Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We received our TA (travel Approval) today!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our agency is now requesting our CA (consulate appointment) for September 9th. Our Gotcha Day should be September 1st-"labor day" YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I sit here in NC far away from my daughter and feeling a bit sad that the wait continues I will pose a thought here that I prayed about and wondered aloud only to my DH. For those of us adopting from China and have our little ones in foster care, do you ever think that as we pray for our children to come "home" that their foster parents who have cared for (Cali) for almost two years pray to have just one more day with her? They have loved her, spoon feed her, and hold her through the night. I ponder this for many reasons...one because the wait has been too long for me, but just the right time for God. I think about what could I say to someone who has given Cali what they have given her? I do not know. I have talked with foster parents here in the States and their hearts are for the children and what huge hearts they have. I wish one day that both Cali and I will be able to thank her foster parents for what they have given her-their hearts. For that I will be forever thankful.

We received word that our LOA package has arrived in Beijing, China. WOW, that was fast. Now we wait for the TA-travel approval. How exciting! I will begin collecting items we need to travel and pack. What fun, Target I am on my way!

LOA on the way to China!

Yeah!! Our group of five families returned their LOAs back to our adoption agency so....DHL is bringing the papers back to China for us! Fly, fly as quick as you can!

Beach Fun

Beach Fun

src="http://bp3.bl

Beach Fun

Yes this is us holding our much awaited LOA. Greg was in the middle of a delivery so I went into labor and delivery to get his signature. It seems fitting to be in labor and delivery. I am in labor now, not quite ready for delivery. We got the package at 12:15 from DHL, went to hospital for Greg to sign, went to fed-ex, made copies and sent it back to our agency in Texas. There are 4 other families in our group. When the agency gets back all of our LOAs (hopefully tomorrow) then back the package goes to China! Next step TA-travel approval.

YEAH!!!!!! We got the LOA phone call yesterday so the paper copy should be in my hands today!!!!!!! I was so excited on the phone that Lily asked if it was Cali's mommy on the phone. The person on the phone from our agency heard Lily and said no but she said she is my mid wife! What a relief I feel in getting the phone call. The LOA is an important step in that China is letting us know that all of our documents have been reviewed and approved and they are asking us if we still accept Cali. Now it should be approx 6 weeks until travel. We are changing some bedrooms and painting, now I am motivated to get the jobs done! Kind of like nesting in your third trimester. The next step is to send back the LOA-letter of acceptance- to our agency, they send it back to China. And then we wait for China to send us our TA-travel approval. Thank you all for praying...you are a great bunch to come on this journey with us. Love you!

We have not heard any thing from our agency today but I hope to hear something this week. Since posting the Story of Ping update I decided to include some of my favorite books in my blog. I Love You Like Crazy Cakes has become my number one favorite.

Happy 4th of July!

Our agency notified us today that in the aftermath of the earthquake in China the bank that was depositing our money in China to CCAA was not recorded because of the earthquake. But on the positive, the paper trail has been followed and CCAA has told our agency that the $$$ problem has been resolved and we can expect our LOA "soon"...so hopefully,maybe,...this week...

OK, I will admit I copied this from a friend's blog. It was too cute to pass up and this is what we look like these days, just waiting for "the call".

The Story of Ping

Well I am trying to find something positive to write about today as far as our adoption journey goes but beware I am scraping the bottom here since I thought months ago that we would either be home from China or be in China by the 4th of July. Well it is July 2nd and on the positive I am at a beautiful beach with our incredible family and we are together the only problem is we are missing one in our puzzle. When I take our usual beach photos a part of me knows there is a face missing. Cali's sweet face is in China therefore my photos are incomplete. Have you read "The Story of Ping"? It is now one of our night time favorites. Perhaps if I can get on one of those boats I can end up in China to find my missing duckling. God is so good and I know he is holding her gently but I too would love to be holding her with Him.