Lost LOI

We got the news I just knew was coming. CCAA lost our LOI. We had been pushing our agency to check on it and they said CCAA said to be patient. Well, I think we were alittle too patient. Now 3 months were just wasted. We didn't need to rush to get our dossier done. It will be at 2-3 more weeks before we get PA. So goes adoption. I was really hoping to start painting Grace's room. Guess we will put that off too. I really wanted to have PA before we did that. The good news it is still possible to travel this summer if everything else goes smoothly.

Sometimes I think things like this happen as a reminder that we aren't in control. We can do everything as quickly as we can but if it isn't in God's plan then it isn't going to happen. We got the message now hopefully it will be in God's plan to sail smooth from here. Grace needs a family and we need Grace.

Pictures of the Longyan

Here is a picture I found of the city around the orphanage. Grace has probably been on these very streets. There are also a couple more pictures of the orphanage. I found out that there are 60 families waiting for children in the city right now. We are so fortunate to be getting Grace. There are no kids in this orphanage, as soon as they arrive a foster family is found for them. The kids are taken care of very well.

Lonyan Xinlou Social Welfare Institute

After 3 months I finally found a little information about Grace's orphanage. She is in a foster home but this is the orphanage sponsoring her. It appears to be 10 hours from Fouzou. I doubt we will be travelling there. It seems there is no current information from anyone adopting from there. In the past the orphanage director escorted the child to the hotel. In our case, that would be best for us too. Above is a picture of her orphanage.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year, Grace! We wish you were home. K, J, Z and I went to a Chinese New Year party, yesterday. We ate Chinese food, Chinese candy, and saw lots of Chinese dancers. Z can't wait to come to China and get a real Chinese yoyo. He thought they were really cool! Next year we will take you to the Chinese New Year party. It will mean so much more with you with us. K thought it was really cool that on New Year's Day you aren't suppose to wash your hair or clean the house. He thought we should abide by that, too.

No news on PA. Don't know if it is possible to hear anything this week or not. Unless it was sent last week I believe CCAA is closed all week.

Still Waiting

I can't believe we are still waiting for PA. It has been 75 days now. I never thought it would take this long. And to think I stressed out and drove people crazy to get our dossier completed quickly. Our dossier has been finished and sitting at the agency for 2 weeks now. Where is our PA?

Will this be the week?

Will this be the week we recieve PA? We all hope so. Our dossier is sitting in Utah waiting to go to China. All we need is that one simple little document that says we have preapproval to adopt Grace. Then off it can go to China before the Chinese New Year. Wouldn't that be grand?

I am posting another picture that I have previously posted of Grace. This little girl needs to come home to her forever family.

Dossier in Utah

Great news! Our dossier arrived in Utah, today. Of course, then I get an email about some documents they need that they should already have. You can't call them in the afternoon so I get to worry about this until tomorrow. I know it is in God's hands but I just don't think I can take having to redo any of the paperwork. I just want to bring Grace home.

I am attaching a picture of all of us that I included in the dossier.