Prayer Request For YiLin

A few weeks ago, we received a call from our adoption agency.  While reviewing YiLin's medical file, our Chinese representative, Alison, found the medical report from her last surgery in May.  Alison decided to read through it.  She found that there was a problem with YiLin's heart.  Our agency asked for the documents to be translated and emailed to us as soon as possible.  When we received the documents, at first glance it appeared that she had a PDA (small hole in her heart)  which is really not that big of a deal.  Surgery to repair it wouldn't be that extensive.  However, when we sent the report to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, we received a call from one of the Pediatric Cardiologist that told us something different.  According to the translation, the size of her pulmonary branch was extreamely underdeveloped and the right side of her heart was enlarged.  The doctor told us that IF this was an accurate report, her condition is life threatening and there is no surgery to correct this.  Jeremy and I sat there speechless.  Jeremy took my hand as tears formed in my eyes.  Yes, there is a possibility the report is accurate.  But there is also a possibility that there was an error in translation or that the doctors have made an error.  China doesn't have the greatest medical advances.  We were urged by the doctor to ask for another ecocardiogram asap.  That's just what we did.  However, we were warned by several other professionals and families that subjecting YiLin to more proceedures and tests could only increase the stress level for her and add more trama to her already difficult past.  So we called and asked for all tests to be cancelled.  They wouldn't do us any good anyway.  We don't wish to ask for a different child.  YiLin is our daughter and we already love her.  Besides, don't sick children still need a home and a forever family?  Vanderbilt has asked that we inform them as soon as we have a travel date so we can go ahead and schedule her for a series of tests as soon as we are home and able to travel.  I am reminded of the scripture that I read the morning we called the agency to tell them that we wanted to accept YiLin's referral.  I thought about all the prayers that we had prayed for God to send us that ONE child that He had for us.  We didn't want to have to pick....how could we?  But I kept questioning God.  Is this really her God?  Are you sure God, I'm not.  I had so much doubt that this little girl was the one to be my daughter.  As I opened my Bible and began to read from I Kings 18:21  the Lord spoke to me so loudly.  "How long halt ye between two opinions?  if the Lord be God, follow him:"  Ok....God,  I get it.  You've answered our prayers and brought her right to us.  Since then, I haven't doubted that YiLin is to be our daughter.........very sick heart or not.  Please keep YiLin in your prayers.

YiLin's Room

YiLin's Room is finished with the exception of removing the door and hanging beads in the closet doorway.  I already have 3 or 4 outfits and pj's washed, folded, and sitting on the bed near her backpack.  I really hope she likes pink.  Knowing my luck, she will be a tom boy and only want to wear camo!  Don't get me wrong; camo looks good on girls too and I love to hunt and fish.  I'm just looking forward to pink, ruffles, tutus and another person in the house that doesn't have to lift the lid to use the restroom ;0)  Jeremy on the other hand, is already planning her first fishing rod.....and it isn't one of those sissy rods either.  I often find myself wondering what she will be like.  Will she like to read?  Will she be creative and artistic?  Maybe she will like music, or maybe she won't.  Will she love animals like we do, or will she hate them?  Will she be shy or bold and friendly?  Does she like to swim, or is she afraid of water?  I really hope she likes being outside.  We stay outside a lot and really love most all outdoors activities.  Marshall and I can show her how to catch crawdaddies and Ian will have to introduce her to all his chickens.  I wonder if she will like to play in the sand like I did when I was a little girl.  Will she be a deer hunter like the rest of us?  Maybe she will want to try ballet.

Whatever she is like, I know she will be a blessing to us.  God picked her out just for us and he knows what He is doing.  YiLin will be just as God made her to be, fearfully and wonderfully made.

Praying she likes pink.....or at least purple,

Mary

Another Step Closer....

We received our NVC Letter last week and our agency filed for our Article 5 in Guangzhou, China.  This process usually takes a standard 2 weeks from the day it was dropped off.  However, The first week of October is holiday for China and it will add an extra week of waiting for us.  After our Article 5 is issued, our paperwork will be overnighted to another part of China where we then start the wait for our travel approval.  The normal wait time for this is about 5 weeks.  We should leave about 2 weeks later.  The Article 5 that we are now waiting on is the review of Yi Lin's visa petition. They will also be making sure everything is set for the adoption to be completed.

