It Is Here

Well this week has been one of the better in the resent months.  We FINALLY received our LOA for Callie this morning.  Now we can move onto the next of three steps before we can schedule travel.  They estimate these steps to travel could take up to 12 weeks!  We are praying and believing for half that time or even better so Ciara can still go along before school and volleyball starts.


The second answer to prayer is I received an email from our agency that said, "Their two girls are living TOGETHER in a foster home!"  This is amazing not only did they put them together but in a home setting instead of the orphanage.  They can truly start bonding as sisters and also start to get a feel of what life in a family will feel like.  I am so happy that God is and was in control of all of this and that he had these little girls best interests at hand when he picked them to be sisters.


So it has been quite an exciting week and we hope to be able to update you soon that we are moving right along to travel.


We are at about 70% with the puzzle fundraiser.  Will share the updated picture as soon as I get it.

                                                        God brought them together!

A Little Sunshine in Our Wait

If you remember 2 posts ago I shared that we had a concern for Chayla.  Well our agency confirmed yesterday that she had surgery back on March 30.  We couldn't believe that they would have corrected her palate because we have been told that once children are matched that the orphanages do no further surgeries. There must have been a lack of communication between the Chinese Government and the orphanage because we had Pre Approval for Chayla Feb. 8 already.  We were told that yes in deed she did have her palate repaired.  According to the medical report that we have had translated the surgery went well and there were no complications.  She was discharged April 6 and went to an in between house while she needed extra care before she went back to the orphanage.


This probably sounds good to most of you but the first thing that hit me was that she had to go through another surgery without her Mommy and Daddy there to help console her and love on her while she was healing.  This makes me very sad.  The only things good in my mind with this is that she had her surgery in Beijing which is where she had her lip repaired also and they did a fabulous job.  The other thing is that it is done when she comes home.


Our agency has been working and thinking and working and thinking to try and figure out why we have not gotten LOA for Callie yet.  Well today they told us that they re submitted our dossier online yesterday.  It was saying in the system that our paperwork was already cleared because they had cleared it for Chayla's LOA.  So by them re submitting it someone noticed this and started on it.  So now the paperwork for Callie is saying it has cleared translation and is being reviewed.  This isn't really what we wanted to hear today but we are praying that since it is being reviewed that we can still have LOA this week.  Tomorrow preferable!


Then late this afternoon we received these:

They truly look like they are enjoying being together

and starting to bond with each other.  Holding hands.

This picture makes our hearts so happy.

Will help us get through the wait.

They are together!! :)

Lord Thank You!  that Chayla looks like she is recovering from her surgery and that the Girls are starting to bond.  Thank you for the Blessing of this picture as we continue to wait for LOA.  Thank you for our agency doing everything they can to help us get to our girls as fast as we can.

Bring on LOA PLEASE!

Still TRYING to Remain Calm

We really don't have anyting new to tell you since we wrote 3 weeks ago.  We are still waiting on Callie's LOA.  We did hear last week from the agency that they want to review our paperwork one more time.  So we are hoping for it this coming week. 


We did find out we are being considered for yet another grant from A Child Waits Foundation.


Prayer Requests:
*Callie's LOA
*That the girls start to bond to each other and that they are in Callie's room
*That we can travel before school and volleyball season start so Ciara can still go along
*Wisdom in knowing when and what appointments to have set up before we leave
*For health and protection until we can go to them


Praises:
*That they say they will move the girls together
*For all the financial support from friends and grants


We have started to rearrange the house to make more room for when the girls come home.  We have changed the dining room into a play room and we know have the girls beds finished and in Ciara's room.

We have finished painting the girls beds and they are moved to Ciara's room
which they will share with her



We had a very exciting week this past week.  Conrad finally graduated from Manheim Central Friday June 10.  Graduation was suppose to be June 9 but there was a threat made by a student earlier that day at practice that was reported to the police so they cancelled graduation for that evening.  Conrad was to be leaving Friday morning for his trip to North Caroline and I was pretty sure he would decide not to stay to walk with the rest of the class.  Well when the call came in Thursday night late that they rescheduled graduation for the next night he asked what he should do?  We told him it was his decision.  He decided to stay!  I was soo happy.  He didn't think it was that important to stay and walk with the class but when the threat came through Thursday he was disappointed.  I was happy to see his change of heart and to have him realize that it is a once in a lifetime thing and to see that it did bother him.  I think he chose to stay because of that change of heart.  It was so fun seeing him with his friends at Baccalaureate and Commencement.

 

We are very proud of Conrad graduating Cum Laude

 

Conrad found out at Baccalaureate practice that he had been 

assigned to read some scripture.  He wan't impressed that

they didn't tell him ahead of time.

These five have been friends since preschool

Zach Wagner, Jeremy Landis, Conrad, Harrison Myer and Drew Eshelman

They moved graduation back to Rettew Stadium for the first since 2001

It was nice to be on our home "turf" again

Traditional cap throw

YOU DID IT!!

Friends since childhood Jeremy Landis and John Hosler.

Zackary Wagner, not only friend but also

neighbor

Conrats! Big Bro and goodbye for a few weeks

This will be Conrad's office for the next few weeks.  Seeing lots and lots of Sage being harvested.

This is the circle of Love we have received so far for our girls remaining ransoms.

We have received 60% of the funds we still needed to be ready to travel when the Lord says GO!

This is what their puzzle looks like so far :)

We would like to raise the remaining 40% before June 30.

If you are interested in helping to finish the pieces to their puzzle

comment below and we will make sure you receive the information.

Thank you all for your continued prayers for us and the girls!