Article 5/waiting for TA (travel approval) and more Godwinks!

Slacking again, BUT I have an excuse! Nesting!!  Painting till all hours of the night, up early before church to finish painting Mason's room, finished painting Michael's room!  Need to gather a few things for his shelves, but overall it is complete...I'll post a picture when it's done. (now to repack his bag!! Again??!!)

I had been waiting to chat with my friend from Wuhan and he sent me an email...he has been out of town, and will be trying to reach his friend at the US Consulate in Guangzhou, just to see if she can help in any way...His baby boy, Sydney was born...MARCH 21ST!! MY BIRTHDAY!!  Okay I know babies are born everyday, but it was really neat that he was born on that day...Another amazing thing, hold on to your seat!  I received a voice mail a couple of weeks ago from our LPA District President's wife. She is the President of the Central Florida chapter (I am North Florida chapter President.)  She had received an email from a genetic counselor regarding a new family with a 4 month old baby with Achondroplasia. The family is having a difficult time accepting their child...they haven't told the father's family yet....THEY ARE CHINESE!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!! What are the chances of that coincidence??? Again, this is a Godwink...I know they are in a state of shock and grieving for what they thought was a "healthy baby"...BUT I also know that their child can and will do many wonderful things if given the chance to show them!! The counselor stated that they wanted to have a long term family counselor involved and that they wanted to see other children like their son. I pray that them meeting Morgan and Michael will set their mind at ease....I know Mason would love to talk to them as well..I do not know when we will have the opportunity to speak with this family or meet them, but I pray it will happen at some point.  I am so grateful AGAIN that God gave us Morgan and that we are also being given Michael! I am thrilled that He can use us to help this family, prayerfully come to a place of peace.  I also have contacted a friend who lives in their area, and she is hoping to get her pediatrician involved with the baby's care, and she also has LOTS of Chinese friends that can help as well...This family doesn't know it right now, but this baby is a huge blessing!!! If it were not for us having Morgan, I am quite sure we would not be awaiting travel approval from China to bring home Michael, we would not have stepped out of our comfort zone...have I mentioned I am grateful??!! He has provided me with so much strength through all these years and has helped me grow in my faith and I am humbled to have been given these FOUR precious gifts from Him. I love all my children to pieces and so am blown away seeing each one of them doing their very own "special" things.

Our Article 5 was picked up on 5/16 so now we are in the waiting phase for our TA (travel approval). We were hoping to receive our TA last week, and then we was hoping to receive it Tuesday, then Wednesday now today, Thursday...it's not here!!!! Trying not to go "looney tunes", but it is a challenge! We are so close, but each day feels like 100...I know it is coming, I am just anxious to meet and hug our new "baby" boy!! I am so looking forward to doing little things with him...We just started reading at night with the younger boys again...it had fallen by the wayside with life being busy with the end of the school year, sports etc...It is a special bonding time, and I love it!!  I read the "Hungry Caterpillar" for the first time in a VERY LONG TIME, the other night and it was awesome!! Maddox by-passed so many things early in his life trying to keep up with his older brothers...gave up Elmo at about 18mos-2 years old!! I was in shock and devastated!!  He is definitely the youngest, wise beyond his years.  Hoping we can implement some old things from when they were younger so Michael can have some of the memories too when he is older...Not to worry, I'm not turning him into a BABY, BUT there are things that may be done that seem "strange" to those outside of the adoption world...We will do what we feel is right to encourage bonding and attachment to each one of us. My ideas at this point may be way off, or they might be on target...I will learn a lot while in China with Michael and Mason, but will learn much more once we are home...it is about learning and listening to either words, expressions or body language...words can not explain the anticipation of our "Gotcha Day!!" BRING IT ON!!!

Thanks for continued prayers in our journey!! We are almost there!!!

Care package and almost a new last name...(he wears it well!)

