First Reservoir Day of the Year!

We used to get season passes to Aurora Reservoir every year, and we would spend hours out there a couple of times a week with friends.  But friends have moved away and kids have grown up, and we don't get out there as much as we used to, by far.  We got a pass in 2013 when we brought Caylie home, but last year we were too busy.  This year I'm thinking Samuel will enjoy going, so we got a pass again.  We went out for the first time on Tuesday.

I'm going to email these pictures to Samuel, so he can see where we'll be!

Cute baby Tessa.

Tessa and Brittany.

 Justin and Caylie building sand castles.

The water is still pretty cold for swimming, but they ventured out a little bit, because I told them I wanted a water picture for Samuel, haha.

We're Going to China!

Flights are booked!  We are headed to China on the 24th!  We got our Travel Approval on Monday the 8th, and our Consulate Appointment date the next day.  Flights were booked yesterday with the help of the fabulous Katie at Adoption Airfare.  And now we're working with our agency's in-China rep on hotels and in-country travel.  We're on our way!

We had planned to be leaving the first week of July, and Samuel had it written on his calendar that he would meet us in Guangzhou on July 6.  So it was very fun to celebrate with him last night the news that we will instead meet him in Guangzhou on June 29!  He is very excited, and so are we.  While we were Skyping, we showed him the room and bunkbed he will share with Justin.  He had a big grin on his face the whole time.

We will fly to Beijing on the 24th and spend a couple of days there visiting the Great Wall and other touristy sites.  Then we'll fly to Guangzhou on the 28th and meet Samuel the next day.  We've had fun talking to him about all the things we will do there.  He is especially happy to know that we can go swimming at the hotel every day!

Please pray for all of us as we get ready for this journey.  The adoption "process" is almost over and the real journey is about to begin.  Pray for Samuel's heart as he leaves everything he knows and comes to a place that is so different.  Pray for him as he becomes family with us, and grows to understand what it means to have parents and siblings.  Pray for our other children, that they would have much grace with their new brother, especially in the early days of newness, tiredness, and language issues.  And please pray for Jim and I, that we would stay attuned to God as He leads us in this new adventure.  Thank you, friends.

Memorial Day Fun at the Park

After our cookout on Memorial Day, most of us went to a nearby park.  It was sunny and warm, after three weeks of rain.  Lots of fun was had!

Tessa on the swings.

Caylie and Tessa. Yes, my 6-year-old fits in a toddler swing!

Caylie, Brittany and Tessa having slide races!

Keelan and one of his boards.

Sisters

Uncle Brandon and Daddy Brad with Tessa.  I'm sure they were paying complete attention.

Cute face girl!

Jim and Caylie

Brittany learning(?) to skateboard.

Jim and me

Caylie and Keelan.  She liked that little horse.

Sweet baby girl.

Wheeeee!  (A roller coaster??)

Hmm. . . 

Two Years

Two years ago today, this little girl was brought to us in a hotel in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.  She was scared and she was sad, but God has been healing her heart since that day.   She has learned to trust and to love.  She is beautiful and happy.  We love you, Caylie JiuChang.

  You can read about that day HERE! 

On another note, God is working in our current adoption, as well.  The website that I wrote about in my previous post is finally up and running again.  We are officially in the final stages of our wait to bring Samuel XuDi home!

Adoption Setback - Please Pray

We are at a standstill in our adoption process.  All the steps have gone as planned until now.  We are at the stage where we need to fill out an online form to apply for Samuel's immigrant visa.  This is called the DS 260.  However, the website - belonging to the U.S. Department of State - has not been working for the last nine days.

 Everyone who is at this stage in their adoption process is now being held up because of this.  People are writing their senators, contacting government agencies, and doing everything they can to get someone's attention, but still nothing is fixed.  It is completely unacceptable to me and soooo frustrating!

I just want to go get our boy!!  It makes me crazy to think that something so simple is keeping me from doing that!  I want to hug him and love on him and bring him into our family.  But I can't.  Not yet.

