Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Match Day was Perfect!


It's been just over 24 hours since I first laid eyes on who I knew in my heart!  And now with the flurry of the day settling a little bit, I can look back at yesterday and appreciate that it went just as I wanted our match day to go!  I went to work for a few hours in the morning, which helped me get my mind off the fact that we should hear news soon.  Then I got a "pre-call" from our agency, confirming that they indeed had a referral for us (that was a huge relief) and that she would call at 1pm to provide the details.  My mom and aunt when into motion, getting me lunch (like I could eat!) and of course a birthday cake (few events of celebration go by without a cake in my family)!  And I headed home to get THE call.

When I got the call, the video camera went on and the flashes of the camera began.  I'm so glad we recorded it because it's actually really neat to go back and view that moment when I learned that we have a daughter.  The agency rep said she was emailing a photo first and then there she was on my computer, the cutest little face!  I was told her date of birth - I had to ask how old that made her...no way of doing math at that point!  "She is a little over one, 14 months" I was told.  For a moment I was a little sad that she had her first birthday already.  I hoped to be there for that but I also knew beforehand she could be as old as two.  So I will have her for her second birthday and all the rest thereafter!  Then her Chinese name, Fu Han Yu.  Fu, the surname is a denotation of the orphanage where she is but 'Han Yu', the caller told me, means "Engraved Jade".  (When we received her paperwork, we read another interpretation showing her name means "Cherished Jade"; even more perfect!)  The wind was literally sucked out of my lungs!  My daughter's name is Mia Jade; a name I picked out in 2006 when we began our journey.  I heard a whisper in a state of half asleep, half awake, that her name was to be Mia Jade.  Now I am not one who has had many audible conversations with God or angels, but that moment I truly believe that is who I heard.  It sounds crazy but I now know for sure it is not crazy.

Other details followed including what they knew of her arrival to the orphanage (I will keep that information private for now) and what paperwork is next.  But my mind was spinning by now.  What I have hoped for, prayed for, had faith for had finally happened and she was just perfect!  I was so excited to get on the phone, the internet, Facebook and spread our news!  The day was finished with a wonderful family celebration at the local Chinese super buffet and a gift of a Panda bead for my bracelet to mark the day.

This morning I woke with my daughter on my mind and a smile on my face.  I showed up to work with copies of her photo lining my office door like wallpaper!  And I came home to our FedEx packet with all of our paperwork for the next steps to be taken and happiness, a couple more photos.  So it was all perfect.  Just what I hoped it would be!  And here she is, another adorable photo of our daughter.  Half way around the world, she waits but our love will reach her soon!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Here is my blessing! Introducing Mia Jade!


Here is our beautiful daughter!  She is 14 months old (this picture is from last November).  The best part, (besides her adorableness) is that her Chinese name means 'Cherished or Engraved Jade'.  There are no words that can express my love, my joy, my relief and my excitement! 

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Stork Watch!

News has hit the internet that matches are in the air - the stork is flying!  The cut off is 9/15 - what a great batch!  All that blabbering about being calm in my last post, yeah, that's gone!  I'm crazy excited!  After 6 years we will soon have a face to match the love I have had for our daughter!!  WooHoo - we are IN!

Update:  Our agency has referrals...phone calls on Monday!

Next week?

It is Thursday, less than a week from expected referrals, and I'm surprisingly calm.  For years I wondered what this month and this week would be like.  Normally I am anxious about referrals being posted, calculating how many days they covered, how much longer to go, but we are next in line - we have every reason to expect a referral this batch.  I think that is where my greatest comfort is found; that or denial!  If we were two or three days away from the last cut-off date, I don't think I would have this calmness, and I don't think I will have this calmness next week!  But for now, it is all good.  My mind is entertaining her age, her face, when we will travel to get her, and that is all very exciting.  I can't believe we are next in line.  It's been so long.  One friend posted on FaceBook that we just passed our 69th monthly LID anniversary and that her agency told her it would be 6-9 months...how important punctuation is!  How funny and how true.  But we are next, we are ready and we are excited.  I'm so glad to finally put this part behind us and finally see the face of our daughter.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Check out these beautiful necklaces!





I'm so excited to share these beautiful necklaces as a fundraiser toward our adoption fund.  I worked with the artist to come up with the ideas and she created these beautiful creations.  Each verse is very special to me.  

The first version is above, hand stamped with, "Have faith in God".... answered Jesus - Mark 11:22.  Our journey has surely required great faith.  We thought this adoption would lead us to our first child in less than a year and a half.  Six years later, we are just now about to finally see her face.  We had a successful domestic adoption of our son 4 years ago, after which we entertained the idea of a second domestic adoption and abandon this path.  But I have always had great faith that this is the path God choose for me.  (I told my mother when I was in middle school that I knew I wouldn't have biological children but that I wanted to adopt from China...the crazy part, there was no international program with China at that time).   I feel that God has prepared me for this journey and given me the strength and most of all, the faith to persevere.  But it has not been easy.  I think myself (and all the others of us that have stayed in this 'line' for this long) as a little bit crazy at times.  Faith has been my enduring strength and Mark 11:22 simplifies it, in Jesus's own word "Have faith in God".  I will share my faith to whoever will listen and wear that proclamation with this beautiful necklace.  I would love if you would join me but checking out the link!  The necklace can be purchased for $26 at http://jubileesjewels.com/Mark-11-22



The second version has part of Psalm 139:14 which says "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."  This verse tells us that each and every one of us are a unique creation by God and a true master piece.  Our pastor brought this verse to my attention; he tells his young daughter this verse every night so she knows her own value.  I love this verse and the necklace is beautiful.  I want my daughter to know as well that she was created by God exactly as He intended. This is a beautiful verse, especially for all our girls to know in the face of a challenging society.  Please go to http://jubileesjewels.com/adoption-fundraising/Psalm-139-14 for this version, also $26.

I hope they are well received, we can help our adoption fund a little, and most importantly spread the great news of the love for Christ.  There are some other great pieces on the website as well so please take a look at the beautiful pieces.  Thank you Stacy for your beautiful and talented work and your dedication to help others!