To God be the Glory

The "wait" for our referral is finally over and now I can reflect on how God carried me through.

When I was weak, God gave me strength.
When I was in doubt, God gave me more faith than I deserved.
When I was completely defeated, God gave me Zane.
When I didn't know if I was on the right path, God gave me an angel to guide my path.
And now, God has granted me the honor of raising another of His children as my own.

I am so blessed right now and soon I will be even more blessed when we can bring our girl home.
Thank you to everyone who has had a part in helping me through the difficult and unforeseen wait.  From those who prayed with me to the supportive blog comments from complete strangers.
And most of all I thank God for preparing my heart for this child.  I will do my best to love her and teach her of God's love.

To Him be the glory.

THE Call - June 25th, 2012

Our match call was so exciting.  I finally got to see our daughter's face, learn how old she is, where she is living and how she got there.  My mom and aunt were there recording and snapping shots as it all happened.  The entire call was about 25 minutes but here is a little less than 2 minutes of the call and my reactions.  The phone call that changed our lives!

Our Red Threads

I already shared the most amazing 'red thread' connection to our daughter and that is her name.  We named her Mia Jade back in 2006 and then find out last week that her Chinese name means "cherished jade or engraved jade".  That one blew me away!  

Here is the second 'red thread'.  I went back on my FaceBook time line to see what I was up to the week that Mia Jade was born and here is my post from the week that she was born:

I got goosebumps when I saw this!  Of course we only have an estimation of her actual birth day.  Her birthday is one month before the date she was found because she was approximately one month old.  So could she have actually been born 8 days earlier...on the day of this photo?  I so distinctly remember this day; we were sitting on the beach and a ladybug landed on me, and stayed on me for the longest time.  Ladybugs are a bit of a good luck charm referring to Chinese adoption.  And I posted the comment rhetorical question, "could it be a good luck sign".  And to think that week, maybe that day, Mia Jade was entering the world half way around the world!  I'd say it was a good luck sign and the second red thread to our daughter!

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!

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! 

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.

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!

One Marble Left

Starting the beginning of 2011, I began a marble countdown.  Each marble represented one LID day between the date they had referred through until our date of 9/12/06.  It was a nice visual to see the marble jar decrease, a sign that while it was moving slowly, we were indeed getting closer.  Some months were fun, removing as many as 14 marbles one month, but most were less impressive, 4-6 at a time.  But this past referral batch we went from 8 marbles to one, representing one LID left, our own.

 8 marbles in the jar representing the 9/4/06 batch in April

 Zane holding our one last marble

ONE left, 9/12/06 is the last marble!

We are NEXT!

Referrals came out yesterday and with a bit of a surprise, they went through 9/11!  That means we are in the next batch!  This is such a relief...rumor had it that the batch would go through 9/8, leaving us wondering if we will make it in the June batch or we'd have to wait another month but wonderful news came our way.  It is hard to believe, to conceive that after more than 5 1/2 years, we will see our baby's face, in about 28 days.  This is such an exciting time!  Our Mia's file is making it into the matching room...our dossier is being dusted off.  It is all so very surreal.  How can I know this is coming, pray for it to be here, cry over disappointing batches then seemingly all of a sudden it is our turn...we are NEXT!

It's our turn to get on the roller coaster!

September is on deck!

The great news has arrived...this batch finished August and September is next! There is such a buzz "in the air" with all of my September LID web-friends. Everyone is sharing their predictions, what their agency is saying, and what we are doing to get ready. Did you get that...getting ready, as in getting ready for a BABY! It looks like our referral could come in June...possibly even MAY! That thought is hard to conceive.

I've said for so long, trying to explain to others, that waiting is kind of like waiting in line for a ride at Disney. You can see how many people are in front of you, and the sign said how long you have to wait when you got in line, but the ride keeps breaking down, adding unexpected delays. But we are finally near the front of the line, watching those we waited with finally get on the ride. I can see the roller coaster...we are almost on!

There's a breeze in the air

When I named our blog "journey to Mia Jade", I had no idea what a journey it would be. It has been 6 years this month since our paperchase began to adopt from China; a process we expected to be 15 months. There has been little to celebrate regarding this adoption along the way - batch sizes that have halved in size over and over, batch sizes that went from 30 days per month to sometimes only 2 days, a month that took a year to complete referrals (March '06) and the realization that it was going to take 3, 4, then 5, and now 6 years complete. But we have continued to wait, mostly because my conviction that my daughter comes from China. We could have tried a second domestic adoption, Zane's went so perfectly, and maybe we should have, but I remember a wish, a whisper that my daughter comes from China.

So the breeze in the air? Rumors that this match, expected to be revealed next week, could be finishing up August '06. That means next are September referrals, showing up in April. Can it be true? Can it really be happening? We are September 12th. Twelve days, twelve marbles, twelve paper links, away from a photo of our daughter, Zane's sister, their granddaughter. Will it be in June? In July? Could a blessing of a big batch bring it in May? Whichever it may be, it is coming. The breeze is starting to fill my sails, causing motion, emotion. The next three or four months will be tough and exciting. There is so much to do, so many things to fear, changes that will take place for so many people, especially for a small child who is somewhere literally half way around the world waiting for her family. I know now that she is alive, a strange concept I often have wondered about as we got closer, but farther away from a referral. So stay tuned and pray. The time is coming, it's almost here...can you feel the breeze?

2011 was great...2012 will be even better

2011 has really been great. Zane of course is the center of my life and he was of course the center of 2011. He got glasses this year and his first bicycle (although we still have a lot of work on both). We had Zane's first birthday party (age 4) with friends, bouncy house and all; it was a blast. And Zane started karate, something I think he will be doing for a while. He has drifted slightly from pirates, is full force on to Star Wars and his favorite toy is no doubt Legos. He is in the 3 to 4 year old class three days a week at our church and does well in school and has been mentioned by his teacher as being "all boy" but also compassionate to his classmates. What else could a mom ask for?

Mike and I went on our first weekend trip out of town without Zane this year. We went to Charleston, one of our favorite places to go, and we had a nice time but thought how we look forward to bringing Zane next time. We went on a family vacation with my SIL & BIL and Zane's cousins. It was a good time for them to spend together. We also took Zane to Disney for the first time this year and he loved it.

Zane is so amazing. He is smart and funny, very entertaining and dramatic. He makes everyone laugh with the crazy little things he says. He loves to be the director and the lead actor in our make-believe plays.

So on to Mia. We passed our 5 year LID mark but I am pretty confident in saying 2012 will be the year that we get our referral and bring her home. We have begun the process of renewing all our paperwork that is required by the US government and I am closely watching the referral batches, which once again have gotten smaller. The good news one of my best online buddies finally brought her baby home, so I know it does happen....and it will happen for us.

Hopefully with good referral news, I will post much more often this year. Year of the Dragon, I welcome you!

Happy New Year and Welcome 2011

Of course 2010 did not bring Mia home but we didn't expect it to when the year began. Never the less, it has been a wonderful year. Zane has changed so much this year. The age going from 2 to 3 is amazing! He has gone from a toddler to a little boy - a very independent, spirited boy! He is friendly to everyone and has no problem going up to adults and starting a conversation with them. It cracks me up! He had his tonsils and adenoids out this year which he did so easily and it has made a big difference in his health, his eating and his growth. He has taken off like a weed this year, especially since the surgery. People constantly think he is 5, then I have to explain his 3 year old behavior.

Zane LOVES pirates and we converted his room from a nursery to a big boy's room this year complete with a pirate boat bed. Another big boy change was potty training...and I can thank his teacher for that. We had been working on it but his teacher said he was ready so we tossed the pull-ups for good and there was no looking back! How nice is that! He also started his first organized sports - a 10 week soccer program for 3-5 year olds! He loved it so I see more soccer in our future.

Personally I met a long term goal and was accepted into graduate school at University of Central Florida into the Nurse Educator program. It will take years because I'm doing it one class at a time so not to interfere too much with family and work, but I'm on the road. Like our China adoption, slow and steady!

So speaking of China, this year's progress was better than last year's. They completed nearly two months of LID applications taking them to May 29, 2006....we still have 106 LID days to go (I think that's right). So they have to complete 3 1/2 months this year for us to get a referral in 2011. With the drop in number of applicants for the months of June, July, & August, it is a possibility we will see Mia's face this year. In the very least, she will be born this year if she has not already been born.

I hope to post more this year, sharing progress on our China journey. About 6 months before we expect a referral we have to start renewing our paperwork - more fingerprints, more social worker visits (although I love our social worker!) and more paperwork, but as long as we are getting closer, I'm ready to do the paperchase again!

Happy New Year to you all and t0 my fellow Sept LIDers, I pray for this to be all "our year"!

Stiiiiil waiting patiently

I can't believe it's been almost 6 months since I have posted. Not really much to post about regarding 'the wait' but things are moving along. April '06 referrals have gone almost twice as quickly as March '06 so hopefully that's a good sign. Maybe even a referral late next year but I've said that before. Zane is doing great. Two is fun, crazy and challenging! He is so smart (if I may say so) and very independent, but we saw that coming! I am still amazed by him EVERY day. Truly a gift from God. But life is busy, with Zane, work, and I just started graduate school! Am I crazy to take that on right now?! Maybe, but at least I may get a few classes in before I'm a mother of two. Wow, that sounds funny. I kind of feel this next year will go by quickly because this last year has FLOWN by. I hope Mia is 'brewing' right now and that we will have at least a referral next year and maybe even have her in our arms. That would be wonderful but either way, each month we are a little closer. And each month with Zane as the center of existence is wonderful.

