IT'S A BOY!!

heh heh..that never gets old.

I'm finding it completely frustrating that I can't post pictures of that sweet little boy just yet. He's cute, I'm telling ya! I know that once he's here, I'm going to have more photos than I will know what to do with. I'm happy about that prospect :)

GWCA sent out an email that they were offering concurrent adoptions to other countries. The one we were interested in before was Nepal. We already have it in our heads that we would adopt a little girl from there. So.. I just printed out an application. I know, I know, where WILL we get the money? The answer is: I don't have a clue. I don't. I do not have the money that is required but what I DO have is faith and an ear for the Lord's voice.

I had always thought I would be a missionary but I never expected it to be in this form! Tim and I would love to have our own children, but having the opportunity to reach our arms across the globe and around a child who might otherwise never hear the Good News..now that is amazing.

The time line, once we get started, is probably about a year, which means Chanz will have enough time to get settled in (as well as us!) before we bring home a little girl. The youngest they adopt their children out is around 12 months, which is baby enough for us!

Of course that whole adventure will be recorded right here, but for now, we're all about bringing Chanz home! Soon..very soon..we will be able to post pictures. You won't be disappointed!

A Poem

For My Adopted Flower

I wasn’t there the very second you were born
The hour
The month
The year
I didn’t witness the miracle of your first breath
First cry
First smile
First blink
I completely missed your first year
The days
The months
The seasons

Holidays slip from the calendar
Emptiness filling the half hours
Hauntingly beautifully tragically
Time grows you without an apology

Standing undone

Didn’t know how

Fragile, my son

Needing me now

Didn’t know you had been born so soon
Couldn’t know you were my rising moon
Distance is now not a friend to me
Waiting now your face is all I see

Not too long and you’ll be in my arms
Not much time you’ll be safe from harm
Keep you forever inside my love
You are my great quest my special one

The Timeline

Sunday, May 10, 2009- application to GWCA officially submitted

Monday, May 18, 2009-signed contract with GWCA

June
July  Homestudy
August
September
October
November
December
January
February  homestudy FINALLY finished

Wed 3/03/10 8:01 PM - Found Chanz in the archivesTue 3/09/10 10:08 AM - Notifed that Chanz was still available!
Wed 3/24/10 3:55 PM - Pre-Approval (PA) from CCAA

Passport to China

The short trip to Palestine was fun. The road we were traveling on was reminiscent of road trips past to the Guadalupe River. We talked about the different experiences we've had on those trips and laughed at some of the memories. Soon we arrived at the post office. We were surprised to find that we were the only ones there to apply for passports. Pleasantly surprised, as it didn't take us long to get the application process completed and over with. We paid the extra $120 to have them expedited so that we can get our part of this paperchase done as quickly as possible. We have an orphan to rescue! We left from the post office and headed toward Beijing China Buffet. Another pleasant surprise? They served sushi! We enjoyed the fun and toasted ourselves to getting one step closer to our child! We stopped by Walgreens on our way back, since Tim used to work there and wanted to say hello to the manager. I managed to grab a handful of toys for the child, and ended up leaving with a chocolate brown bunny.
We are home now and I am gathering and organizing our paperwork to see what is left. We must submit an I-800 which goes to CIS. This will take care of our FBI background check as well as secure the child's VISA. Our caseworker emailed me last night and said the finalized, approved homestudy would be in the mail today. As soon as I have it, we can proceed with our I-800. The very last step will be sending all our paperwork to Houston to be authenticated. I expect to have all of this finished by June, and to be on a plane to China by fall!

A Tiny Step Closer

I check my email daily, several times a day, just waiting for any little update about our little precious in China. Finally got an email today! It was written in Chinese but had the translation at the bottom:

Great Wall China Adoption,

The application of Timothy and Jamie for adoption of (little boy) that you submitted was received. It is hereby advised that with a review of the basic family situation and the Rehabilitation and Nurture Plan for the Child made by the family, the China Centre of Adoption Affairs agrees to handle and process the case as an adoption of a special-need child after the application file arrives

We were on our way to get our passports today when we realized the folder with all of our information was not with us, so we turned around. Then we decided we didn't feel like going anyway and would wait for Friday. We have to go about an hour away because the local post office is "by appointment only" and they are booked through the middle of April. We will have ours expedited so we can finish our final paperwork and move on!

Things have suddenly gone from a creepy call to a downhill roller coaster! Much like the Texas Giant at Six Flags. It's a slow click click click to the top then suddenly you're practically free-falling!

Homestudy Closure

Just got the message today that the final home study draft has been APPROVED!!!We can finally move on to our final steps!We are still waiting on our official approval letter from China to adopt Little Boy and it has been just almost 2 weeks, which is about what is to be expected. As soon as I get that I can finally show a picture!

I wish I knew how to change the stupid background