Now What?

That's what everyone keeps asking. Now what happens? We have PA, and now the work intensifies. We have six months to get our completed dossier--including immigration approval--to China for a full review. Here's what I have to do for paperwork:

• birth certificates--ordered and waiting on delivery
• marriage certificate--ordered and waiting on delivery
• divorce certificates--ordered and waiting on delivery
• financial worksheet--done, just need notarization
• employment letters--waiting on Mike's
• medical clearances--done, and will be notarizing tomorrow
• criminal history clearances--done
• other state clearances--ordered, waiting on Mike's
• Homestudy--waiting on the final records above and then a final draft will be issued
• CIS--waiting on Homestudy to apply.

It's just a waiting game now. I wait for the documents to arrive, send them to the homestudy agency, and then apply to CIS once the homestudy is finalized. After CIS mails us our approval letter, we load it all up and mail it to ASIA. They translate and authenticate it and send it to China. Once China receives it they review it and issue a confirmation letter and then travel approval. That's the TA you'll be reading about in a few short months.

While China is reviewing our dossier, I will be applying for my travel Visa to China, and getting the house ready for a little girl. God is so good!

Orientation Packet!

After two months of fundraising, as well as wavering between agencies, we received our welcome packet today from All God's Children! I tore open the package and saw this little girl's face; I melted. My heart cried out with joy because I realized LilyBeth is no longer just a figment of my imagination: She's so real! In fact, she's already born and living in an orphanage in China. Oh how great is our God!

Now we need to finish up the homestudy--which should be done in a week or two, send in the orientation paperwork and the fee (ugh!), then we will officially be swamped with work to bring her home. Can you believe it? I'm in awe of God's wonder.

After adopting twice already, I have no fairy-tale images of how this process will go. I know it will be hard, expensive, and emotionally draining. But I also know that God has brought us this far already and whatever His plans are for LilyBeth, we will support it.

Please pray for us to finish raising the funds. Adoption is very expensive, and although you get much of it back in tax credits, you still have to have it to move forward. I welcome any fundraising suggestions.