Not July

Well, we heard back from our agency, and they didn't get the July date they requested from the consulate. So, we won't be traveling in July after all. They are going to request a date two weeks later. We will probably not know if we get this date until Friday. Then we'll have an idea of travel early next week (if it goes through). To say this has been a hard day is a huge understatement. To be told to start reserving plane tickets and then be told that it's not happening yet is just really hard. I just wonder if the next date won't work, and it'll be another two weeks after that. But she will be so worth the wait. I just want a definite date so we can plan accordingly. My prayer is that we are with her on her birthday, August 8.

TA!!!!!

I can hardly believe I am typing these words. We have Travel Approval, which means we are on our way to China to get our baby girl SOON! Our agency is trying to get us a consulate date in late July, with tentative travel dates being that we arrive in Beijing on July 16! We are so close now!!! I am praying and hoping that these dates will work out because that would mean we would be home by Hannah's birthday. I never dreamed we would travel in July! We have so much to do, but nothing else matters right now. I just want to hold my little girl.

New Pictures!!

We have been on vacation all week with no email access. Yesterday I found an email station in the lodge and stopped in to check my email really quick. I couldn't believe what was waiting for me in my inbox-an email from our agency with updated pictures of our little girl! It was really fun because we were there with my entire family, so everyone squeezed into the little computer station room to look at the pictures! The most recent pictures we had of her were from last August, so they were almost a year old. The new pictures were taken in May. She has changed so much, and I can't stop staring at the pictures. She is so beautiful! Since the pictures were taken in someone's home, we are assuming that she is now living in a foster home. She looks very healthy and well taken care of. She couldn't be any cuter!! Can I go get her yet??

Care package!

We finally sent off Hannah's care package on Monday. Our agency said they are sending it to China this week, so hopefully she'll get it soon. It was kind of a neat feeling to hold the stickers, book, etc. and then think how our daughter's little fingers will touch that same piece of paper! This care package will begin to introduce her to us to help with the transition. We included everything our agency allowed us to send: a letter to her, a photobook of our family (we had a Chinese friend translate, so the pictures have Chinese writing on them describing what they are of), drawings that the boys made for her, a lullaby CD (we all took turns saying a few things in Chinese and English at the beginning of the CD), and stickers that Isaiah picked out.


The boys had fun recording a few sentences to put on the CD for their sister. They said: Hello Xia. My name is ____. I am your big brother. I love you!

Garage Sale

I have never seen our street as busy as I did today. People had to park at the end of the street to even come to our garage sale! We can't believe all of the things we've sold already (including big ticket items). The forecast called for rain today, but God was so good to us in keeping the rain away. Our neighbors were so sweet to let us use their driveway and garage as well. So, our sale was spread over two garages and yards. I don't know what we would have done without that because we just didn't have enough room for it all. Here are some pictures! Hopefully tomorrow will be another successful day. We still have a lot to sell thanks to the generosity of so many!

The kids did had a successful lemonade stand/bake sale

It came today!

I was so happy to see that FedEx truck this morning because he was delivering our LOA! The FedEx guy was probably wondering why the whole family came out to his truck! We quickly signed the document and sent it back to our agency. Hopefully they'll be able to send it off to China tomorrow. Then the 8-10 week wait for travel begins. I still can hardly believe it! We are getting so close to getting our precious girl!!

L-O-A!!!

I am still in disbelief! We got a call from Holt this afternoon letting us know that they received our LOA (Letter of Acceptance)! This is the official acceptance from China that we are approved to adopt Liu Xia! The average wait for LOA is around 60 days, and we got ours in 38 days, so it was way faster than I was expecting. Our agency is FedExing it to us for us to sign, send back, and then it goes off to China. I asked what the estimated wait time until travel is for us at this point. Holt said that once the LOA is in China, it's 8-10 weeks. We are in shock that it could be that soon. We were thinking we wouldn't travel until September or October, but August is a possibility now! Keep praying that the process keeps moving quickly and smoothly. We are a huge step closer to holding our little girl!