Friday, October 31, 2014

Crazy Day of Paper work

I started the day about 7:30 am with setting up a 3 ring binder with color coded tabs we will take with us to China.
Then, the Visa applications for Matthew & I
I started paperwork this morning at 8:30


 and we finally had to call it quits for the day at 4:30 so we could get the boys in to their costumes.
We completed our Visa applications and we were ready to send them to the courier service that will deliver them to the Chinese Consulate in Chicago. 
But then. . .
 we spoke to the courier and she was so concerned about the dates our passports expire (6/15) that she HIGHLY RECOMMENDED we get new passports first, before we complete our VISA requests.  

Apparently, if you passport expires within 6 mths of your travel dates, the airline won't let you fly. 
In this case, choosing to be safe, rather than sorry will cost us an extra $185 per person to expedite passports. 

No fun, but better than being grounded when we are all set to go.


We then headed to the bank to have 4 docs notorized. 

Next, it was on to Walgreens for passport photos. 

The boys were SO well behaved!
I think they really want their sister to come home soon!!
Daddy posing for passport photos at Walgreens!

We were so close to getting the passport docs in the mail this afternoon, but with it being Halloween, we just couldn't get it done today. We will get it done tomorrow.

Now that we just got in from Halloweening. . .

more emails. . .
                    more paperwork. . .
                                                  more fees.


This time they were letting us know our
I-800 docs got mailed out. 
AWSOME!
And they sent the paperwork for our DS-260 
(Michal's US Visa application).
So, a little research on that tonight, then I will pick it up again tomorrow.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Official LOA


We got our official LOA today! This is that green light on all the dates I mentioned in our previous post about LOA. We have all the documents for our I– 800 sent to the adoption agency now. The last one was overnighted this morning. So, we should be within 9 to 12 weeks of travel to China!!!

So, what does that mean? It means we are spending this evening printing more packets and filling  out more paperwork! In Matthew's words, "yeah us!"

I spent this morning lining up medical insurance for this next year, and finding out how to add Michal to then plan. Then, I called MUSC and talked to colleagues and adoptive mom's to help us determine where we want to have Michal's palate repaired.

We are also trying to get together a few fundraisers including a raffle and iPad Air 2, and at least one fundraiser dinner.

Please keep praying. This is a happy time, but very busy. Please pray for strength, joy, for peace in our home, that Matthew and I will work well together and make wise decisions on Michal's behalf. Thank you!


Sunday, October 26, 2014

God's fingerprints



A few weeks ago. . .



after a long summer and actually a couple of years of trials and tribulation at our house including not only one, but 2 lightening strikes. . .
                             and a small house fire that caused us to have to live in a hotel for 6-8 weeks this past summer. . .
                                                                                                                
          not to mentioned how long we waited to be matched with 
                        Michal, we knew we needed prayer. 

So, we invited some of our closest church family members over to pray through our house. 

In addition to walking the perimeter of the property and all through the house, we spent a very long time praying in Michal's room. Probably 30-40 minutes just in her room!

My good friend Becky Foxworth "Called Michal home" in her prayer. She told the angels to go get her and bring her home! 

A few minutes later, as my dear friend Steven Ware was praying, I heard in my spirit, "She is coming now. She is coming now. She is coming now." Over and over I heard it. Later that night, I told the group what I heard. And after that night when I prayed with the boys for Michal, instead of praying to be matched with Michal soon, I THANKED GOD that she WAS ON HER WAY!

Later, I realized that our prayer time was held on 10/10 and we had 10 people present to pray with us. 10 is the number of completion!!! What makes that even cooler is, we scheduled this prayer time for a different day and it got rescheduled. 
God knew what date it needed to be!

Then, 7 days later (7 is the number of perfection), at almost the exact time we were praying a week before, and before closing time on Friday night, I got the call from Colorado that finally revealed Michal! Not to mentioned I was out of town at a Christian retreat! This was a time I set apart to be with God and seek to spend time with Him and know Him better. 

These set apart times matter to God.

These are just more signs of the fingerprints of God all over this adoption!


God is totally amazing!

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Wow! Things are happening FAST!


We just found Michal last week and we got word today that we already have our "soft LOA" (emailed copy). That is amazing!! 
The permanent LOA should be here within DAYS!!! 
The LOA stands for: The letter seeking confirmation from adopter. 

THIS IS A BIG DEAL. 
The LOA is the true green light for all the dates and events to come. This is a ball, that once it starts rolling, will keep rolling FAST!

One friend that is traveling to China this week said they are traveling 8 weeks after they got LOA. So, we have to get on board and hold on tight for this ride. 

SO MUCH TO DO! We have to prepare her room, have at least one baby shower, and finish some fundraising!
We still need to raise about $7,300, so if you would like to donate please click donate on the right side of the screen, use our Go Fund Me Link:
http://www.gofundme.com/27l19g
or to make a tax deductible donation, you can still give to our Both Hands Account 
www.BothHands.org/matt-and-bethany-manning 

 For those of used to waiting 19 mths. 

Things changing DAILY is different to say the least!! 

I was just sent some immigration papers yesterday, and thought I had at least until the weekend to complete them. Umm. NOPE. Today I got the "soft LOA" email and they told me they want the papers sent to Colorado (our adoption agence home office) NOW! So, after a full days work, and a rush dinner with the family, I am filling out tons of immigration paperwork. Hurriedly, but Happily! Waiting makes the heart grow fonder in this case!

We also compiled and mailed Michal her first care package today!!

We got the release to send her stuff Monday at 10:30pm. In a day and a half we bought the stuff, compiled it, got pictures of all our immediate and extended family members (thank you Facebook), printed them, went to the store to pick them up, put them in an album, labeled each picture with both English and Chinese labels, put all of it together, took it to the post office, and shipped it!!!

I am proud of us!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Presenting Princess Michal!!!!


After 19 months we finally know who Michal is!
"but those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

This beautiful 14 1/2 month old little girl is our daughter!

A Huge thank you to all of you who have been praying with us for so long! 
Please keep praying until she gets home!

She has a repaired cleft lip, and her palate will be repaired here in the U.S

Her Chinese name is Zhou Kui Zhen. 
Her date of birth is said to be 7.25.13. 
She is from Zhoukou in Henan China.

We hope to be able to travel to China to get her in January.

We are overjoyed! 

Today we started working on preparing her first care package! 
Here are just a few of the items we are including. 

Most importantly, we will be sending a photo album with pictures of all of her family members so she can start to get to know us!

We may get updates before we travel. If we do, we will post them all here. So, please check back to see our progress, and so you will know how to pray most specifically.

We still need to raise about $7,500, so if you would like to be a part of Michal's miracle, please click donate on the right side of the screen, use our Go Fund Me Link:
http://www.gofundme.com/27l19g
or to make a tax deductible donation, you can still give to our Both Hands Account 
www.BothHands.org/matt-and-bethany-manning 

There were several other amazing things that lead to the breakthrough that finally allowed us to know who Michal is. 
I will post those in another blog post very soon.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!
Please don't miss the fact that this is ALL God.
This was His idea. He has guided us each step of the way. He sustained us through the waiting, even when it was almost unbearable. He has provided all the money through his loving people. He picked her out. He revealed who Michal is, and He will bring her safely home!!

Hallelujah! His love is amazing! 
He deserves all our praise!