!

Another exciting announcement is that we can now request another update of our precious daughter and  we will soon have new pictures of her!


So I officially Introduce now to everyone

HOPE MUHONG GRACE

She will be two years old in December and is waiting for us in Hubei Province!

We are Matched!

I haven't posted in here yet since we still can't officially share details.   But what I can share is that on April 1st (yes April fools day) we got the call.  It was 5:00pm and Steve had just left to go pick up Chase and Conor from practice.  The phone rang and it was our social worker.  She had a file ready for us to review.  We talked for a little bit and I told her to hurry and send it and we would look at it and get back to her soon.  She warned me not to look at her pictures first but to review her medical information.  She said because she's the cutest little girl you've ever seen!  Curiosity got the better of me and I scrolled down to pictures and I was in Love!  Staring back at me was our daughter and I knew it the instant I laid eyes on her.  It didn't matter what the medical file said this was our daughter.  I had prayed several days before that to God to let us know when we see our daughter that she is really the one.   To give me some kind of clue that she is Hope.  The first one clue was her middle name which meant " Hope for a bright future"  This went along with scripture that has been close to my heart Jerimiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you" Declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".

The second sign was something amazing that brought me to my knees.  In October 2013 I thought it would be fun if we all guess as to when we thought our daughters Birthday would be.  Everyone in the family made a guess and I stored it away on my phone to open at a later time.  Remember at this time we had no idea who Hope was.  So last week I decided to open it and see who guessed the closest.  To my amazement I had guessed her Birthday exactly!  God is Good!   What more confirmation do I need than this! 

So very soon I hope to share her pictures with you all!  Stay tuned!