Tuesday, May 22, 2007

The application is complete...we think

Today Don left the house with an extra special package--the completed application for mei mei. He will be sending this to our agency in New York City today and it should be in their hands sometime this week.

While this is a big milestone, the application is just the beginning of the paperwork we need to complete. It included financial statements, birth certificates, our marriage certificate, medical exams, proof of health insurance, reference letters, pictures of our house and family, criminal records, among other documents and a big fat check.

Some people ask will the process be easier or quicker because we've done this before? No, no, no. We do everything from scratch. It may be a touch easier because we are familiar with the process; however, things change so we don't want to get lax when completing the paperwork. Attention to detail is CRITICAL!

Now what??? We wait to get approved and hopefully our homestudy will be scheduled within the next few weeks. In the meantime we hope we can begin knocking out other paperwork for the dossier which is the packet of paperwork that will eventually be sent to China.

A big thank you to our dear friend, John Skipworth, for coming to our doctor's office yesterday, enduring the almost 90 minute wait, and notarizing a big stack of documents. We can't thank you enough for your help and flexibility.

We'll keep adding updates as we hit milestones...Thanks for praying for us as we race to get everything completed.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

A letter


My dear daughter,

Although I feel confident you haven't been physically conceived, you have been emotionally conceived. Right now you are a tiny little seed that has been planted in my heart. As your daddy and I complete each new piece of paperwork, you grow just a bit more in my heart and that brings me one step closer to you. One day, we will bring you home and you will complete our family.

It is a long time before I will ever see your face or hold you for the first time. I take comfort in knowing God will be watching you all the time while I can't. He knows all about what will happen and when...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

On Mother's Day, I want you to know you are in my heart and I love you a little bit more each day!

Love,
Mommy