Reflections from Papa

As we get closer and closer to going to China, I spend more and more time each day wondering what our girls will be like.  I wonder what kind of things will make them laugh.  I wonder what their favorite American foods will be.  I wonder what they will think of Moose (I am sure they will be scared to death at first).  I wonder what it will feel like watching them play with Dryden and Soleil for the first time.  I wonder what it will feel like the first time I hear Lily or Mackenzie call me Papa!

Do you remember the first time you realized God was your father?  Do you remember the first time you called him “Dad”?  What would your life look like if He hadn’t adopted you?  I love what  Paul said about our adoption. “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:14-16).  Take some time today and wonder about what it will be like when you’re adopted Father brings you home forever – in paradise!

Peace and Goodwill,

Jacques

We will recklessly love them...even if we bleed.

Update on Lily Grace

This morning I opned my email to a wonderful surprise!

We received an update on our sweet Lily Grace...

our little princess is growing up!

1.       Is Qiu Yan potty trained?

She tells her nanny (Yao <sounds like “your”> Niao Niao) when she needs to go potty. She goes to bathroom and sits on the potty herself. She doesn’t wear diapers any more.

2. Did Director Zhang decide to send Qiu Yan to preschool?

She is not in preschool yet. She is not old enough to go preschool.

3. Has Qiu Yan had any illnesses recently?

She seldom has any illness since her surgery was done.  She catches a cold occasionally.

4. Does Qiu Yan drink out of a bottle?

No. She drinks water out of a cup, but she likes to drink water out of a bottle. She feeds herself with spoon.

5. What is the best way to comfort Qiu Yan when she is upset?

Take her outside makes her very happy. Or you can pick her up and talk with her. She really likes her nanny hold her. Or give her some snacks or toys she likes will also comfort her.

6. What types of toys does Qiu Yan like to play with?

Bright color toys, doll that makes noise, especially likes to put on and take off clothes for her doll.

7. What size clothing is Qiu Yan wearing now?

Underclothes: 60cm; Outfit: shirt 39cm, pants 50cm

8. It appears as if Qiu Yan has crossed eyes in some of her photos.  Does she have any issues with her eyes? 

Her eyes has no problem. Maybe it was because of the angle.

9. Could we please have some recent photos and possibly a video of Qiu Yan?

Yes, see attachment

10. Please tell Qiu Yan that her Mommy and Papa love her so very much, and cannot wait to hug her, cuddle her, and put beautiful bows in her hair!

Yes, we will. We request our staff tells her that her parents are coming to get her soon often. Her daddy and mommy misses Yan (Her nickname) very much. We also show her pictures and introduce family members to her to prepare the child, help the transition.

11. Her updated measurements:

Height: 96cm; Weight: 11kg; Foot: 16cm.

Probably the best surprise of all were 4 short video clips of Lily.

Here is one where she is looking at photos

of HER family!

You can hear her say Mama, Papa, and Jie Jie (big sister).

OH MY HEART!!!!

L O A 's and Love in a Box

Our adoption agency called today to say that they

received our LOA's today!

Oh Happy Happy day!!!!

Our agency will overnight us our paperwork, 

and now we can send our

I800 paperwork

to USCIS.

It was very fitting that today we also received a package

from Mimi and Bucca (my mom and dad)

with V-Day gifts for Dryden and Soleil

and some adorable gifts for 

Mackenzie & Lily too!

Get ready for a cuteness overload...

 Fleecy coats for Mackenzie & Lily

When Dryden was two years old she coined the term

"down gowns" for jammies that go down

to the ground.  

For Christmas Mimi & Bucca bought the two big girls

down gowns and pegnoir sets!

Today Mackenzie & Lily received their very first 

down gowns and pegnoir sets too!

Oh these little girls are so very loved already!!!!!!

Mackenzie's Finding Ad

Since 1999, the orphanages in China are required to run a provincial newspaper advertisement for children that are found and brought to their orphanage. These are commonly called "Finding Ads." These ads contain information about where and when the children were found and which orphanage is caring for them. Originally these were text-only ads, but most provinces now include photographs in their ads. These photographs are usually the earliest available pictures of the children, some from as young as a few weeks old. 

Tonight I couldn't sleep, and through using a Chinese search engine (www.baidu.com) I was able to locate Mackenzie's Finding Ad!  What an absolute treasure for us have a picture of our sweet daughter when she was an infant.