My last post told of how I received the updated pictures of our precious child who lives on almost the exact opposite side of the world (we are at 30.3319° N, 81.6558° W -  Michael is at 30.5725° N, 114.2792° E - if you look at a globe you can really see it!), amongst other things. I also mentioned that we sent a package, last Tuesday to be exact...As I was on a field trip with Mason today to the Jekyll Island Sea Turtle Center, my phone vibrated telling me I had a new email. I couldn't download anything at the moment, but did see that it was from my agency with the subject title, "another update!"  I couldn't wait to get on the bus so I could see the rest of the information.  Within about 10 minutes we were able to board the bus, and then I waited with anticipation for the download. I had no idea what the info was...did they answer some more of my many questions?? What makes him happy? What makes him sad? What is the best way to comfort him? What are his favorite subjects? What kind of math is he doing? Measurements? Shoe size?  None of the answers were listed but we did receive this message...
Message from orphanage on 5/8/2012:

The child received the care package and was very excited.

AND THESE PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So when I downloaded the first picture, I gasped, and then let out an, "Oh my gosh!!" Teachers, parents and students all were concerned! I explained it was GOOD!  Mason's teacher knew it had to be about Michael.  She is precious and was so excited to share in my joy! I called Mason over, while a girl in his class said, "Mason, come here, your mom is having a moment!" I must have a reputation since she really doesn't even know me! Anyway, he was so excited and said, "Oh my gosh! WOW!"

Really when I saw the first picture, I saw his smoochable little face, then as I was staring at the bag he was holding, it HIT ME!! IT WAS OUR PACKAGE!!!...I was a little bit slow on that, but it was a priceless moment. The best part is that I had been saying, to myself, and maybe I told God too, "I would love to see his face when he gets the package!" So I did get to see it in pictures, and I got to see him as he saw us for the first time!  God is so good! Look at him! He looks like it is Christmas morning!! His little hand on that football (which fits perfectly!) and the RAYS shirt, that I KNEW was the right size for him. (They had him put on both outfits!!) I have a lot of clothes here already since I still have a bunch of Morgan's. (Michael is about 4" shorter and 10lbs. less) I started packing the other day, and decided I will unpack, half of it, and get him some things over there. I don't know how he has been experiencing life, but I want to take him to get his very own things!  I did get him a new backpack at Target to bring with me, so he can have it for his things, and it will be great for school too, not too big. It's very similar to the ones that Morgan and Maddox had last year.

I love the picture of him holding our photo album with the picture of us, and the picture of the boys with his birthday cake!! I posted about how they have elaborate cakes, but mine was NOT!  Apparently it does not matter! 

I am at such peace! I am not worried. I know it is all good! I know he is ready. I know he is willing. We may have some bumps in the road, but I am not worried.  I am getting ready to sign him up for soccer in the fall!!! I've contacted the school about next school year. Almost not really done with the upstairs and reorganizing not really closets and rooms. The carpets are clean, the downstairs blinds are clean, I will get to the upstairs next week, the outside of the house is being washed as I write, and the windows will be done on Friday. All painting will be complete within 2 weeks (by me of course, it's a sickness, I'm afraid...there is nothing like fresh paint!!)

All I need now is the Article 5 picked up next Wed. and then my agency to send me all my China papers, (our Visas to come back, which should be next week) and China to send my TA to my agency so I can make my flight arrangements. PLEASE PRAY FOR A TUESDAY CONSULATE DATE SO I CAN LEAVE THERE BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!! I emailed a travel agent today to start trying to find a tentative route of travel. So far he gave me flight prices of $2600 per ticket!! IF I TRAVEL ANY TIME IN JULY IT WILL GO UP ANOTHER $300 EACH AT LEAST!!!! MICHAEL'S IS THE SAME IF NOT MORE THAN MINE!!! There are at least 3-4 flights to get me to Wuhan, then one flight to Guangzhou, the 3-4 flights home. I feel the flight will be my biggest challenge (for me), since I do not like to fly AT ALL, and my knees ache to the ends of the earth and my back issues kick in...BUT, I am not worried, since I will bring the ibuprofen and I should be set...

