For such a time as this, we are chosen

Lately I've pouted about this wait time, "If we had been 6 months earlier (before Hague) or 6 months later (after everyone figured out how to deal with Hague) things would be clearer." I've asked, "Why God? Why does this wait have to be so long? Why me, and most importantly, why MY SON?" And today I feel the Lord's answer...

For such a time as this, my child, you were chosen, and your son who is also mine, was chosen. The timing is perfect for you.

So then the Lord opened my eyes to realize that it isn't just me! It's all of us parents who are waiting, whether it's in the nsn or sn line. Our own births were ordained by God in His time, and we were chosen to adopt our children at this time. I like to think that God chose us to adopt at this time because he knew that it would require parents with either a lot of patience or those of us who need to learn to wait with patience; or for whatever reason. I am not alone, and I was chosen!

I don't understand this, as I read more about how the time in an orphanage impacts our children in so many negative ways. Back in December God told me that He has this under control. I'm here and ready, but God says, "Not yet."

And so it goes, more waiting...and I continue to learn what it truly means to "Let go and let God." All I know is that the pain I feel is nothing compared to what God went through having His son die for us. So yes, I will wait, knowing the Lord's timing is perfect, for such a time as this.

Sleepless Saturday

I jumped up at 6am for a meeting, arrived home after 2. Now I am doing report cards--a great rainy Saturday in the Northwest! I actually love the rain with a good cup of coffee. There is something calming about it...maybe because I grew up in a temperate rain forest where we averaged 150 inches of rain per year!

We are at Day 52 of waiting for LOC. It is getting worse everyday, knowing Tyson is in an orphanage, and it is out of our control. I did figure out how to get his finding ad, so I'm working on that now. I am also working on filling out the I-800, I-864W, and the DS 230. Those in the adoption world who fall under Hague know what a pain those are! I am just trying to be ready for the moment we get "the call" that LOC is here. That will most likely not be until the end of April, but hey, I may as well be ready, right?

I still have green nails...they grew on me, and it makes me wonder what I'll do next! It's kind of a random thing to do while I wait. So, thanks for reading this, and hopefully next week I'll have something more exciting to post.

DAY 45 and still waiting...

This is hopefully the 1/2 way point between our LID and LOC. I have to keep telling myself that everyday gets us closer to Tyson. In the meantime, I have the I-800 and DS-230 to fill out so that when the LOC comes, those forms are ready to go! We are still hoping for LOC in Mid-April, but now there's new paperwork between LOC and TA, so now we're probably looking at July travel. OUCH! That hurts. That also means we'll be sending a care package for Tyson's birthday, June 22nd. We had hoped to celebrate it with him in China.

I am somewhat ill today. I have a cold and a sore throat, and just don't feel that great. I did get my nails done on Thursday and had them painted BRIGHT GREEN! They are obnoxious, and I think they are crazy, so the plan is to get new color on Monday. But, my sixth graders think they are pretty sweet, one student thinks they look like monster nails. So if the kids like them, I might keep the color a little longer. But conferences are coming up, so I will have to change that color before then. I mean, we are talking 1980's neon green here! The color was supposed to honor St. Patrick's Day, but I think it's an 80's tribute. Maybe I should post a pic? It's not my most professional move, but it's been fun.

Oh, tonight I am going to a dinner, a very special dinner. A former sixth grade student of mine who is now a Senior went on a mission trip to Africa last summer. Her senior project is to raise as much money as possible to sponsor a 5 year old girls for as long as possible. It is $45 a month to sponsor this child. What an amazing project for a senior in high school to take on!

Please keep Tyson's health and growth in your prayers. When we get him, we want a happy and healthy two year old!