But the thing is, God knows.  He knows all that is at stake, not only in our adoption, but in so many others.  He knows the hearts of all involved, and He is working everything together for our good and for His glory.   Please pray with us that whoever is in charge of fixing this thing will know exactly what to do, and do it quickly.  Pray that this problem will be resolved and families can bring their children home.  

Letter Seeking Confirmation

The hard copy of our LOA - Letter of Acceptance - showed up at our agency on Wednesday.  The actual document is called the Letter Seeking Confirmation.  Our dossier has been translated, reviewed, and matched with Samuel's file.  Then this letter is sent, with Samuel's name on it, asking if we agree to adopt him.  Of course we do!!  We drove up on Thursday morning to sign it.  Now we start the second process with USCIS, which will allow us to bring Samuel to the US.  Planning to make the trip to China in early July!

Soft LOA! And SAMUEL Pictures!!

We received word from our agency last night that our LOA was on it's way!  That makes Day 51 for our "soft" LOA, which is when it shows in the system that it's been sent, but the hard copy hasn't arrived yet.  Not quite a nice as 35 days, but much better than over 100, which sometimes happens!

I must do another shout-out to our agency, AAC Adoption in Berthoud, Colorado.  They care very much about the children they are placing, and they care very much about their families.  I was given our new information on a Sunday night at 9:30, as it was 11:30am in China.  (Thank you, Nicole!)

Now that we have been given approval by China to adopt Samuel, I can finally post photos of him!  I have waited many months to do that!  This first picture is the one I saw back in October.  I cried when I saw it.  I cried when I read his story.  God was introducing me to this beautiful boy and orchestrating the beginning of our family's journey.

Another picture taken on the same day.  Samuel lives in the Guangdong Province of China, in the city of Yangchun.  There is a large orphanage there, but by the grace of God, he does not live in that building.  Instead, he lives in a group foster home called House of Grace, on the grounds of the orphanage.  The House of Grace building is usually where just babies and toddlers live, but through the providence of God, Samuel was placed there, as well.  He has been cared for by godly, Christian foster parents for the past 11 months.  God has shown us time and time again just how much He cares for our boy, and how He is working in his life.  This picture was taken when our agency AAC visited the Yangchun orphanage and House of Grace last August.

The director of the orphanage sent me this one.  She cares about Samuel very much, and was the one who arranged for him to live at House of Grace.   I have been able to talk with her about Samuel on WeChat, which has an in-app translator.  Another blessing!  (And isn't our boy just so cute!)

And here is our handsome boy with my sweet friend Nichole.  She visited House of Grace earlier this year when she adopted her daughter, and gave Samuel some lovin' while she was there.  Love this picture!

And I love this picture, too.  My friend Martha (in the middle) visited House of Grace earlier this year, as well, when she adopted her sweet boy. (Isn't he cute?!)   The other people are Amy and Donald, who were Samuel's foster parents and the main caretakers at House of Grace until recently.  I am so, so happy that Martha got this picture of Samuel with them.  

Ha.  I was going to post this picture of Samuel with one of the House of Grace babies, and remembered that this baby is the same little guy from the previous picture, a few months earlier!  So cute!!

Another picture that the orphanage director sent me.  I think it's pretty recent, looking at his haircut!

 My friend Gina sent me this photo.  It was taken last summer when Samuel was allowed to ride to Guangzhou (capital city of Guangdong Province) for Gina's daughter's "gotcha" day.  He's been to two other "gotcha" days, now.  I'm so glad that he's had the experience of seeing children that he knows going to be with new families and knowing that they are loved and safe.

Donald sent me this one a couple of months ago.  We had sent Samuel that shirt and little car and candy.  (I don't know where the hat came from!)  

Samuel showing the AAC staff around House of Grace, and being silly about it!

Samuel with his new foster mother, Sandra.  She is the one who actually founded House of Grace years ago.  They are looking at some things we had sent to him when AAC visited there in March.  (And being silly again!)

Thank you, friends, for caring about our boy and for praying for his heart.  He has been through trauma and heartache in his 11 years, but our Father is the Healer of broken hearts.  Please continue to pray for Samuel and for our family, as we get ready to bring him home this summer.