姓名:郑年淑 性别:女出生年月:2009.3.10入院日期:2009.4.17被捡拾时间地点:2009.3.11新华医院急诊室大楼内的长椅上被捡拾时随身携带物:遗弃条一张注出生日期 入院时身体特征:先天性心脏病

Name: Cheng Shu-years Sex: Female Date of birth: 2009.3.10 admission date: 2009.4.17 be picking up the time and place: 2009.3.11 Xinhua Hospital emergency room on a bench inside the building when the portable object is to pick up: abandonment of a Note date of birth, physical characteristics on admission: congenital heart disease (PDA, PFO)

I don't ever want to forget...

This has been a very hard week for me.  

When we sent our dossier to China we included a letter from Lily's pediatric cardiologist who strongly urged them to expedite our paperwork for medical reasons.  Lily needed her third open heart surgery back in July.  We are now nearing February and our little girl still struggles to breathe everyday with her O2 levels in the 50's.  

Much to our surprise and great joy, we received confirmation 

that China  had logged in our dossier, translated it, 

and moved the paperwork  to "in process" 

in only 14 days.  

Amazing!

We thought for sure the Chinese officials saw the desperate plea through the doctor's words and therefore had granted us a medical expedite.  Within 30 days, a family who is expediting for medical reasons "should" receive their LOA.  The Letter Of Acceptance is your golden ticket to proceed and send all of your documents for step two of the US Immigration process.  

Today is day 40 of our LOA wait.  

This week is also the Chinese New Year,
and China has shutdown to celebrate.   

I don't ever want to forget...
the sinking feel I felt when I received word from our adoption agency that the DHL package that arrived to them on Monday did not contain our LOA's.

I don't ever want to forget...
crying myself to sleep for the umpteenth time since we started on this adoption journey.

I don't ever want to forget...
the desperate longing and desire that I have to 

just...get...my...babies...HOME!

I don't ever want to forget any of these emotions
because when the girls are old enough to understand,
I want to vividly describe to them how much they are:

Desired
Cherished
Wanted
Needed
Treasured
Valued
Adored
&
LOVED.

All of those things before I have ever even held them in my arms.

Never once have I forgotten that God has ordained the exact moment
that the girls will be in our arms forever.

And it will be absolutely perfect!

Sweet Mackenzie Ty

 

Precious Lily Grace

Hairbows and Wiggly Pants

Dryden and Soleil are about as "girly" as girls can get.  They love pink and purple, prefer to wear dresses, and tutus are a common accessory in our house.  BUT, try as I may, my girls do not like to wear hairbows.  They tell me that they like their hair to be "plain".  My sweet friend Victoria has taught me how to make hairbows, and I really enjoy doing it.  Her two little girls love to wear hairbows, and I don't think I have actually seen them without a beautiful bow upon their heads.  I once asked Victoria how she convinced her girls to wear hairbows and keep them in all day long.  She said it was easy because she told her girls that princesses wear hairbows.  So, I gave her tactic a try with Dryden and her response to me was, "Oh mom please, I have never seen a princess wearing a hairbow".  I took a second look at the Disney princesses, and sure enough not one wears a hairbow.  They all have intricate hairdo's and possibly a ribon headband, but no bows.  Uggghhhh!

Here are Dryden and Soleil's hairbows:

On top of their distaste for hairbows, Dryden and Soleil have recently coined the term "wiggly pants".  What are wiggly pants you might ask?  Wiggly pants are basically any type of pant other than leggings.  If the pants have a waist band or are loose enough for air to sneak up the cuff, then those are wiggly pants.  And you know those cute bootcut or bell bottom pants, well, forget it.

My plan for Mackenzie and Lily is to introduce them to hairbows and wiggly pants while we are still in China before their big sisters can brainwash them.  At least a Momma can dream, right?  So when the waiting becomes more than I can bare, I make the little girls their own hairbows.  And when my arms yearn to hold the weight of my sweet daughters in them, I gather up all of the tiny wiggly pants in our house that never got worn, and excitedly hang them in their closet!

I bought some headbands since Mackenzie hardly has any hair...yet!

Wiggly pants from Naartjie - aren't they cute?

Super duper wiggly pants from Naartjie!