I saw this on another blog, and it made me feel so much better. I know that God is doing great work in our lives as we wait for Tyson. I love the perspective of this:

A child sat on Jesus' lap in the splendor of heaven.
The child asked, "Is it time?"Jesus parted the clouds, looked and said,"No, not yet child."
The child asked "When will it be time?"Jesus replied, "When lessons are learned,hardships endured, and loneliness lived,then it will be time."
Time passed. The child asked, "Is it time?"Jesus parted the clouds, looked and said,"No, not yet child."
The child asked, "When will it be time?"Jesus replied, "When maturity is reached,self-worth affirmed and spirits strengthened, then it will be time."
Time passed. The child asked, "Is it time?"Jesus parted the clouds, looked and said,
"Their love is strong and their hearts are open.Yes, now it is time-Your parents are ready."~author unknown

1/3 of the way to LOC?

We are at day 31 of waiting today. Lots of people are waiting over 100 days now, which is so very sad for all these kids waiting to be united with their forever families. We continue to trust God and have faith that our Tyson is doing well and is healthy. This waiting is really getting to me.

Today is the first Saturday in months that we have had no plans. We are out doing yard work, and of course that just means finding more projects to do. We have lived here for almost 5 years, and every year we do another project. The goal is to make the lot as maintenance-free as possible. So why is that so much work?

Kacie just finished Basketball, so now it's just swimming lessons twice a week. I just spent 2 day in Portland at a technology conference, and WOW! I didn't know what I didn't know! I have decided that Kacie needs a Mac. I am currently looking at used and refurbished macs for her. She did a podcast at school and was so excited about it. There is no reason she couldn't do it at home too. When we travel to China, I'm hoping she will do some of the updates on our blog.

That's it for now. I need to get back outside before the light is gone! Come on spring and LOC!

We have a log in date!

Our LID is 1/21/09. A little later than I had hoped, but I'll take it! That means we have officially been waiting for our LOC for 14 days. Unfortunately 5 of those were Chinese New Year, but still, it's 14.

The word in the rumor mill is that the CCAA has added yet ANOTHER step due to the Hague requirements. Ughhh! When will this ever end! I had assumed a June travel. Now, July might be more the reality. I guess the good news would be that I wouldn't have to use any sick leave this year, and it could all be taken next year.

I have to step back and remember that God has this all in His hands. It's in His time, not mine. It will all work out.

PS: I forgot to add this: Our LID is so cool because it is exactly 10 months from the date that I first went to talk to our agency and the day we officially decided to adopt!

So what exactly are we waiting for?--Waiting 101

"Why do you have to wait so long?" I get this question a lot. This week was especially hard because with Chinese New Year, everything in China stops, as this is a major holiday with tons of tradition. This year is the year of the Ox. CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) is closed for the week, so no paperwork is processed for 5 days. So here is what we are waiting for, and what some of the adoption abbreviations mean. This is only based on what I have learned from reading other blogs.

DTC: Dossier to China. This is the date that your dossier (paperwork that has been notarized, certified by the state, and authenticated by the Chinese Consulate in SF, CA). Ours is Jan. 5, 2009.

LID: Log In Date. We are currently waiting to learn what ours is. This is when your dossier is officially logged in to China's system, and the wait officially begins. Just because we don't know yet does not mean we are not logged in. It is common to not know for awhile. This date is usually 1-2 weeks after DTC.

LOA/LOC/LOSC: Depending your agency or website you are reading, these all mean the same thing. This is the official Letter of Confirmation, or the big "YES" from China. So not only are we waiting to find out what our LID is, at the same time, we are waiting on this piece of paper. From reading other's blogs, i know that this takes about 3 months on average from the LID. Keep in mind that I will have 5 extra days due to Chinese New Year, so we are hoping to get this in mid April. Then there is more paperwork, and you send that back to China and then wait for TA.

TA: I'm not sure of the the exact meaning, but basically it is the permission to travel and make your travel plans. This comes on average 5 weeks after LOA. When you get this, you have the green light! I have seen people travel in 2-5 weeks from TA. The agency sets the Consulate Appointment (CA) and when you have that, you travel about 2 weeks before.

And this is why we HOPE to travel in June! We shall see though. I'd go tomorrow if I could!

