Molly's Foster Family

Now that we are DTC (Dossier-to-China), we felt it would be okay to inform our China Family (the foster family Molly lived with for 3 years) that we will be returning to China!!  It is, of course, our desire to see them, visit with them, spend some time with them once more, ... so we have sent them a message to let them know that hopefully something can be arranged once we receive our Travel Invitation.

While we were in the process of adopting Molly, we were told that she had been living with a foster family and knowing how long she had been living with the family and also having friends at the time who were foster parents gave us the perspective that Molly leaving them to be adopted would be a difficult and emotional experience for them.  So, we enclosed a translated letter within the recommended gift that we left for the family to be given.  In it, we shared our sentiments for them and provided our mailing address in case they wanted to "keep in touch".  Within a month of returning to the USA with Molly, we received a letter from them and photos of the family and Molly during her time with them.  It was such a wonderful blessing to receive this insight into Molly's life in China!  

When we adopted Brynn, we went to Wuxi first, which is where the family lives. We met them for the first time and they were able to love on Molly whom they hadn't seen for 18 months at that point.

It was quite the tearful reunion!

Many in the neighborhood came to see Molly.

We had a wonderful few days seeing the sights of Molly's hometown ...

One of the things we liked best about our visit was being taught how to make authentic Chinese dumplings!!

That's A LOT of dumplings!!  We had three of those filled with dumplings!

Mmm Mmm Mmm ....

We truly enjoyed our visit with the people who knew, cared for and loved Molly before we did!

We are so grateful for them!!

This may be the last opportunity for Molly to spend some time with her foster family, ... her FIRST family, ... together in the place that used to be her home with them.  Now that Molly is older, it will be exciting for her to see them again and to recall her memories of China.  She is a very different girl than she was back then.  But hopefully they will recognize the spunky little Chinese girl and be proud of who she has become.

DTC!!! Doing the "happy dance"!!!

We are DTC - oh yeah - do a little 'happy dance' with us !!!

What is DTC?? (some of you are likely to be confused by this acronym). 
DTC means "Dossier To China" and that is a wonderful feeling, people!!!  Remember, our Dossier is a compilation of all of the official documents required by the Chinese officials in order to approve and process our adoption.

So, what are our next steps??

LID - "Log In Date" - This is when our Dossier if offically LOGGED at the offices of the CCCWA (Chinese Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption).

LOA - "Letter of Acceptance" - This is another important milestone because it means that China has officially approved the adoption.

I800 - This is the documentation from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services "approval" to bring a specific orphan (or orphans) into the USA.

TA or "Travel Approval" - This is the official invitation from China to go and get our boys!!!  From DTC to TA is averaging about four to six months, with all the above steps happening in between.  We are hoping and praying for a smooth process and speedy officials handling our paperwork. 

Won't you pray for that with us??  There are two special little boys who need to get home to their family!!


In the meantime, as we wait for all those steps to be completed, we have other things that will need to happen.  And we'll talk about those in a future post. Today, we are thankful and relieved that this huge piece of the process is COMPLETE!!!  Thank-you, LORD ... Xie Xie Ni; Women Ai Ni!! 谢谢 ; 我们爱你

We thank you ...

Just saying "Thank-you" doesn't seem like ENOUGH!

Since we began the adoption process back in March, we have worked really hard to complete all the necessary paperwork, file the required documents and take the necessary steps to adopt two special boys from China.  It's no SECRET that there are numerous fees and expenses to complete an adoption and with there being two children those fees are even higher.  

It's so hard to avoid focusing on "money", "fees", and "expenses" ... that's not what we want this adoption to be about.  But the reality is ... the fees are a big part of the process.  We still have a long way to go but we are really encouraged and excited, even, about the monetary support we have received so far.   

Our Rummage Sale was this weekend and the weather really created quite the challenge as it rained all three days ... but there were some "hard-core" shoppers out there and some awesome adoption supporters who helped us to raise $1,500.00 towards our adoption fund!!  Woo-Hoo!!  

There are some really special people out there and each one matters to this adoption journey.  Everyone who has helped us, not only with the rummage sale but in other ways too, has ultimately helped two little boys in China join their forever family in 'lil 'ol Wisconsin.  

To Brynn for earning a few dollars here and there by doing simple chores to help her Grandma and then donating it to "the fund" ...  

