I would like to thank.....

Several weeks ago, maybe it has been a month ago already - time keeps slipping away from me - I watched a part of the Oscars on T.V. and I noticed as soon as the winners came up to accept their award they had a list of thank yous to share with the watching world. So I am going to take this time and blog space to thank everyone and organization that comes to my mind who has helped us throughout this adoption journey. I will refrain from mentioning any specific names because I do not want to forget anyone and/or embarrass anyone. So imagine me walking on stage to accept, no not an Oscar, but my daughter. Here is my thank you speech...... : )

I would like to thank the academy for........oh wait, sorry! Seriously, I would like to thank my Heavenly Father who has adopted me into His forever family because of His grace and mercy given to me, a guilty sinner. He is the ultimate example of what an adoptive parent looks like. He has also brought me through this journey, not that it is over with yet, a new and changed person. He has taught me things that, if I would have listened to my selfish desires and not obeyed His calling to adopt, I would have never learned. He has also provided for our every need, more than we could have imagined, throughout this process. Thank you Father!

I would like to thank my husband whom I have grown closer to through this journey. He is my sounding board. He is the one that puts his arm around me when I am struggling the most with life issues. He loves me despite my flaws. He is the one that helps me to be a better parent. He is the one that works so hard to provide for our family and yet finds time to spend with us. He is the one I go to when I need a shoulder to cry on. He is an example to me of a man that stands for truth and will go to battle when this world starts to lose its grip on what truth really is. He has sacrificed dreams in order to obey where God is calling. He is a leader in our home. He is my friend, my love, my man! (I could go on and on about this amazing man, but I said I wasn't going to embarrass anyone....oops! probably too late for my hubby! : )

I would like to thank all those that have been praying for us and with us. I am convinced that those prayers have been heard and sometimes I didn't even know how to pray and you prayer warriors held us up, especially during our very long wait. We continue to pray for our upcoming trip, the travel, the adjustment Lucy will have to cope with, and the adjustment our kids will have to cope with. We have coveted all your prayers. Thank you!

I would like to thank those that have given financially to this adoption, some of the people we know and some who chose to be anonymous. We are forever grateful to you for listening and obeying where the Spirit was prompting you to give. May you be blessed in ways that are unimaginable for your acts of service to us. Not only have individuals given monetary gifts, but also organizations. I do feel I need to mention these wonderful organizations if, for nothing else, but to promote them to anyone reading this: Show Hope, Just Love Coffee and all those that have bought our coffee (yes we are still selling coffee), and Mayo Clinic Health Systems (my employer gives a significant reimbursement for adoptions). These are just a few of the organizations that have helped us tremendously with the financial burden of international adoption. Oh, also I would like to thank those individuals that took the time to write a reference letter for our grant applications. Thank you!

I would like to thank all my close friends and family for your love and support. Each of you know who you are and how you have encouraged and helped us. I do enjoy talking about this process. I have had several people say, "you are probably sick of talking about this, but....." and then they ask their question. No, I am not sick of talking about it at all. I am thankful for those that ask and are interested.....or at least act interested. : ) Thank you for caring and loving us! Our families (meaning both my hubby and my own family) have supported us in so many ways. In fact, our kids will be staying with Grandma and Grandpa Penner during our 16 day trip to China, so that in itself is priceless. (Oh, there's more people to be praying for, grandparents being the parents to our 3 children for 16 days.)  I would like to thank my close friends that have prayed for us, listened to us, cared for us during this process. My adoptive parent friends that I have met with over coffee while we wait for our children to come home to their forever families. Waiting is HARD and having people that are in the same situation seems to give you an instant bond. I am thankful for these waiting partners. : ) I had one friend give me a framed Chinese writing that says Jesus Loves You in Chinese. I have it in the girl's room along with other Chinese decorations. It goes so well in their room. Thank you! I had a dear (and very creative) friend give me a plaque she made. It brought tears to my eyes when I opened it and read what it said. Here is a picture of it:

After I thanked my friend for this wonderful gift, she said, "you needed that saying in your house somewhere." Yes, yes I do. Thank you so much! I think one of God's greatest creations was the creation of relationships and ultimately, the relationship He created between us and Him through the work of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This life can be hard and it can be joyous. I am glad to have relationships so that I know I am not alone in this life, in the hard times and in the joyous times. These thank yous needed to be said.

All this talk of thanking people makes it seem like we are done with this journey. We are not. The waiting is almost done, but the journey of raising a child as God has called us to do will just begin when Lucy comes home. I just needed to thank all those that have gone through this with us.

 So, where are we in the process, you ask? As of today, we are waiting on our Article 5 letter and then travel approval. Here is the best explanation I have found for where we are in this process:

"The consulate needs to review your new child's visa application (the DS-230), make sure it meets the qualifications for an immigrant visa, and then signs off that everything is in order for the adoption to be completed. This is called the Article 5 letter. You cannot obtain custody of your child until the Article 5 letter is issued!
The consulate takes a standard two weeks to complete this process. If your paperwork is dropped off on a Monday, it will be picked up from the consulate by your agency rep two Mondays later.
Once it's picked up from the consulate, it will be delivered directly to the CCAA for Travel Approval!" -China Adoption Online resource

So our estimation right now is that we will get our travel approval in about a month and then we travel 7-14 days after our travel approval. We will be there soon, Lucy!

Soli Deo Gloria!