Have a great weekend. We are off to another basketball game for Kacie (she made her first basket in a game last week!).

Another Referral Picture--but no new info.

Changzhou will not send me new pictures. It makes me crazy! I still do not know my Log-In Date in China. Many people who sent their Dossiers at the same time do have their log ins, so I have to trust God and my agency that mine is logged in. It would be nice to know.

So here's another picture of our boy, Tyson. We believe this picture was taken at about the same time as the other one, making him about 11 months old. Kacie loves this picture for some reason. She always asks to see it. When I get my approval in China, hopefully in April, I will write more about his name. It will just feel like the right time. You just have to ignore the pink vest...it's so common for boys to be in pink in the orphanages. Dan can guarantee you that Tyson will not be in pink once home!

Chinese New Year Care Package

I kept this package rather simple. I really wanted him to get a new outfit (hope it fits!) and a toy. I love the shirt on the panda bear. The candy is for the nannies, and the camera is in hopes that they will take pictures. I may not have pictures now, but I hope to later! I wrote a very brief letter thanking them for caring for him.

We have not heard if we are logged in yet, and we may not know for awhile. The good news is that people who mailed their dossier at the same time of us already have log in dates (LID), so I am assuming mine is logged in too. I can't start the official counting days until I know my LID.

Please continue praying for Tyson Li Chen and that our paper work will get through quickly. He is very tiny and underweight, but we know he is growing!

Dossier is off to China!

We were told today our dossier is being sent to China! Yay!!! Hang on Tyson, we're making this happen as quick as we can!

Funny story: We bought a new truck last week (O8 Toyota Tundra), as we will be a family of 4, and actually Kacie is now outgrowing the back of our older truck (97 Ford F150) that has a cab. We took the new truck to basketball last Saturday, and she picked up a snack at the grocery store on the way home. Since it's a new truck, there's a "no eating in the truck" rule in effect. She asked, "Mom, can I eat my snack?" and of course explained no she couldn't. Here's her response: "Well, does Tyson get to eat in the truck?" Can you believe that?

Good bye 2008!

Good-bye to this year. The year that we decided to pursue adoption and had no idea the wild ride we'd be on. The year we learned that we would have a little boy someday. The year that God opened our hearts to children with special needs and showed us the beauty of all children and all people.

Although there have been a lot of tears this year over the daughter we'd never have, biological or adoptive, there have been tears of joy over of our new son. I know God has really been opening my eyes to people with all types of special needs, and I am learning to see the beauty in all people. This is spilling over into my teaching career, my dealings with the public, and the way I view life in general. We are all created to be unique and beautiful in our own way.

In 2009, I am looking forward to so many things. My little Kacie will be 8 in June--how did that happen? We hope to get our Tyson in June too, sooner God willing, but in His perfect time. I also plan to stop working as a National Board Facilitator so that I can focus more on my family and my school. Have I mentioned that I love my school? Well, I love my school. God blessed me with a great place to work. Working as a National Board Certification Facilitator has been a great opportunity, but I want to make more of a difference in my school building rather than on a district/state level. Time is one thing I don't have, so when something else goes on the plate, something else comes off!

With that, keep Tyson in your prayers! Thank you, and Happy New Year!

Package Received on Christmas Eve

I just returned from a nice Christmas Eve with Dan's family. They really are very loving people, and we talked about how this would be my last "sit down" Christmas for awhile! Tyson will be A 2 year old next year running wild, I'm sure.

I came home to an email from red thread, and Tyson has received his package. I hope they take pictures so I can pick up the camera when we get him and have 18 month photos. I wish I could get photos now! But, I'll take knowing he got the package. I hope he knows that there is a family waiting to love him and give him a great home. Merry Christmas everyone!

Referral Picture! Meet Tyson

Here's the picture we fell in love with! We think he's about 11 months in this photo, as it is post lip surgery. His DOB is 6/22/07. We think he's adorable and we can't wait to get him home!