To Molly for offering all the money she has in her savings account - no, we did not take her up on this, but so blessed by her willingness ...

To a lovely young lady we know from church we tried to "help out" a few months ago which has now turned into HER helping us, supporting us and encouraging us far beyond what we would have imagined ...

To a super special sister who gives plentifully out of her little, who supports and contributes and helps out however she can ...

To the various people who donated items for us to have in our rummage sale ...

To the little boy, super cute but very shy, who put a $20 into our donation can because he's also adopted ...

To the man who bought a few things, shared a recipe, and SO ENJOYED our Welsh Cakes and our conversations that he came back the next day for MORE ... of BOTH!!

To the woman who came the day after the rummage sale was done and knocked on the door, handing us a check for $50 ...

To the woman who only gathered a few $. 50 and $1 children's clothing items (to be donated to her church' s clothing closet) and then paid with a $50 stating "No Change" ...

To the wonderful man who chose only 3 small items and very lovingly gave not one, BUT TWO $100 bills ...  

To those who took our flyers with our information, our adoption story and our website and who have since chosen to "GIVE" ...  

To all those who have shared our story with others and those who have heard about us along the way and have never even met us but have generously given ...

We are GRATEFUL and SO APPRECIATIVE and ABUNDANTLY BLESSED by the Little and the BIG - we are humbled and overwhelmed!!

GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!

Pre-Rummage Sale Jitters!!

I'm a little worried about the weather for this weekend.  

TODAY it is beautiful outside!  It is Sunny and Clear and Warm with a nice Breeze.  

(no, this photo isn't mine)

Tomorrow starts our rummage sale and it is supposed to be Cloudy with an 80% of Thunderstorms!!  There is a 90% chance of Rain and/or Thunderstorms on Friday!

(this one isn't mine either)

We have been preparing for this Rummage Sale for weeks.

We are taking days off of work to hold this Fundraiser to help with our Adoption Fees/Expenses.  

We have Purged, Collected, Sorted, Organized, Cleaned, Priced ... 

(there's nowhere to move in our garage)

... we have Created Posters, Signs and Labels.

We NEED this fundraiser and we Need it to do WELL!

Did I mention tomorrow starts our rummage sale and it is supposed to be Cloudy with an 80% of Thunderstorms!!  There is a 90% chance of Rain and/or Thunderstorms on Friday!

... he (the evil, nasty, you-know-who) threatens to steal my Joy and Motivation each day.

But here's my devotion for today:

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

What a tremendous claim Paul makes in this verse!  He does not say, "We know that in some things," "most things," or even "joyful things" but "ALL things."  This promise spans from the very smallest detail of life to the most important, and from the most humbling of daily tasks to God's greatest works of grace performed during a crisis.

Paul states this in the present tense: "God works."  He does not say, "worked" or "will work."  It is a continuing operation.

We also know from Scripture that God's "justice [is] like the great deep" (Psalm 3:6); at this very moment the angels in heaven, as they watch with folded wings the development of God's great plan, are undoubtedly proclaiming, "The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made" (Psalm 145:17).

Then when God orchestrates "all things" ... for the good," it is a beautiful blending.  He requires many different colors, which individually may be quite drab, to weave into the harmonious pattern.

Separate tones, notes, and even discords are required to compose melodious musical anthems; a piece of machinery requires many separate wheels, parts, and connections. One part from a machine may be useless, or one note from an anthem may never be considered beautiful, but taken together, combined, and completed, they lead to perfect balance and harmony.

We can learn a lesson of faith from this: "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand" (John 13:). - J.R. Macduff

In a thousand trials, it is not just five hundred of them that work "for the good" fo the believer, but nine hundred and ninety-nine, plus one. - George Mueller

I'm a "believer" and I know that God can do anything and that He is for me, for Us, for these children we are adopting ... so I want to not worry.  It IS hard sometimes to believe that "God is working" even when things are not all 'sunshine and rainbows' ... but I also believe that HIS WORD IS ALWAYS TRUTH and that means that He IS working ... in ALL things ... for our GOOD.  I am thankful that He is always working ...

 ... and I AM Thankful ... for what He has already done!!

So far, we have raised almost $6,000!!!  That is really pretty AWESOME!!!

