Fingerprints Done!

During adoption mail delivery is like Christmas. 

Every day I hold my breath when the pile of mail is brought in. 

And Thursday I did a happy dance to see our fingerprint invitation arrived!

Today, Friday morning, we walked in to the Federal Building and they allowed us to be printed early. (Appointment was not till the 17th) 

 As we wait on the approval we are just crazy busy with finishing up the paperwork to mail off to various states for state seals saying they are all valid. For the record we have paperwork going to Illinois, Missouri, and Minnesota. Thank goodness no Pennsylvania this time! :-) I have piles on top of my piles. Just trying to check it all off. 

Things have really moved along very quickly, and we pray that they continue to do so. We have no doubt that our child is waiting. And while we do not know who that is exactly, it is still an amazing thought to think OUR child is out there. So while I try to be patient, when I picture that MY daughter or son is sitting in an orphanage, it sure puts me on my knees begging for those miracles. 

Asking for the miraculous as we wait for this last approval before we can officially send everything to China. And for the record, 22 days before I leave for China. The chance of this paperwork being done by then... 

Praying to see MIRACULOUS. 

Update on Paperwork

The shirt sales took over everything for the last month but they are now DONE!

My order was for 187 shirts. Is that amazing or what??

I will be spending next week shipping out all those shirts, AND folding tons up tightly to take with me to Chenzhou!

The hurry up and wait of adoption is still going.

I can't believe I did not post that we got our Illinois approval!

IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!

They did question a few things, so I thought for sure we were in trouble and would be waiting.

But God!!!!!!!

We quickly applied for the I-800 (government approval) and that is what we are currently waiting on.

We will be invited to be fingerprinted, and then we will wait some more.

I was told the "average" wait time is 40 days but it could take up to 90 days.

We are on day 14.

Of course we are always praying for miracles. So a fingerprint appointment NOW would be good. Really want to have all of our paperwork out of our hands before I leave for China. And I am believing that CAN happen!

We are still not matched with a child. We do not know who our child will be. We are just trusting that the Lord does.

We can't wait to find out!

Chenzhou Shirts for Sale!

This year for our orphanage donation we would like to raise funds to pay for Therapy Equipment for the children. Part of our efforts in raising the funds are these T-shirts for sale. We hope that you will consider purchasing a shirt to help with the equipment, but also to wear our story. Spreading the word about the precious children in China and why we go. 

To order a shirt please visit my Chenzhou blog by clicking 

HERE. 
**If you are not interested in a shirt but would like to purchase one for a child or nanny at the orphanage, you can purchase one and designate it to them. 

Clearances Cleared!

WOO HOO!!

Pennsylvania came through!

Ok, I totally know it was all God, but since I put PA down in the last post I figured I should give them a bit of credit.

But really, look how God works!

I prayed and asked everyone else to pray that those clearances would be in my mail before Monday.

Thursday, nothing.

Friday, nothing and a bit of worry they would not be there.

Saturday, I go out and the mail has not arrived. I text Mark and ask him to please pray that when the mail arrives, the clearances are there. Pray now.

5 minutes later I walk out and THEY WERE THERE!

LOVE seeing God show off like that.

That phone call on Monday said 6-8 weeks.

But God!!!!!

So thankful and feeling excited to see what else is going to happen here.

The next prayer is that Illinois would have a quick turn around.

We waited 6 weeks for our approval last time.

2 weeks is my prayer this time.

Or less.

Homestudy SO close

So what is happening in paper purgatory you wonder? NOTHING. Well nothing enough for ME to be excited about. 

Last week our Pennsylvania clearances arrived at the house. When I saw the envelope I was so excited. Till I opened it and saw it said we were REJECTED. Why you ask? Because I did not list our parents names as having lived with them. WHY would I think they actually want my parents names for MY child abuse clearance? I quickly RE filled it out and sent it off. Today I called to see if I could check on the status. The recording said to expect a 6 -8 week wait and the call volume was high so call back later to speak to a representative. 

Pennsylvania, I will never reside in your state again. Unless by some miracle that form arrives before my final meeting with my Social Worker on Monday. And then I probably won't reside in you anyways, but I might not be so angry. 

We also had a scare with one of Mark's blood tests. Not a scare about the test because we knew it was wrong. A scare that it could cost us an extra 6-8 weeks. Praise the Lord a re-test at a new lab and all is well. We are done with everything WE can be done with. Just waiting.

 On Monday I meet with the Social Worker for our final visit and then she submits the homestudy to the state. Maybe Illinois will pleasantly surprise us. 

 This part is just frustrating. YES I know it is in God's hands and I don't doubt that. BUT the fact of how backwards the system is infuriates me. When you KNOW there are children waiting. In this day and age we are still handwriting forms and mailing them back and forth. Kids in school get textbooks on their IPAD but government forms are handwritten. I don't get it.

So, that is that. Besides adoption, life goes on. 2 months from today and I will be back to my beloved China for our mission trip. We have a busy summer as always. Life slows down for summer but gets crazier all at the same time. I know that I plan to enjoy it to the fullest with the five miracles that are here knowing that life is going to be so, so different the following summer.