Care package for Kai

Last week we sent Kai a care package. We included; 2 coloring books with a package of 8 crayola (fat) crayons, 2 matchbox cars, a small john deer tractor toy, fish crackers, Milano cookies (because they came in cute small packages), a small photo album with pictures of us and our dogs, a small stuffed rat (for Chinese New year-year of the rat), and a disposable camera for the foster family to take pictures with. Our agency gave us a generic letter translated into Chinese that asks the care givers to take some pictures of Kai and his environment and to return the camera to us when we come to get him. Our agency also told us that sending a care package right away is very important, because this is the first indication to the orphanage or foster family that Kai is going to be adopted. They don't get officially notified by the Chinese govornment until they approve us for travel, which is only 2-4 weeks before we actually go! We'll most likely send another care package in a couple weeks and include something nice for the foster parents and five foster siblings we just found out he has!

An update already!!!

Wow-things are moving kind of fast! On the 30th we received PA (Pre-approval). This comes from the Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) and it is their acknowledgement that they have received our Letter of Intent (LOI)and they are going to find our file (which has been in their office for a year) and move it into the match room with Kai's file.

I was surprised yesterday to see that there was a file titled "Cheng Kai" in my inbox from our agency. Usually, the orphanage doesn't give any updated information until 3 months after the LOI gets sent. There were new photos and developmental information dated for January 28th! This was quite unexpected!!

We are hoping and praying that this means the rest of the process will be going quickly, as I'm sure they want Kai to be adopted as soon as possible.

The next step: We are now waiting for the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) which comes from China and is one more document we need to sign and return to the agency. Then we will be awaiting Travel Approval (TA).

**So many abbreviations, so little time!!

And as you will notice, the blog is no longer pink, I updated it in honor of our little boy!!!

Inquiring minds want to know...

I didn't post much actual info last time, just an announcement. Here's some of the information that our agency has provided us about sweet little Kai:

"Cheng Kai is an active, cute, and bright little boy. He has a round face with a pair of bright eyes and when he smiles, his eyes become little slits. He has fair skin and look healthy. He is very charming."

"Cheng Kai is a capable, sweet child. He can feed himself with chopsticks and can go to the bathroom on his own. When he wakes up in the earl morning, he can dress himself in simple clothes, pants, and shoes. Cheng Kai is polite to people. When he sees a familiar person, he always greets them on his own initiative. When a guest comes to his home, he will find slippers for them to wear, and when the guest leaves, he will say 'goodbye'. Cheng Kai is a good child who likes hard work. At home, he often imitates his foster mother to sweep the floor or clear the table, etc. When his foster father comes home from buying food, Cheng Kai will take the food from the foster father's hands on his own initiative and help him put it in the kitchen. Cheng Kai also likes to play outside, and he especially likes to go to the amusement park."

We do know he is in some type of foster situation. The translated paperwork describes it as a "simulative family environment." This is good to know. We are hoping he is receiving more love and care than he would in an orphanage setting.

Please keep Kai in your prayers that the Lord keeps him safe in the months that we are waiting to go get him, and that the foster parents prepare him emotionally for such a monumental event!

For where your treasure is....

there your heart will be. -Matthew 6:21

I always knew that God was preparing my heart for something really amazing. What I didn't know was that he was preparing us for a son. What I really didn't know was that he was preparing us for a 4 year old son!

It is with great surprise and sheer joy that I announce the referral of our SON "Kai":

He is four years old and is waiting for us in the Chongqing province of China.

I will post more information very soon, but I wanted to let you all know as soon as possible, as I know you've been as anxiously awaiting this arrival as we have!

HAPPY 10 MONTH LID - Versary!!

Today we celebrate the anniversary of our log in date! I can't believe how 10 months has gone by so fast.

Working on the Room

A while back, I posted that I had found the perfect blanket. Here it is. It has adorable little pandas and butterflies on it. The baby's name "Grace" is embroidered on the back.

We finished paiting the room over the summer and hung bamboo blinds. The little rocking chair was mine when I was little!

The slow boat to China

On a day when I was feeling down, I asked for encouragement from my network of fellow adoptive parents from a yahoo group. The following is an encouraging story that was sent from Wendy.--Thanks, Wendy



Different Trips to the Same Place


Deciding to have a baby is like planning a trip to Australia. You've
heard it's a wonderful place, you've read many guidebooks and feel
certain you're ready to go. Everyone you know has traveled there by
plane. They say it can be a turbulent flight with occasional rough
landings, but you can look forward to being pampered on the trip.

So you go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for a ticket to
Australia. All around you, excited people are boarding planes for
Australia. It seems there is no seat for you; you'll have to wait for
the next flight. Impatient, but anticipating a wonderful trip, you
wait - and wait - and wait.

After a long time the ticket agent tells you, "I'm sorry, we're not
going to be able to get you on a plane to Australia. Perhaps you
should think about going by boat!"

"BY BOAT!" you say. "Going by boat will take a very long time and it
costs a great deal of money." So you go home and think about not
going to Australia at all. But you have long dreamed of this
wonderful place, and finally you decide to go by boat.

It is a long trip, many months over many rough seas. Meanwhile, your
friends have flown back and forth to Australia two or three more
times, marveling about each trip.

Then one glorious day, the boat docks in Australia. It is more
exquisite than you ever imagined, and the beauty is magnified by your
long days at sea. You have made many wonderful friends during your
voyage, and you find yourself comparing stories with others who have
also traveled by sea rather than by air.

You will always wonder what it would have been like to fly to
Australia. Still, you know God has blessed you with a special
appreciation of Australia, and the beauty of Australia is not in the
way you get there, but in the place itself.


Isn't that a great story!! Go get a tissue!!!