Origami Owl Fundraiser - $125

Odd Jobs - $1,045

Compelled Designs Pottery Necklaces Fundraiser - $146

Baking for our Boys - $424

Donations - $4,112

We are SO THANKFUL for all of you who have donated and participated in our fundraising  SO HUMBLY GRATEFUL and BLESSED!!   

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.  Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal. ~Isaiah 26:3-4

Father God, You are unchanging and ever faithful; You are always true and You never disappoint.  When we trust in You, we are at peace.  When we remain focused on You, we are calm.  Help us, LORD, to keep our focus on You and Your truth ... as we do You lift us up; we cannot fail!  ~AMEN

 NOW BRING ON THE SHOPPERS!!!

Adoption Process Updates

Hi Ev-e-ry-buddeeeee!! (Okay, just being giddy!)

It's been a bit since I've updated and there has actually been a lot going on so thought I'd better catch you up!

So, we've been working really hard to compile our dossier quickly so that it can be sent to the CCCWA to be processed ... hopefully quickly as well!!! 

What is a dossier??  

Some of our readers may not know so here it is ...

... a dossier is a collection of official documents that basically tell about US, the adopting family.

The documents required for a dossier being sent to the CCCWA (which, by the way, stands for the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption) for approval to adopt a child (or two) from China consist of things like:

Birth Certificates on both adoptive parents
Marriage Certificate for adoptive parents
Letter of Application to Adopt - written by adoptive parents
Home Study (completed by a Hague Accredited Adoption Agency)
Employment Letters
Medical and/or Health Certifications for both adoptive parents
References
Photos

Each document has to be notarized and then sent to the State from which it was issued/notarized for a seal (pictured below, gold seal).

Then after it is verified by the State, it has to be sent to the Chinese Consulate that holds jurisdiction for that area (in our case, Chicago) to be Authenticated.

The consulate Authenticates the validity of each document and places a seal on the back of each State verification (shown below).

Once this is complete, the dossier is ready to be sent to China!!!  We are nearly there!!

We are only waiting for one document ... the infamous I171H, issued from the Department of Homeland Security, stating that we are "free and clear" to pursue the adoption of a foreign child.  

This approval does not come especially easily.

First, we have to submit a lengthy application that basically has to be completed perfectly (as with all adoption paperwork) to the Department of Homeland Security.

Then, we wait for the "invitation" to visit the nearest DHS office so that we can be fingerprinted in order to determine that we are N-O-T on America's Most Wanted list.  (smile)  Those of us in the adoption community get pretty excited when we receive this "invitation".

Then we anxiously wait for our fingerprinting date ... all the while taking extreme care of our fingertips so as not to prevent any errors or mis-reads during the process.  Fingertips that have cuts, cracks, tears, callouses, etc ... can cause mis-reads and ultimately delay the process.

DELAYs make adoptive parents CRY!!!

After fingerprinting, we wait for "approval" from the DHS!!  Some of us stalk the Hague Adoptions Unit in Immigration when we think our approval date is near.  And as far as I can tell, they do not mind!!  They are very helpful from what I have seen, heard and experienced and it is wonderful to receive the notification that your I800a was "APPROVED"!!!  We were approved on June 2nd ... and now we're just waiting for the "official" piece of paper that says so.

In the meantime, we've also been given the wonderful opportunity to share our story and raise awareness and funds for our adoption via Reece's Rainbow.  The mission of Reece’s Rainbow is to advocate and find families for orphans with Down syndrome and other special needs by raising funds for adoption grants and promoting awareness through an online community, media communications, and other events.  They also share stories and advocate for orphaned children with other special needs as well.

You can find our sponsorship page by clicking ON THIS LINK or you can click on our Reece's Rainbow button in the right sidebar of this blog.  

We are so amazed and grateful for all the support that we have received!!

We are encouraged, strengthened, blessed ... by all the many hands who have joined with ours ... 

... through donations, fundraiser participation, donations of items for our rummage sale ...

LOOK AT OUR DOOR!!

Just look at all the hands there are now!

We just love adding hands and milestones to the door ... we can't wait to see what it will look like when Jonah and Rees come home!!

And, I apologize that I don't have updated photos ... I will get some shortly to show the progress on organizing our rummage sale fundraiser that will be June 11 - 13.  We have received MANY donations of various items for the sale!!  

We are SO THANKFUL  ...  we have a mountain of stuff!!!