Seriously!! HOW CUTE IS HE????  I CAN'T STAND IT!!! I sent an email to our Orthopedic physician in town last night and shared the news. I love this man to pieces! He is so wonderful, so caring, one of a kind.  He responded with a congratulations and he looks forward to meeting him at our LPA meetings and hopefully knowing him as a friend, NOT as his doctor. We are praying that he will not need any surgeries on his little legs. They are not as straight as FEI FEI'S and ZOE'S and TEDDY'S,...we will see and we know God will take care of him (and us)!

John 15:5 -  I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

What can I say? Look at what God is doing with us!! He gets all the praise since we know that we could not do this without HIM! I am so thankful!

So much, it's ALL GOOD JUST LIKE GOD!!

So I withdrew last night because I have so much to write and now have to back track...I wish sometimes I would just GET THINGS DONE!!! (Matt, you need to post my paper in the closet again..."Start something with the end in sight!)  I have a habit of jumping out of the frying pan into the fire because sometimes I just think a little bit too much...So here goes trying to sum up the last month! I will probably have the timing of events out of order, but that is my life, things get out of order, moment by moment, BUT I TRY to always have my eye on God, therefore the order really is right!! RIGHT??

Random thoughts, I have grown so much in the past 9 years since moving to this house, our home, we built to raise our family.  At times, many times it is overwhelming to me how God has worked so significantly in our lives, every i dotted and every t crossed, if we look closely, sometimes it hits like a ton of bricks, other times you have to really pay attention, but He is there, in every moment, every breath.

Okay, here I go again! The I-800 provisional approval...NOW that along with a few other papers (Article 5) are being dropped off at the Consulate in Guangzhou TODAY! It is a 2 week turn around, so the pick up date will be the 16th. Once it gets picked up then we begin our wait for TA (travel approval) and that can be from 2-5 weeks. PLEASE PRAY WITH US FOR 2 OR LESS!!! I know, I know it is God's time, and I am reminded again in -
Matthew 18:20 -

 ^"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Bring on the praying!!
I sent away for our Visas yesterday, Mason and mine. Finally! I also, FINALLY sent Michael's package to him!! Of course, I over analyzed what to send. I had waited SO LONG to get the approval to send a package, I wasn't even prepared...I looked over the list of items that were suggested to send to older children...school supplies was on the list, so I sent colored pencils, regular pencils, a pencil sharpener, crayons, a drawing pad, primary lined paper with examples of English letters (maybe he will practice writing his English letters, one can only hope!!). I also sent 2 pairs of athletic shorts, a soccer shirt, and a (Tampa Bay) RAYS t-shirt, get it RAYS???!! It couldn't be a complete package without a matchbox Aston Marten car, a foam football, and A LEGO SET! But, my very favorite item was the little 4x6 photo album, a little picture of him I put on the front insert with about 40 or so pictures of our family, home, extended family and neighborhood.
I already had the box all put together when I received updated pictures of Michael...God was winking/blinking so much that He could barely keep His eyes open when I opened up the email to see the photos!!
This is one of the photos!! I could just take a bite out of him!! This may not mean much to you, but maybe it will when I continue this story...

So upon opening the photo attachment and seeing this picture, you can imagine what happened!! Why, tears of course!! This is a vision I have had of him for over a year...do you know why???
Brief interruption:

