October Update

Okie Dookie---here is where we are at:

* The Home Study is officially done, signed, notarized and on my desk. HALLELUJAH. A lot can be done now that chunk of paperwork is completed.

* My "China Waiting Child" documents have been sent to the Bethany corporate offices in Grand Rapids. China releases children waiting for adoption to an adoption portal once per month. Multiple agencies have access to this portal and the international caseworker assigned to me/us in Michigan now has the paperwork to match me up with a little one waiting to come home off that portal. She will access the portal and check for any children under two with Down Syndrome and contact me. At which point I can "decide" if he or she is my child (I STILL have a hard time wrapping my brain around this process). The child will then be 'put on hold' until the Chinese government deems me worthy via an official Letter of Acceptance. We will most likely be matched with a child before the end of the year. I continue to believe that the Holy Spirit will guide this crazy process.

* My immigration forms (and a chunk of change) were sent to the Department of Homeland Security this morning. The post office lady looked at me a little cross-eyed when I quietly laid my hands on the package and prayed over them at her counter. I didn't get too Pentecostal on her, but I'm convinced she looked towards the cameras. :)

* Homeland Security will review my application (to bring a child INTO out country) and schedule me for additional fingerprinting that will then have to be processed. (Apparently, my fingerprints have somehow changed since July...). Rumor is this whole process can take 3-4months. I'm praying for favor and a quick turn around. (See post office intercession above). If how quickly everything else has been going is any indication, hopefully we'll be hearing from our friends at Homeland Security before Christmas. Please pray for favor & God's perfect timing to direct this process.

*Once we have the US Government's approval, I can then send my dossier to the Chinese government to review (to bring a child OUT of their country). They will decide that I'm a pretty nice lady and would do a good job raising one of their children (I'm paraphrasing their process) and give the official ok to bring Little One home to us...his/her forever family. The guesstimate is that we'll be headed to China late spring/early Summer.

*For those who have the free time & want to visualize what the process of what going to China looks like, there is an AWESOME National Geographic video called "China's Lost Girls". It gives a basic overview of why there are so many children in China that need adopted and follows an American family as they go to China to pick up their little girl. For those who prefer to read, "The Lost Daughters of China" by Karin Evans is EXCELLENT; I've read it twice.

*It's time to apply for grants. I'm starting an entirely separate binder for grant applications--the amount of paperwork needed for the grants is nearly as much as the adoption process. Copies of tax returns, statements of faith, letters of intention, references, etc. It's a lot...but also for a lot. Agency fees, country fees, filing fees, travel and post-adoption services put the cost at about $30,000. It's an impressive sum. BUT I also know that the Lord has ordained this adoption and I have the "remembrance stones" of multiple miraculous door openings already in this process. I'm excited to see how the Lord provides for us as a family! Many of you have offered to act as references. Thank you! I will be contacting you soon.

     How am I doing? :) That depends on the day! For whatever reason, today has been particularly overwhelming, but I was walking on sunshine just two days ago. It's a strange combination of feeling like I've been doing this F-O-R-E-V-E-R & if I have to sign one more piece of paper I'LL SCREAM and 'oh my gosh! This is going so fast! I just need two seconds to breath!'. :) I'm sure all the pregnant mommas out there are rolling their eyes a little. Pregnancy whether actual or emotional is still pregnancy. Mine just happens to be the pregnancy of an elephant! :)  I just  can't wait for Little One to meet all the amazing people who helped bring him/her home