Jeremy and I attended the "Empowered to Connect" adoption conference this past weekend in Nashville and we feel blessed to have been a part of it.  It was hosted by Show Hope.  In July, we received a $3,000.00 grant from Show Hope and we are such big fans of their organization.  They really do a lot for orphan care.  The guest speaker during the conference was Karen Purvis.  She co-authored the book The Connected Child.  If you are adopting or have adopted, I highly recommend this book.  It's not like the others in that it teaches you how to deal with problems that adoption families encounter and how to focus on healing through relationship.  It was really a wake up call for Jeremy and I.  We certainly have a lot of work to do and our prayer is that we can be consistent and stick to it.

We will be mailing off our visas tomorrow.  There is really nothing left for us to do other than prepare for our trip and live life to the fullest with Ian and Marshall.  They are both doing very well in school this year.  I am amazed at how much Marshall has improved in his spelling.  I'm so thankful for God's goodness and the grace that He has given us as we continue through this process.  I am really counting on the Lord to provide all our needs....even the ones that seem troublesome.  I have to really believe deeply that His ways are higher than ours and know that He is going to take care of the problems that we see and the ones we don't.  Sometimes I am gripped with fear and overwhelmed by what I know we are facing.  It is during those times that I have to remind myself that my God is faithful and He will give us what we need, when we need it.  Worrying  about potential problems only shows God that I don't trust Him.  I will admit, sometimes I don't fully trust Him.  I mean too, but choose not too. 

We are in the process of putting together a team of people that we will rely on when our real adoption journey begins.  Those people include doctors and therapist, close family or friends that we can trust to be an anchor for us during difficult times, and other adoption families that we can go to for advice or help.  So far, I am lacking in some of these areas.....but once again, God will provide, right?  He has already given us several families that have shared their adoption experiences with us and we have already gone to them many times with problems and they have been wonderful.  Thank you Lord!  Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for all 4 of us to travel.  Yi Lin also needs your prayers that she will stay healthy, safe, and happy.  Pray that God will prepare her heart and mind for us....and that He will continue to prepare us to be exactly what God wants us to be for her.

I800 Approval

Saturday was long day but as we pulled up to the mailbox that evening to retrieve the mail, I was puzzled to see a long envelope from Immigration.  I just knew I had made a mistake on my I 800 application.  After all, it couldn't be approve yet.  As I sat in the driveway, I read over the form and over the form but couldn't figure out just what it was.  Finally, I see the box where it says Approval Notice.  OMG!  I couldn't believe it.  Thank the Lord.

Our next step was the National Visa Center.  Immigration sends our 800 approval to the Nation Visa Center and they log us in and issue us a GUZ#.  Then they send the logged in 800 approval to Guangdong where we will pick up YiLin's Visa during the final days of our trip.

Tomorrow, we have our 1st phone conference with the adoption agency to discuss our travel plans.  I'm so excited!  We are getting closer to meeting YiLin and I am so thankful.

LOA

After 120 + days, we finally have our LOA.  This Letter of Acceptance was issued by China and is their approval for us to adopt Yi Lin.  The wait was one of the most difficult times I've ever experienced.  It seemed to me like so many things went wrong in our lives while we waited for this magical piece of paper.  My faith was definately tested to the max.  I am very thankful for a few special people that God placed in our lives who prayed for us and encouraged us during this time.  As I look back on the months we spent waiting, I am confident that we were under spiritual attack.  I am reminded of the verse in the Bible where it talks about when we try to do good, evil is always present.  It made our wait 10 times harder than it would have been if all other areas in our lives were smooth sailing.  I will never forget the words of another adopting mom.  She said that the way we handle waiting on the Lord can be a form of worship to Him.  I thought about how I had worshipped the Lord and I was ashamed.  I began to search and search and pray and ask others to pray for me.  I received great comfort from Lamentations 3.  Verses 21-26 says "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.  It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning:  great is thy faithfulness.  The Lord is my portion, saith my soul;  therefore will I hope in him.  The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord."