We made a round trip to visit with the grandkids. First stop in Charlotte, to see Evie play soccer. Then we stopped by Anna and Jamie's new house to view the farm and hold baby piggies.
Papa and Waverly discuss religion and other pressing life issues down by the pond
My husband, John, and I have been blessed with 6 marvelous kids. The path to each of them, whether by birth or adoption from China, was orchestrated by God and we are grateful for each of them. This blog is about our family.
Elijah, John, Me, (BR)Beth,John,Jr, Anna, Daniel and Abbey July, 2012
Favorite Quotes
"The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing; but in our culture, we apply for a curse and reject blessings. Something is wrong with this picture." ~ Doug Phillips
"I can not change the world but I can change the world for one person" -Mother Teresa
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and proclaiming, 'Wow, what a ride!!!'"
"Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphan and widows..." James 1:27
"Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.” - Martin Luther King Jr
"To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways: we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness. It should rather be an expression of breathless expectation."- Oswald Chambers
"All that we call human history--money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery--[is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." -C.S. Lewis
"One can give without loving, but one can not love without giving." Amy Carmichael
"The past effects the future, but does not have to determine it" -Dr. Karyn Purvis
"Time and experience have taught me a priceless lesson: Any child you take for your own becomes your own if you give of yourself to that child. I have born two children and had seven others by adoption, and they are all my children, equally beloved and precious" ~ Dale Evans
"How can there be too many children, it's like saying there are too many flowers." ~ Mother Teresa
“ The most precious jewels you’ll ever have around your neck are the arms of your children.” ~Author Unknown
September 2008 Announced to family that we were planning on adopting from China for the second time October Started homestudy November Finished all our homestudy visits, but had to get extra clearances for Daniel and Anna January 2009 Send I800A to USCIS in Chicago February 20 USCIS agent called and said approval was ready, but we might want to consider having Anna fingerprinted(she would soon turn 18) February 26 Dana, our advocate, called and we first saw Eli's precious face March 23 I 797C- USCIS approval March 24 Dossier sent to our agency, A Helping Hand April 4 Dossier sent to China!!! Praise the Lord! April 15 Log In Date!! April 22 Nurture and Care Plan, formerly LOI sent to CCAA April 29 Pre-Approval July 2 Letter of Acceptance, or Letter Seeking Confirmation July 6 Mailed in acceptance July 10 Sent in I 800 July 12 I 800 received in Chicago July 13 First Pre-Travel Meeting July 24 Email notification of I 800 approval July 28 Received I800 in the mail July 29 Documents sent to Guangzhou August 4 Cable sent from NVC to Guangzhou August 10 Article 5 done and picked up by courier August 31 Travel Approval September 10-26 Travel to China