Thursday, April 24, 2008

WhooooooHooooo...Some good news

I'M SOOOO EXCITED TO TELL YOU ALL SOME GOOD NEWS. China has made it through 2006 for reviews. (Before you start jumping up and down- not referrals but review) Let me explain. The first step is to get your dossier logged in. Which we did on April 15, 2007. The second step is to go through the review room. They look over your dossier with a fine tooth comb so to speak. Only when you are through review are you approved by China to adopt. Our agency has a great track record for getting dossiers through review. I sure hope that holds true for us as well. There have been some rumors that the review room is starting to review some dossiers using the new guidelines which we do not qualify for. So we are praying that there are no hold ups or questions about our dossier because that could cause us to get a later LID which could possibly disqualify us. We know God has brought us down this road and we are trusting him to get us through review. SO as of today China is now reviewing January 2007. OUR YEAR. Finally they are in our year for something. SO once we get through review we are good to go. We are then also able to request COP (special needs) children in the first round and we don't have to wait for a re-release of the list. This is a great step in the right direction. We are trusting God to get us through review (hopefully before summer is over) and then bring us our precious Anna very soon. Please pray with us in that way. We love you all.

PS. If you haven't read our last entry (The one year LID anniversary entry) please scroll down and read.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

ONE YEAR!!!

I'm a member of Bethany forums. That is the agency we use and this is what I posted on the forums today. Scott said to put that on our blog because he said that is truly where are heart is right now on this our 1 year LID anniversary:


Well today marks our one year LID anniversary. China says we have been officially waiting for one year today. And I'm not sure how to feel. Part of me is thrilled that we made it through the year and in some ways it really has gone fast. Other parts of me are very sad today. Scott and I have tried for four years to have children. We went through countless infertility treatments with no success and then God turned our hearts toward adoption. When we went to the first meeting with Bethany we were so excited and couldn't get enough information about China. We were told the wait was ten months from beginning to end. We were so thrilled to think that in a year we would finally be parents. Well we all know what has happened with China's IA program.

Scott and I took off work today so we could be with each other today to celebrate and to comfort. We are going to have a date all day and try to think about the good things and daydream about the day we finally get to hold our precious child in our arms. My heart literally hurts to think it might be another four years before I become a mommy. God has turned our hearts toward Special Needs kiddos and we are excited about that possibility. I'm just ready to hold my child NOW. To give her kisses and take her to the park and rock her to sleep and to comfort her when she cries and to see her smile and to hear her giggle and to tell her about Jesus and what He has done for us and to promise her that I will always be here for her and will never leave her Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad ..so many things I want to experience with my child and so we wait and wait and wait for China to allow us to adopt one of their precious children and finally I will be able to say I'm a MOMMY!

With much love,
Shelley

The song from Casting Crowns "Praise You in the Storm" is so relevant in our lives right now:

I was sure by now that You would have reached down and wiped our tears away stepped in and saved the day but once again, I say "Amen," and its still raining.

As the thunder rolls I barely hear you whisper through the rain "I'm with you" And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise the God that gives and takes away.



I'll Praise you in this storm and I will lift my hands for You are who You are no matter where I am. Every tear I've cried you hold in your hand. You never left my side and though my heart is torn I will Praise You in this storm .

I remember when I stumbled in the wind. You herd my cry, You raised me up again. My strength is almost gone. How can i carry on if I can't find you?

As the thunder rolls, I barely hear you whisper through the rain "I'm with you". And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise the God that gives and takes away.

I'll Praise you in this storm and I will lift my hands. For You are who You are no matter where I am. Every tear I've cried, you hold in your hand. You never left my side and though my heart is torn, I will Praise You in this storm .