Sleeping on Her Brother

This baby girl has been such a happy, JOYOUS little one this summer.  We have enjoyed her so very much, and she is eating up being a part of a family!

She doesn't have a clue that in about nine weeks her baby brother will be born, and this huge moving, soothing pillow that is now Mommy's belly will be gone.

She will definitely miss this huge belly at napt ime as she loves laying low on it.  She can probably hear her baby brother's heart beating in there, and she can certainly feel him kicking her off his real estate.  What a beautiful time to have my hands full of such a sweet angel while my womb is growing another treasure!  I certainly never dreamed, but am so very thankful for it!

Baby Faces

Precious Baby..If only I could freeze time.

You are getting so so big, and I long to just remember your chubby hands, those cheeks, your big round eyes.

And that darling face!  How we love you!

Our Dossier Is Authenticated

Our dossier is certified, authenticated, and being overnighted to our agency in California this very minute!  I am giddy!  My fourth dossier is about to make its way across the world to Ch*na!  I never dreamed this for myself, but God~God knew all along how this would all go!  Praying like crazy that I get my Letter Seeking Confirmation (our next step in this process) before the shutdown for Chinese New Year at the end of January.  It is nearly impossible, but I have seen impossible before many, many times in this process so I am hoping!  Now to get Anna Mei's passport, and begin to get things in order for our travel.  Oh, I can't wait!!

Our I-797 is Here!

Our I-797  is here.  Our dossier is off to the consulate tomorrow!  We are almost Dossier to China.  WAHOOOOO!!!!!  From here, we wait for our dossier (all the paperwork) to get logged in by the China Adoption Agency (CCCWA).  Then we wait for our Letter Seeking Confirmation (LSC).  This letter might be to us before Chinese New Year in February and that is what this momma is hoping for with all her heart!  We are still looking at an spring or early summer travel date, but the sooner the better!

Turning Two In China

Though we weren't able to be with our Ellie Grace on her second birthday, we were able to send her a party.  We even received some pictures of the celebration from her orphanage.

My word she looks precious, and very unsure of what is happening.

She actually reminds me so much of my Jilly in these photos.

It makes my heart all the more anxious to get to her.

A cake with fruit is typical for celebrations

 She is not a fan of eating this cake.

My Jilly looked exactly the same.

With everything in me, I have been begging God to move heaven and earth so that we can get to this precious girl.  I was recently sharing with a friend that I have battled fear regarding each of my babies diagnosed special needs as I have waited to bring them home.  This time, I haven't battled any fear at all in regard to being able to care for her even though her special needs are so unknown and I can see my Jillian all over her.  Regardless of what she needs, I just want to be her momma.  I just want to kiss those cheeks, and assure her that she will never have another day alone again.  Whatever she is able to accomplish in this life, she will do it with this momma by her side.  I feel blessed that God would allow me a small part of her story, but just wish He would speed up the time that it is taking to get her home.

Today Is Her Birthday

I have written this post four times.  Four times now, my children have turned two without me by their side..in 2011, 2013, 2015, and now in 2016.  While I ache deeply at missing this day with our Ellie Grace, I know that soon she will not remember what it is like to have a birthday apart from a loving momma and daddy.  I hold to that today, and every day while I wait to bring her home.  There will be more tears today than on most as I long for her here, but I trust that God's timing is perfect.  More than that, I know that God has never left my treasure, and that He loves her more than I do.

In other news, our paperwork has moved on, and so have our payments.   We are so very grateful to have had our paperwork accepted at immigration this week as it means we are one piece of paper closer to getting our dossier to China.  It also means that our bank account is at zero, and we have more bills coming due when those papers are issued to us.  I am hoping this will be about 4-6 weeks from now.  Pray that God will provide through our fundraisers or some other means that I just can't see from this perspective.  It seems each time I organize a fundraiser, I am sure God will use it.  He certainly has always provided, but generally it is not at all the way I had planned.  I love that about this adventure as relying on God is our only choice.

Writing as one who is missing my baby girl today, and longing to hold her even more than most days.  Happy 2nd birthday my treasure.   This is the last birthday you will ever have without a momma!

OUR HOME STUDY IS IN MY HANDS

I was just handed a completed copy of our home study!  Now we can move on to the immigration step.  I am thrilled to be moving on!  I can't wait to get to our baby girl!

Ellie Grace Update Video

Our paperwork is at a stand still.   It isn't even crawling, and, while I know this place well, it never gets any easier waiting while a piece of your heart is a half a world away.  

We did receive an update about our girl this week though. 

Our girl is dangerously small for a two year old.

 

 She isn't sitting up, crawling, talking, or eating much.  She desperately needs a family, possibly amplification to gain access to sound, and a slew of therapies.  I know that there is much that the Lord desires to teach me during this time as I wait to hold this sweet babe, but it doesn't make it any easier to be without her.

Just look at this sweet smile.

I sat here at my computer last night, long after bedtime, staring into her eyes.  I imagined having her here with us, and while her special needs are so unknown, I have such immense JOY and peace when I think about adding her to our family.  I know the tremendous blessings that mothering an exceptional child brings, and that God would allow me one more precious girl in my quiver makes my heart fill with gratitude to Him for bestowing such a blessing again.

If you feel so lead, please pray for our Ellie.  

Pray that she would be stimulated, held, loved, and fed until we can get to her.  

Pray that our paperwork would move.

Pray that we would have the $7,000 we need to move on to the next step when our paperwork is completed.

Pray for patience while we await God's perfect timing to bring this precious treasure into our family.

Some Exciting News

There is another sweet little one coming to our house!

She will be two years old soon. 

She is waiting in a Ch*nese Orphanage.

Her name will be Ellie Grace.
We just got preapproval today!

We couldn't be more thrilled!