2010 is on it's way

The last couple of years I have said farewell to the year with a blog posting so here it goes! Besides the continued ridiculous slowdown in China referrals and a couple trips to the ER with Zane for respiratory issues, I can't complain much about 2009 - it's been pretty kind to us. Zane of course has been the focus of life. He has changed so much in a year. His first year came with great changes but the second year is a blossoming of a personality. He is so much fun. You can have a conversation with him, he loves to do things on his own, very independent, and he is so loving as well. It sounds crazy but after over 2 years, I still can't believe he is in our life. I am in total awe of God's plan and power. This year has actually been pretty quiet, which is a good thing. Besides the daily fun stuff like bike riding, going to the park, the beach, the zoo etc we didn't have too much big stuff happen which is okay. One of my favorite things of the year was the holidays. Zane really had some understanding of Christmas and Santa which was a lot of fun. We read books about Christmas (regarding Santa and reindeer as well as the birth of Jesus), visited Santa (4 times!), Christmas parties and of course lots of presents which he enjoyed. Each day with him is more fun than the previous.

The unfortunate news is that CCAA only referred 34 days in 2009 - and I was disappointed with 71 days in 2008. We have no idea when we will see a referral for Mia Jade - some say another 3 years, ugh. Only time will tell. I hate it but I really hate it for my friends still waiting for their first child. We have Zane in our lives so the pain of waiting for Mia is greatly diminished.

2009 was the year of Facebook, Michael Jackson passed away and the Tiger Wood's scandal. It was filled with big bailouts and rising unemployment, which thankfully we have been spare of so far. But in our piece of the world, it was a good year. We can only hope 2010 will be as kind but we could also hope for better - in the form of a speed up in referrals. Happy New Year everyone! And welcome a new decade, 2010!!

Zane is Two!

October 22, 2007

I can't believe today is Zane's second birthday. It was a blink of the eye that he was born. He entered our lives in a flash and has been the light of our lives since. With only 5 weeks notice that he was on the way, he arrived almost two weeks early. It was the most joyful, stressful, exciting experience of our lives. No words can express how much he is loved. We are so thankful for him each and every day. And with that, Happy Birthday Zane!

October 2009

3 Years since LID...really?!

I can't believe I am posting this. It's been 3 years (on the 12th) since our paperwork was logged in to CCAA. Never did I actually believe it would take this long and still there is no end in sight. My agency even says there is no way of knowing if we will get a referral next year or not. At this point I certainly feel we have another year or two of waiting. It's very frustrating, depressing, even stressful. I'm not sure what else to say.

Summertime

Zane in the Keys - July 2009

So I have been failing at blogging!  In a way, I have purposely not been blogging - sort of ignoring 'the wait', in hopes it will come sooner if I not writing about it all the time.  But while we continue to wait (and wait, and wait for Mia), we've been having wonderful summertime fun with Zane.  We recently took him on his first vacation to the Keys.  It was only a few days but we had a great time and it was nice to travel with Zane, really for the first time.  He did a great job in the car and loves being in the boat and the water.  He is at such a fun age right now - doing new things all the time.  I love this toddler age!  But of course, we continue to wait for Mia - at best, we could get a referral next fall (2010) and at worst (I think) in 2011.  We have faith that God has a plan for our beautiful daughter and she will join us at the perfect time.  To be honest, I couldn't imagine taking Zane on a trip around the world, literally.  If we had to travel now, I think we would leave him home but we really want him to be there when we get Mia, so another year will probably be a good thing.  Plus, I'm really enjoying giving him my full attention.  Meanwhile, several of my friends have either brought home their daughters recently or are about to travel.  It give me hope and peace when I see that it really does happen - even if it takes much longer than we ever imagined!  

3 Year Mark

I feel like all of my posts these days are negative news about "the wait" but "the wait" just hit the 3 year mark for those logged in March 2006 - it's looking more like we will be waiting at least 4 years. I never though that would really happen. Also, we went through all of February without any referrals. Yes, referrals just came out early in March so we may see a second set in March but who knows. And for 2 referral batches in 2009, they have covered 6 days - 2 of which fell on the weekend. So where is that positive wind that we heard was blowing?

On a good note, the little girl that we have sponsored for over 2 years through Grace & Hope has been adopted! What great news. We have watched her grow (and wondered why a non-special needs infant wasn't placed earlier) since fall 2006. I hope her adjustment to her Forever Family will go smoothly. I'm so glad she was able to be in a home setting while she waited. We look forward to our new child.