Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

I have it. I will confess. Not to cleaning. Not hoarding. Not gambling. Not shopping. It is checking my email for an update from China or our adoption agency. The estimated time to wait for our LOA (Letter of Acceptance) from China is now 2-4 months. So why do I check my emails several times a day, just in case it is there?? The addiction is horrible now that iphones literally make all info or lack there of right at my finger tips. Wonder if there are meetings I need to go to? Hello my name is Jo

dy and I am addicted to checking my email for adoption updates. Who will be my sponsor out there?

Waiting

So excited to be DTC (documents to China), officially! The happy dance was short lived.
I received an email from our adoption agency informing the new DTC families that the wait from DTC to travel is now estimated at 5-9 months. I was and still am so sad. So many emotions within just a few hours, but that is adoption. I should know the emotional drill by now.
But there is such a beautiful God that prepares us for the lows too. The past few weeks at church our pastor has been teaching us about what was going on before the birth of Jesus (it is now less than a week before Christmas) basically in the lives of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother. Just points that are so clear to me this morning. Elizabeth had to wait over 50 years for a child that she most likely had prayed for each and everyday until the hope was gone. She was now most likely in her 80s, well past her child bearing years. She was gossiped about and even perhaps shunned because in those days you were considered to have done something wrong since you could not conceive a child. Perhaps she had some deep dark hidden sin so God was punishing her. Poor Elizabeth. Until, ALL IN GOD'S TIMING Elizabeth did conceive-John. John, cousin to Jesus and the one who would tell 1000's about Jesus. John was literally the one the God chose to prepare people for Jesus, and he was the one Elizabeth was to deliver!!
13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
So yes, I am sad that our family and Mia may have to wait a few extra months to be united BUT I do have the hope, trust and love of God that I know he has great plans for each of us.
And honestly after writing this, in this short time. I am not nearly as sad as I was. I am excited to see the plans that God has for me. Thank you, God for making this so much clearer today than it was last night.

Merry Christmas by Third Day

There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn
Crying for momma's arms
At an orphanage just outside a little China town
There the forgotten are

But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire
And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights
I'm warmed by the fire's glow
Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white,
Make angels in the snow

But half a world away you try your best to fight the tears
And hope that heaven's angels come to carry you here

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

Christmas is a time to celebrate the holy child
And we celebrate his perfect gift of love
He came to earth to give his life
And prepare a place for us
So we could have a home with him above

It's Christmas time again and now you're home
Your family is here so you will never be alone
So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms
And I'll tell you from my heart, and I'll you from my heart
I wish you Merry Christmas

Dossier to China-DTC

Our agency called tonight. I was expecting an email confirmation that our dossier had been sent to China sometime this afternoon. When the caller ID on my cell said it was our agency, I have to admit that in the split second of looking at my phone and actually answering, I began to sweat. My mind went to , "oh my there must be a problem if they are calling". We have had a series of unusual delays in the paperwork so my mind went right to "uh oh" But nope, our dossier consultant, who has been great through the entire process, was just calling me to say that Fedex had just picked up our dossier. What a sweet thing for her to do!
Our dossier (paperwork) should arrive in China on December 19th. Can't imagine how international adoption was conducted prior to email, and Fedex. Literally a slow boat to China? Now it is China's turn to sift through all of our documents. Hopefully they can do it faster than the US did it this time around.
Happy dance tonight!

Mia's first Christmas gift

I can't help myself.I just ordered matching suitcases for Mia, Cali & Lily. Purple polka dot, monogrammed. But SHHH...don't tell, it is a surprise. I just could not help myself!

I think I just needed some retail therapy.
Oh so cute!!! Now let's travel....

One more time

Our documents were being process at the Chinese Embassy in DC and they flaggd one of our papers. Of the many pages of documents and signatures, they did not like one of Greg's signatures so they sent the paper back to the agency, they sent it to me, I brought it to Greg's office to sign, took it back to FedEx, sent it back to the agency. They will forward it to their DC courier, he will bring it back to the Chinese embassy, they will (please pray for this part ) approve the document this time around. Send it approved, back to our agency and this final document will be placed in an envelope with all of our other documents and be sent to China!!! Please pray for all of these final little but very important steps to be successful.
Then once China receives all the documents, we wait for them to look over the documents, hopefully approve everything and then issue us our Letter of Acceptance, and then,permission to travel. This next process can take another 3-6 months.
I am so excited to see when God has chosen us to travel.

Jewelry Party to benefit Mia's adoption!

Dear Local Friends,
Tomorrow is the day. Please join us to grab a sweet treat and celebrate together!


Open House Jewelry Party: Drop in from 2pm - 4pm at our home on December 4th.

The Jewelry is made by Ellie Mayes. The jewelry is beautiful and unique. Ellie's website is www.butterbeads.com. She accepts Visa, M/C, Discover and Amex. If you order on line just let her know you would like a donation to go towards Mia's adoption, just so she knows.She can take custom orders! Or you may purchase the many beautiful hand made pieces of jewelery that Ellie will have on display for sale. Ellie has graciously offered to donate 20% of all purchases this afternoon towards Mia's adoption. Please visit Ellie's website or-
Join us Sunday 12/4 from 2-4pm at our home.

Come buy special gifts for the holidays or a treat for yourself, while helping a great cause! Feel free to bring friends, the more the merrier!

Hope to see you there!