Luke 19:1-10 - Story of Zacchaeus

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Because of this!!This is one of the pictures I had placed in his photo album BEFORE I SAW HIS PHOTO!!!WHAT, YOU ASK?? Now, I do not take as many pictures of my boys as I did when they were younger, although I think I might take more than some. I don't have the best camera in the world, just a little Sony Cybershot with a Carl Zeiss lens, 16.2 megapixel, BUT it does the trick...So out of all the pictures of my boys I put this one in and received one of Michael doing the same thing!!!Do you know how many days I have watched my kids in the backyard playing in the tree or on the playhouse or in the pool and have seen that precious little face amongst the 3 of them?? Too many to count!! I am still amazed at where we have come in the past year...at this time last year, my husband and I were in different places, polar opposites..he had said no, we had been down this road with Micah and we were not doing this...I cried many tears, privately, and prayed many, many prayers, and had 4 people praying with me from a distance...WOW, have I mentioned that GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!! I mean really???!!! So many God winks along the way, I will have to back track on another post and look and write about the miracles that have taken place, some subtle, some not so much!
1Samuel 1: 27-28 - Hannah said "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.  So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
And I said "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord."
I can not wait to share with Michael about our Lord and Savior  Remember, we have our friend Xin, from Wuhan who will be able to help us, as well as my friend Lauren's daughter, Betty. I look forward to him learning about Jesus and really knowing Him!! I am so grateful that we get to share this with him!!
Another note about some other incredible things that have transpired!  There is an "adoption committee" with LPA (Little People of America) and they have a blog that has children listed that are available for adoption. (you can click on it on the side of this page.)
One boy in particular has weighed SO HEAVILY on my heart, "Teddy." Birth date is listed as 10/98. (I honestly think he is no more than 12 years old.) What does that mean??  It means that he turns 14 this year, and will no longer be eligible to be adopted, no longer have hope of a family coming to bring him home, and truthfully he would have NO FUTURE!! No longer have the opportunity to hear about Jesus and what He did for all of us!!! I checked the blog Sunday night, and to my amazement GOD PROVIDED A FAMILY FOR THIS BOY!!! As I looked at the pictures of the few children that now have families, I sobbed. I thanked God over and over for His promise!
John 14:18 - "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
His time, His way. I had cried countless tears over this child, sent posts advocating for him, pleading for someone to come forward (I wasn't the only one), and someone did! At this point I do not know who they are, but I can not wait to "meet" them!! There was another little boy, younger, that I had looked at, possibly for our family, before I received the email back in September that Michael was going to be listed again...this little boy has a family too!  I am so thankful!! While being thankful, I also saw that although these children's families have found them, there are new children listed. Please join me in prayer for these precious children of God...
Another life changing event occurred  for one of my friends on April 13th...My precious friend, Carol's husband Andrew died suddenly. As sad as it is, the memorial was out of this world and so full of praise for Jesus!!  Several people spoke of Andrew, including his parents. His mother, thanked God for allowing her to be his mother. She told the story of how, while she was pregnant with Andrew, how they decided on his name. During a Bible study they were talking about Andrew...
John 1:41
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).
Andrew was excited to share about Jesus. He was a Godly man, of great faith and will be truly missed by so many. He walked the walk and talked the talk. We should all walk and talk that way, which brings me to another story.
I do not chime in on websites often, if ever. There is a China adoption site that I lurk on to gather information. It's interesting to read what people can write, when they write anonymously...A post about "growth hormones" caught my attention. I read a parent asking about them, and there were MANY responses. There were some that said "5'8" for a man is short," "unacceptable height," one said her husband would do it for their child, blah, blah, blah. It went on and on, some did pose questions why a doctor would do it just based on making a child taller, and not because they weren't producing the growth hormone...there are reasons to do it, I couldn't sit by and read anymore, so I responded. I shared we have 3 boys, middle one has Achondroplasia, adopting another..."growth hormones won't work for him, but even if they did, he wouldn't want them, because we (he) know he was made this way for God's purpose." (we have actually talked about this recently because I was approached by a physician about a new study - Morgan said, "No, I like being small. It's not a hormone issue anyway)  I wondered if mentioning God was allowed, although I really didn't care, I won't deny Him. So within a couple of hours of posting, I received an email from the moderator!!  Guess what, "religious reference removed." Whatever!  So I suppose I got my hand slapped and got censored!!  BUT, one of my friends had copied and pasted my writing, and responded to it...my God reference was NOT removed from that post!! (I'm sure they haven't figured that out yet).
Back to my update...So I received about 10 pictures, and I had also asked some questions. My case worker was quite sure that they wouldn't all be answered, and I thought that as well, but better ask and not be answered than not to ask at all!! So the update included a couple of measurements, and pictures of him being measured. I think it was his foster mother measuring him but I couldn't see her face. The has not had ear infections, he eyes are "normal, " he has not been sick recently. He got 99% on last semester math exam!! He does not have English class in school, but has English speech lessons for one hour every Saturday morning. YAHOO!!! Now, that doesn't mean that he will be fluent, and I do not know how long this has been going on, but it doesn't matter!! I was so thrilled to read that!!
The last line on the sheet was "We have told him that he is going to be adopted." That did it for me! So now he knows, and will be receiving our package within a week or so!! I am a little bit sorry that his birthday cake picture that we had looks NOTHING LIKE THE ONE HE HAD IN CHINA!!  They do very elaborate cakes!  I DO NOT!! When I said I have grown so much since moving into this house, it is so true.  I USED to think everything had to be PERFECT( and nothing can be!!)! It was a running joke!  We even had friends 20 years ago that if they showed up unannounced (YIKES!!) and I didn't have perfect vacuum lines in my carpet, I might have a "come apart!!" (Matt will laugh his head off upon reading that last sentence!!)  He knows those days are FAR GONE!!! When we moved in here, I swiffered the wood floors every other SECOND!  Okay, not that bad, but A LOT! Now my house is somewhat neat and tidy but it is not perfect, by any stretch, it is our home and we live our life here.
There are imperfections everywhere, but God's love and grace is perfect and sufficient for us and for anyone else that wants it!!!
Hope you enjoyed my randomness, thanks for continued prayers!!

