I recieved an e-mail form our agency yesterday that our dossier (all the papaerwork for our adoption) would be off to be translated and then on to China today. We hope to be logged in (LID) to the China Center for Adoption Affairs very soon. That will actually begin our wait to travel. We are so thankful to be one step closer to having Jinny home.
With all the heartbreaking news right now, this has been a ray of sunshine. We continue to pray for the people of China and the Steven Curtis Chapman family. I can't put to words how much I grieve for all of them. I know only the Father's love and mercy can truly comfort during seasons of such pain.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
I-171H!!!!
We finally got that little piece of paper that everything revolves around yesterday! I had asked my Father for that approval for Mother's Day and little did I know it was on it's way. When I looked at the date we were approved (passed all the FBI backgroung checks), I noticed it was the exact same day as Isaiah's-- May 8th. I keep seeing God's little kisses to me in all these things, just to let me know He's in control and has His perfect timing. I loved Isaiah's reaction when I came running in the house waving the paper saying "we got it!". He started jumping up and down yelling "Yes! Yes! FINALLY, now we can go get Jinny!" I had to burst his bubble a little and tell him it would still be a while longer, but he said, "that's okay, we'll still have her really soon." I love his joy and the life he brings to our home! Needless to say, it has been a mad dash to get this one last piece of paperwork certified in Austin and authenticated in Houston so we can send it to CHI and on to China. We hope to have all of this done by Friday and our completed dossier to China at the first of next week! Then we begin our wait for travel...hopefully 3-5 months, but less would be great--a miracle, but great.
We did hear that Jinny and her area of China is fine, but the devastation in the areas hardest hit by the earthquake is heartwrenching. Half the Sky (www.halfthesky.org) is a great place to keep updated and give to help those hardest hit. We also heard form Jin's orphanage that she got the pillow with our family picture and some candy we sent. They said she was sooo excited to get a gift from us. I just sat and cried when I read it, knowing she was seeing us for the first time and wondering what she was thinking. We are plannning on sending her a family album and some clothes next time. I can't tell you what a blessing it has been to keep in contact with the orphanage and to know they are doing such a great job preparing her.
The rest of the Chisum household is doing great. We're ready for the summer and some down time, if there is any such thing. I'm hoping to have some time to get the kids rooms in order and ready for Jinny. She'll be here before we know it!
We did hear that Jinny and her area of China is fine, but the devastation in the areas hardest hit by the earthquake is heartwrenching. Half the Sky (www.halfthesky.org) is a great place to keep updated and give to help those hardest hit. We also heard form Jin's orphanage that she got the pillow with our family picture and some candy we sent. They said she was sooo excited to get a gift from us. I just sat and cried when I read it, knowing she was seeing us for the first time and wondering what she was thinking. We are plannning on sending her a family album and some clothes next time. I can't tell you what a blessing it has been to keep in contact with the orphanage and to know they are doing such a great job preparing her.
The rest of the Chisum household is doing great. We're ready for the summer and some down time, if there is any such thing. I'm hoping to have some time to get the kids rooms in order and ready for Jinny. She'll be here before we know it!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
About Emma
We got updates from the orphanage yesterday about Emma. It's such a blessing to have this glimpse into who she is and at the same time it intensifies the longing to know her and have her home. They call her MingMing and say that she is very brave and that nothing frightens her. I can't help but thinking how many times she's had to be brave going through sickness and surgeries alone. It hurts my mother's heart, but I know He's near to her even when I am not.
Blaming her makes her upset, but talking and playing settles her. If they tell her we are coming to get her, she gets very happy. Jin Ming is very close to her nanny and her roommates. One of her best friends is being adopted by a family we met through CHI and the other just had her file sent to the CCAA. We pray she finds her family soon and would love it if they were near us. We so want to keep the girls in contact with each other, if at all possible.
Emma loves bright colored things and loves fruit, but not veggies. She is said to be fairly extroverted and strong willed, so she, too, will definately fit in the Chisum household. They also sent us updated measurements. She is almost the exact same size as Isaiah! I'm seeing "twins" again. People always thought Brit and Blake were twins when they were that age. We are still waiting to hear if there are any specific needs of the orphanage and will share them with those of you who have asked when we hear.
We did hear that there wouldn't be any interuptions due to our agency's pending Hague status since our adoption is already in progress. That is definately an answer to pray and welcomed good news. We've also heard that adoption travel should procede throughout the Olympics, so we're still hoping for summer travel.
I just know I will be posting soon that we have our long awaited immigration approval and then we will finally have that dossier in China!
Blaming her makes her upset, but talking and playing settles her. If they tell her we are coming to get her, she gets very happy. Jin Ming is very close to her nanny and her roommates. One of her best friends is being adopted by a family we met through CHI and the other just had her file sent to the CCAA. We pray she finds her family soon and would love it if they were near us. We so want to keep the girls in contact with each other, if at all possible.
Emma loves bright colored things and loves fruit, but not veggies. She is said to be fairly extroverted and strong willed, so she, too, will definately fit in the Chisum household. They also sent us updated measurements. She is almost the exact same size as Isaiah! I'm seeing "twins" again. People always thought Brit and Blake were twins when they were that age. We are still waiting to hear if there are any specific needs of the orphanage and will share them with those of you who have asked when we hear.
We did hear that there wouldn't be any interuptions due to our agency's pending Hague status since our adoption is already in progress. That is definately an answer to pray and welcomed good news. We've also heard that adoption travel should procede throughout the Olympics, so we're still hoping for summer travel.
I just know I will be posting soon that we have our long awaited immigration approval and then we will finally have that dossier in China!
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