Snowed in 12/23

I am snowed in, again. My neighbor couldn't even get her van from her driveway to our road without really spinning her wheels. I was so worried, as it is a BIG van, and I surely couldn't push it by myself. Am I done Christmas shopping? That's a big NEGATIVE! We have Kacie's gifts. Nephews are done. Others, not so much. This kind of weather just doesn't hit our area like this for weeks at a time....it just doesn't! This is so bizarre. At least there is no school this week, and we only have 2 days to make up from last week. Hopefully I'll be in China and not have to worry about it in June. I know several of you are praying for us, and for that we are eternally grateful. As I prayed the other day, God revealed clearly to me that He will be caring for Tyson while we wait for him. It was so reassuring! Please help us cover Tyson, his orphanage, and caretakers all in prayers. Thank you!

Picture of the package

Snow day and update!

Snow day! We missed school Monday and today (Friday). We had late starts Tuesday and Thursday. We might get a day or two of this weather once in a while, but this cold for this long is very rare, and we are just not equipped to fully deal with this much snow and cold weather where we live. It's not worth the cities and counties having snow plows for the 2x in a lifetime they would get used. I hope to get some pics up soon.

As for Tyson, he has grown a little more, not a lot more, but a little. I'm worried about him not getting enough to eat, he is soooooo tiny! He is now 18 months. He is in the 3rd percentile for height and below the chart for height. The orphanage will not release any pictures to Ann at Red Thread (she is so nice by the way and I highly recommend her; Adele at Blessedkids is good too, but my orphanage wouldn't give her anything at all; Ann got measurements). We know he has 7 teeth. He's just tiny, all the way around. But, if there's one thing that 's not a shortage in my house, it's food! He'll gain weight like crazy between getting home and surgery. This process is way too long.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Finally ordered the Care Package!

Finally! Did you know that when you use paypal for the first time, you have to wait for a 4 digit code on your cc statement before you can use it? Or maybe it was just me, but I couldn't order it until I had the code. So finally today the code showed up, and I made the order! I am using redthread, and it's a lady named Ann who puts together the package and sends it from inside China. I doubt our little guy will get it before Christmas, but at least he will get it. Since this is the first of many packages, I sent: a book, a stuffed animal, a disposable camera that we will get when we get to China, a blanket, and then tea and cookies for the staff. I am so happy he will get some stuff. I plan to do another package next month for Chinese New Year, and I will include a family picture for him so he recognizes us when we get there.

We faxed the I-800A approval yesterday, and I had to drive in compact snow and ice to do it. School was cancelled, which was plan A for faxing, and I wasn't driving into town to fax it, so I asked my wonderful friend if I could use her fax machine, and she of course said yes! (It's amazing...not one person has turned us down for help in our journey to adopt little Tyson. Everyone has been incredible!) So I was driving to her house down one of the little side roads in our neighborhood, and as I turned a corner to go up a hill, I made it half way up the hill, and my tires spun and spun, yet we went no where! So I safely backed my car to the side of the road and Kacie and I walked to our friends' house, paperwork in hand as we stepped carefully to not slip and fall. Oh the stories we'll have to tell Tyson!

I-800A Approval

Yes yes yes!!! 12/8/08 officially. Still a few hurdles, but we are hopefully traveling in June!
Jolene

Still no news

I am so sad today. What was supposed to be "in the next few days" has now been a week without an I-800A approval. My little boy is in an institution, and I can't do anything about it, and no one seems to care. My dossier will not be in China before the end of December without a miracle. I know it's in God's perfect timing, but I don't understand why my little Tyson has to stay in an orphanage so long when all we want is to get him home and help him thrive and live a good life. I just don't get it.

We've been assigned an officer!

One step closer...I called NBC this morning (National Benefits Center of USCIS) and our I800A paper work is now on someone's desk! Yay! We have an officer assigned to our case. I'm praying that we'll hear something by Friday.