Lookey at what I found snooping around the interweb!!!
Don't know by whom or how this was put together, but this is OUR beautiful little guy. Cannot WAIT to hold this amazing kiddo in my arms and bring him home for GOOD!
Meet Our Little Guy <<<<<click here!!
[And, for those of you keeping track, our dossier is in DC getting all gussied up for the trip to Ch*na. We also got our fingerprinting appointment today, so we're moving right along! Hoping that we can be done with this leg of the journey by mid-August. Fingers crossed. :)]
Monday, July 15, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Tidal Waves and Birthdays, Part Deux
OK, so we've talked tidal waves of fees. Let's talk other tidal waves...
But, first, a little quote, then some context.
From "The House of Hope", Robin & Joyce Hill use the following imagery when describing their decision to begin their full-time work with orphaned & abandoned children in Ch*na:
When Greg & I read those words last year, something welled up within both of us that said, "YES! and Amen." That simple, but powerful, clear analogy resonated with us so strongly. It helped put words to the pieces of our own story and expressed the reality of our own lives.
jumped in
swirled around white-knuckled
shock to the system
But, first, a little quote, then some context.
From "The House of Hope", Robin & Joyce Hill use the following imagery when describing their decision to begin their full-time work with orphaned & abandoned children in Ch*na:
It seemed...as if they were being asked to step into a river, and although she had no idea where they would end up exactly, they could trust that it would take them to the right place. (p. 41)Later, Robin reflects further:
...they have been swirled around a few times, and even had to shoot some white-knuckled rapids, physically, emotionally and spiritually, but they have entrusted their lives to that river of love that flows from God's heart,... Time after time, they have seen the evidence of how much God wants to provide abundantly and even extravagantly for the discarded and abandoned...
...the invitation to jump in that river, and see where it takes you, is open to every ordinary person, and if you choose to make that leap, it may be a shock to the system, but God can be trusted to do what He wants to do. Rob says, "It is possible to spend your whole life focusing on your own comfort and safety, or you can accept God's invitation to come into that river of His amazing love." (p.216-217, emphasis mine)
When Greg & I read those words last year, something welled up within both of us that said, "YES! and Amen." That simple, but powerful, clear analogy resonated with us so strongly. It helped put words to the pieces of our own story and expressed the reality of our own lives.
jumped in
swirled around white-knuckled
shock to the system
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Update and A little horsing around...
Our little dude has been advocated for before. Thought y'all might like to see what others have said about him.
(And, doesn't "Shane" sound like a good cowboy name?? It's how the former agency referred to him since Chin*se names are not shared publicly. Not a bad moniker during the wait!)
http://www.asiahope.blogspot.com/2011/11/shane-fast-as-lightening.html
http://tenlittleducklings.blogspot.com/2013/03/shane.html
Doesn't he sound fun?? We've heard from other updates very much the same thing - that he is fast, active, full of personality, and a bit of a stinker, but really sweet and engaging. Looks like we may have our hands full with this one AND his "big" brother Joel.
Seth's limb difference is fairly complicated, and we don't really know what all will be involved once we get home. He has quite a bit of orthopedic work ahead, but we have an AMAZING ortho team who will help him achieve the best outcome. Joel has thrived under their care, and we expect even more great progress down the road for him. We are truly blessed with an incredible community that will welcome, embrace & care for our precious newest cowboy.
WHERE WE ARE NOW:
Our homestudy just completed its final revision stage. THANK YOU for helping us that piece paid off! Our homestudy agency filed paperwork with US Immigration (I-800a) on Friday. I spent Friday in paperwork heaven (or hades, depending on your perspective!) After 9 stops at various agencies & gov't offices (and 7 1/2 hours running the roads in Nashville area traffic, BLECH...), I was able to get the remainder of our documents ready for the final certification and approval, so basically, our dossier is nearly DONE. We are moving right along, except....
Now, we wait.
This is a hurry-up-get-your-stuff-signed-quickly-and-FedEx-it-back-then-wait-FOREVER-for-agencies-to-process-it journey.
Sigh...
Soon, we will be fingerprinted, and hopefully be approved with no real fanfare nor delays to bring a new family member into the country. That 1 page approval document is the last item to complete our dossier for submitting to Ch*na. If I get my birthday wish this week, that won't take more than 6 or 7 weeks.
Then, we can scramble around to get it notarized, certified, sanctified, glorified, and get it to our agency so they can finish our dossier and get it on its merry way to our little man's motherland A.S.A.P!!!!
Then, we will wait.
Again.
Ugh...
In the meantime, we're enjoying learning all we can about his home area and what our trip to a different province of Ch*na will look like. It's a sweet & fascinating piece of this puzzle that Seth's province is known for horses & grassland, even though he has not experienced that lifestyle. Yet. :) What a wonderful connection; we're eager to experience a little of it (albeit in the dead of winter!) when we travel. And, then bring that lil buckeroo home and introduce him to the "grasslands" of home.
(And, doesn't "Shane" sound like a good cowboy name?? It's how the former agency referred to him since Chin*se names are not shared publicly. Not a bad moniker during the wait!)
http://www.asiahope.blogspot.com/2011/11/shane-fast-as-lightening.html
http://tenlittleducklings.blogspot.com/2013/03/shane.html
Doesn't he sound fun?? We've heard from other updates very much the same thing - that he is fast, active, full of personality, and a bit of a stinker, but really sweet and engaging. Looks like we may have our hands full with this one AND his "big" brother Joel.
Seth's limb difference is fairly complicated, and we don't really know what all will be involved once we get home. He has quite a bit of orthopedic work ahead, but we have an AMAZING ortho team who will help him achieve the best outcome. Joel has thrived under their care, and we expect even more great progress down the road for him. We are truly blessed with an incredible community that will welcome, embrace & care for our precious newest cowboy.
WHERE WE ARE NOW:
Our homestudy just completed its final revision stage. THANK YOU for helping us that piece paid off! Our homestudy agency filed paperwork with US Immigration (I-800a) on Friday. I spent Friday in paperwork heaven (or hades, depending on your perspective!) After 9 stops at various agencies & gov't offices (and 7 1/2 hours running the roads in Nashville area traffic, BLECH...), I was able to get the remainder of our documents ready for the final certification and approval, so basically, our dossier is nearly DONE. We are moving right along, except....
Now, we wait.
This is a hurry-up-get-your-stuff-signed-quickly-and-FedEx-it-back-then-wait-FOREVER-for-agencies-to-process-it journey.
Sigh...
Soon, we will be fingerprinted, and hopefully be approved with no real fanfare nor delays to bring a new family member into the country. That 1 page approval document is the last item to complete our dossier for submitting to Ch*na. If I get my birthday wish this week, that won't take more than 6 or 7 weeks.
Then, we can scramble around to get it notarized, certified, sanctified, glorified, and get it to our agency so they can finish our dossier and get it on its merry way to our little man's motherland A.S.A.P!!!!
Then, we will wait.
Again.
Ugh...
In the meantime, we're enjoying learning all we can about his home area and what our trip to a different province of Ch*na will look like. It's a sweet & fascinating piece of this puzzle that Seth's province is known for horses & grassland, even though he has not experienced that lifestyle. Yet. :) What a wonderful connection; we're eager to experience a little of it (albeit in the dead of winter!) when we travel. And, then bring that lil buckeroo home and introduce him to the "grasslands" of home.
 |
| Definitely room in that saddle for lil brother |
 |
| Big Daddy G is NOT holding on. Little man is riding ALL BY HIMSELF!! |
 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)