Third Day-Merry Christmas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9UtRkMtOvE&sns=em

I can't tell you how many times I kinda halfway listened to this song before today and I never realized it was about families adopting from China. This is definitely our song this year!

Charleston & Visas!

Yesterday we had to take a pretty sudden trip to Charleston, South Carolina to be re-fingerprinted to update our 1-800 A (permission to bring an orphan into the US). We had to redo this because our adoption process has taken a little longer, and so this part of our paperwork had to be updated to keep us eligible to bring an orphan into the country. We have known for a couple months we would have to go back to Charleston. The fun part is, they don't tell you when you can go (you have to wait for an invitation) until it's time to go. 

So, as soon as we got our invitation, we dropped everything and went. We are trying to avoid delays due to holiday closures. It was also urgent that we get to Charleston right away, because updating our 1-800 A, is slowing down our I-800 (permission to bring a specific orphan, Michal into the US). 

We called the only number available for USCIS which is a national office somewhere and ask what the hours were for the Charleston office before we left Savannah yesterday. We also ask if there was a number to call the Charleston office directly…NO was the answer (our tax dollars at work)! We were told the office would be open until 4 PM. 

When we arrived at 3:20 PM the security officer told us the office had already closed at 3 PM… 

The security officer was kind enough to go and ask the people that do the fingerprinting if they would be willing to let us come in, and by the grace of God they were willing! So, we were able to complete our fingerprinting and paperwork yesterday!! Woo hoo!!

While we were in Charleston, we decided to take advantage of the Tanger Outlet Mall's. We bought some scratch and dent luggage for a pretty good price!

Then today, I arrived home to find a FedEx package on my front door that contained our Visas for China!

We should be able to check in to find out about our next layer of paperwork, which is contacting the national Visa Center by at least this Friday (we could have checked sooner if it were not for Thanksgiving closing things down).

We have to contact the National Visa Center (NVC) to get the numbers we need to complete our DS – 260 (Application for Michal's Visa). Then all of that will be sent to Guangzhou, China!

Please continue to pray! 

Please don't forget the iPad raffle (drawing is December 6th at The Sycamore church).Tickets are $10 each. 

Also, the T-shirt sales. 

Shirts are $15 each. 

Thank you and God bless!

Baby Registry Links & fun things!

We are registered at two places:

Target:

https://m-secure.target.com/gift-registry/giftgiver?registryId=4Z28e8f6_sC76kM6ma7V0Q

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/registry/baby/7QO4DZUFVQVY

Now, here are a couple of fun things that have happened this weekend.

My very talented friend Steven Ware drew this picture of Michal:

We. found the perfect Christmas ornament for Michal. We knew we couldn't really get a baby's first Christmas ornament, because she is not a baby. However, we wanted something to mark her first Christmas as part of our family. So, we found this yesterday at Kholes and it is perfect! Even though she will not physically be here for Christmas this year, now that we have found her and know she will be here soon, this signifies she is a part of our family!

We found a great dresser amongst Poppy & Gma Brenda's vast collection of odd house furnishings. We dug it out of storage, cleaned it up and put it in her room!

Beautiful Baby Shower

We celebrated Michal tonight at a beautiful baby shower! 

Becky Foxworth, Debbie McConnell & Debbie Looye worked so hard to make things beautiful and special! 

They really outdid themselves! 

We had a prayer time to pray for 3 other families that were at the party that foster or are adopting! It blesses us to be able to bless others who are adopting!

We had so many of our close friends and family there! We even had our good friend Ame Lane all the way from Wyoming! That was awesome! She has encouraged us and prayed for us so much through this journey! It is only fitting she was able to be there!

 We have not been on this journey alone! All of these spiritual Aunts and Uncles are so important to Michal, and she is so blessed, even though she doesn't know it yet! 

What a great time to celebrate all that God has done, and all He continues to do!

Believe Him!

I looked up the page in my journal where God prophesied about Michal again today! It is so cool to watch Him fulfill every promise He ever makes!

What has he promised you? Believe Him and it will be done! Don't doubt or give up!

It is ALL about FAITH! 

BELIEVE HIM

The reason it says ". . .on earth. . ." Is because I miscarried my first child and He showed me she was a girl (I was only 10 weeks when I miscarried), and she is in Heaven now. I will meet her when I get there. Her name is Sophia Elizabeth Manning. We can't wait to meet her too!

New Pictures & update on Michal!

We  got  new pictures and an update on Michal today!   She is in good health. She says "mama" and "nainai" (which means Grandmother).  She can sit, crawl, and stand when she holds on to something. She  is introverted and afraid of unfamiliar people.  Her favorite nanny is Goa Ya Feng. She weighs 21 lb. She is 2.29 ft. tall.  She wears a size 4 shoe. She has seven teeth.  

When you only get a tiny but of information, it all matters! Please keep praying for her and Goa Ya Feng. This woman is probably the closest thing to a Mama Michql has ever had. It will be hard for them to part ways when we go get her.

Paperwork & Michal's wardrobe

Steps Remaining in our Paperwork Process

Our visa applications were sent out yesterday. So, I was looking to see how many steps we have left before the paperwork process is completed for us to get Travel Approval (TA) to go to China. 

I feel excited and a little nervous at the same time when I realize there are not very many steps remaining!

We are waiting on our I-800 Provisional Approval (PA). This could come any time between now and two more weeks.

Then, 5-7 days latter we get our National Visa Center letter (NVC).

Next, our DS-260 is delivered to the US consulate. NVC letter & DS-260 goes to CCAI (adoption agency) and the express mail it to Beijing.

Two weeks after our documents are received in China, we will be issued and article 5 (U.S Central Authority's approval for Hague Adoption).

One and a half to three weeks after article 5 we get Travel Approval (TA).

And finally, we will travel to China 10 to 21 days after TA!!!

Building and entire girls wardrobe is challenging. . . Especially when you don't know what sizes she wears. 

We are going with 12-18 mths clothes and sizes 5-6 shoes