I-800 Approval, garage sale etc!!!

The United States has officially said "WE CAN ADOPT WU, XUEFA AND HE WILL OFFICALLY BE A UNITED STATES CITIZEN UPON FIRST LANDING!" I suppose I will be an emotional wreck when our first flight touches down in the states.  I have many prayers over my tears being shed with him. I do not want to scare him since I have NO IDEA what emotions he has seen in his foster family. I love you, is not something that is often said, if ever said in China, from what I have been told.  On one sheet I have read about his foster family, they HAVE shared I love yous, so I pray that transition will be easier...
The next step...I don't get it, honestly I read it, try to explain it, and I mix it all up...The approval has gone to the NVC (National Visa Center) to begin the process of getting Michael's visa for coming to the United States. Once the NVC receives it they will "cable/email" the file to the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China. This is approval of the visa petition. Then some more things happen, then papers meet up in Guangzhou, and eventually we will get out TA/Travel Approval!  This is what I am wanting to happen NOW! The sooner I get it, the sooner Mason and I can travel to Wuhan (where I understand it is VERY DIFFICULT TO BREATH DUE TO THE SMOG AND SMOKE!!) and scoot out of there and head to Guangzhou for Michael's medical exam and receive his visa!! Won't that be a happy day to get on the plane with him to start our new life as a family of 6?? It has been a long road to get to this point, but also quick at the same time...
Okay, we had our last garage sale...Drum roll please...$246! So the 3 sales together put over $500 in an envelope marked "Michael's medical exam"...I also rolled $98 worth of coins the other day...His exam has to be paid in cash, as do many other things...Thankfully, the Orphanage "Donation fee" and guide service can be wired to his orphanage so I won't have to have that almost $8000 strapped to my body for over 26 hours in travel time!!!  Everyone says it is okay and it is safe, but I hardly ever have $20 in my wallet unless I am going grocery shopping!

I have to come clean...I started this post some time ago...I am going to abandon ship now, and begin another one...stay tuned for more BREAKING NEWS!!! GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!!
Can you say Zacchaeus?