A Ladybug and a Promise of Our LOA!

This week, Mulan, Gabriella's Chinese foster sister, 

came to spend 4 1/2 days with us.

Mulan and Gabriella (one of Amaris' big sisters)

Mulan and her mommy Kelly

Gabriella and her mama (me) Patty 

On our adventure to the local zoo, 

we prepared for this group photo of the Fouts and Sullivan-Hofer girls.

Tyanna saw the ladybug pictured below, crawling right next to her.

Ladybugs ALWAYS show up on the day or within a week of good news!

Today I found out that we are "In Process" to receive our LOA...

This is the document that China uses to officially say,

"Yes, you can come get Amaris!"

It is assumed that we will have our LOA in hand this next week!

Found: 3 Lost Photos!

I would have to say that today has been an emotional day... I am not seriously worked up, but I am a bit frustrated learning that there is some paperwork I have to re-do. See the post just before this one for more information.

I guess the good news is, that while I was looking through my files, I felt like God told me to look at Amaris' Chinese file. To my surprise, I found 3 referral photos that I had completely forgotten about. I probably should confess that I really didn't attempt to read her Chinese Referral File, so I just saved it on my computer, apparently for a day like today.

I know God has been filling my Faith Jar (which I wrote about in Annabella's blog this last week) because I may need to remind myself soon of something coming up that might cause me to loose some of my great faith. Well, today must have been one of those days.

I know soon, that my Faith Jar is going to completely fill up though and totally tip in my favor... on that day, Jason and I will hold Princess Amaris and Princess Annabella in our arms forever.

These are Princess Amaris' 3 referral photos from her Chinese File. Thank you God for choosing today to give these back to me.

Another Divine Delay?

What the Heck? 

Please Tell Me This Is a Divine Delay!

Because I am on several Yahoo Groups related to adoption, most days I get 300-400 emails. Most of those emails I just delete; but, I do end up reading a handful of them that seem to catch my attention. Today, I accidentally clicked on an email that I wasn't intending to read, but I am glad I did. 

As a result of reading another mom's email about her 18 year old daughter, I discovered that Tyanna, our oldest daughter, also needs to be fingerprinted. I am frustrated about this because I was adamant that she be fingerprinted with our two boys, but was told over and over that she would not need to be fingerprinted unless our documents didn't make it to China prior to her 18th birthday. 

Well, either I was misinformed OR the rules have changed. I am still not sure which it is. China is constantly changing their rules, which is good in many cases, but I should have gone with my gut feeling on this one. 

So, now, while I was trying to order passports this week, I have to focus on all the various background checks and fingerprints for my oldest princess. UGH! Double Ugh! Heck, let's just make it a Triple Ugh!

There have been so many stinkin' delays in the adoption of our daughters Amaris and Annabella, but after the fact, I have seen God's hand in every single one of them. So, while I really want to stand on top of my desk and scream, I am quietly typing away and reminding myself that this could be another Divine Delay that God is using to put us in the right place at the right time. 

I am CONFIDENT that GOD KNOWS what's up ahead for us and I am sure He is protecting us from something else or getting our timing just right to Amaris and possibly Annabella as well. I know He loves us and wants what's best for us... I know this isn't Plan B... we are still on Plan A, because He continues to lead us in amazing, miraculous ways. 

So God, I will trust in you and make sure I continue to sit at my desk and not stand on top of it... I can't see as far ahead as you can... so, I will trust in you. But, I ask you God to continue to watch over our little princesses still waiting in China for us. Protect their hearts and their health Dear Lord!

Passport Photos in Hand!

As we wait for our LOA (Letter of Acceptance) from China acknowledging that we can come to China to accept our referred child, we are getting other paperwork lined up. 

This official approval from the CCCWA to adopt Amaris can range from 2 weeks to 21 weeks... with an average wait of about 50 days... though many LOA's have been arriving within 21 days, which is pretty remarkable. We have currently been waiting 52 days and counting... 

I was able to get passport photos for Jordan, Tyanna, Gabriella and I, which means I will get their paperwork off this week to order their passports. 

I remember LEARNING the difference between a passport and a visa LESS THAN TWO DAYS BEFORE we were scheduled to fly out to China to get Gabriella in July 2010. 

They are TOTALLY different things... I had a passport, but I did not have my visa. My husband realized we forgot my visa entry just minutes before midnight... I showered, RE-packed a suitcase, drove to a 24-hour Kinkos to get 4 passport photos, and hopped on the next airplane to California. This story is in Gabriella's blog (SweetPrincessGabriella.blogspot.com)... I felt like I was a contestant on the Amazing Race! With just hours to spare, I got home, re-packed and hopped on my plane to get my baby girl. 

We are trying to avoid this scare... that mistake cost over $700 that day, but if I hadn't hopped on the plane, it would have kept us from our daughter. And, she, my friends, was worth every penny!

Her Wardrobe is Waiting!

Not much going on in the adoption world for our family this last week, so I decided to photograph my "nesting".

I started purchasing the girls summer 2012 wardrobe for Gabriella (age 5), Amaris (then age 1), and Annabella (age 2) when we found Annabella in November 2011.

It has been fun purchasing in "triplets"... this is the girls Naartjie wardrobe. I sure hope I chose the right sizes... Gabriella is pretty thin (she is 5 and can still comfortably wear 3-6 and 6-9 month shorts, skirts and capris), the babies are also tiny compared to their Chinese peers. Sometimes I wonder if this wardrobe might not fit better in the summer 2013.

Need Some Help PRINCESS-izing!

I have 3 very white chairs that need some personalized PRINCESS-izing.

I have thought and thought about this, but nothing is jumping out at me.

I would like to put the girls names on their chairs, and was thinking of putting the words "Princess" on the top back wood slat and the girls name on the bottom wood slat... but, how and with what? Or, are there other great ideas out there?

Each girl has their own princess and "princess stuff":

• Gabriella is Cinderella
• Annabella is Belle
• Amaris is Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)