An Early Christmas Gift Came......We Received Our TA

God is good!!!! No matter how much I grumble and complain, He still has my best interest at heart. Thankfully, He didn't give me what I wanted when I wanted it, just to shut me up! The whole timing and events that followed receiving our TA is truly amazing.

On Tuesday, December 22, 2009, Aimee called to tell us our Travel Approval and our Consulate Appointment had come in. It was such an amazing morning to hear the wonderful news especially so close to Christmas.

We are to leave for China on January 13, 2010. We will arrive on the 14th. Our Consulate Appointment is either the 25th or 26th (the date was still in the air). Our return flight will be January 28th. We're still waiting on the details with dates while in China. I'm anxious to know when we will meet Jiju/Selah for the first time!

Tuesday evening while driving home from AR, I received a call from the travel agency asking to confirm our itinerary!!!! That sure made things real!! As I was driving, speaking to Mike the feeling was so surreal. We talked quite awhile and I felt bold enough to ask if he made Vickie's travel plans too. He said he hadn't, but he can check to see if we are on the same flights. I think it was the story of our daughters friendship and the amazing feat of God allowing us to know the same person who would be able to introduce us that caused him to be so accomodating and even more helpful.

Mike was so happy to tell me that on our flights to and from China, we were all going to be only 4 and 5 rows apart. Even our seat letters were the same. So as it stood at that moment we were literally only rows apart right behind each other!!!!

Vickie and I were amazed. We both thought of how her paperwork was held up for 30 days after her LOI and how my paperwork after LOI went exceptionally fast. My SW had told me a couple times that she was surprised things had slowed down considering our paperwork was moving extremely fast. This is a gift that has God's handprints all over it!!!!

I am thankful and still in awe over the Majesty of my Creator.

Jiju/Selah.......We're coming to bring you home!!!!!!! I can't wait for the day you can read all of this blog. This whole blog has been created with you in mind. Soon you will be able to know how much we have anticipted your arrival!!!

Thinking of Selah.....

I've found myself thinking of Jiju/Selah and found watching this video to be very helpful. The only way I can post it is by pasting the link. Hopefully, she will be home soon!!!!

http://misc.bethany.org/files/China/17.html

I wanted to post on Tuesday, December 15th but I was just too sad to post. Tuesday was our 3rd month of waiting since our LOA. We are now on the far end of the wait. In fact, today we're now 3 days into the far end of waiting. It's been a hard week anyway, with Christmas programs, church events, parties, shopping etc. The kids have all been sick with bad colds and have been home needing lots of mama's love. Ellie has bronchitis and has had and allergic reaction to her medication and we didn't get home from the emergency room until 5:30am. I'm on a detox program that is wiping me out, and on top of that Stephanie invited her new "boyfriend" over to meet our family in the midst of our chaos. Probably not a great time to set a very good impression, but, I guess as my MIL says...."it is what is it is!!!! It would have been nice to have fooled him into thinking we're like the Brady bunch.....maybe next time!!!! I need to be on the hunt for an Alice!!!!

Ok---so I got that out of my system. Now for the real reason for posting. After receiving Vickie's good news call and totally killing the wonderful moment by crying on the phone with her, I realized it was time to write down what's been on my mind so I can put things in perspective.

The reason for my tears is simply a realization there is a possiblilty Kelly, Kennadi and Selah will not leave the orphanage together. In my Pollyanna way of thinking, I really believed we would travel together. I think reallity sunk in when I heard from Vickie. I am so thrilled for Vickie, her family and Kelly. It is way past time for them to get their daughter home. Vickie has been in this process for the past 3 years, that's twice as long as us. I can't even imagine how wonderful this news had to be for her..... I hate that I cried on her parade!!!!

I haven't given up on the fact that we have the chance of traveling together, however, if we don't hear something by Christmas, we probably won't be traveling together. And I can finally say.... I accept that!

God's plans are perfect and I could never fully understand the mind of God. All I can do is trust that He wants what's best and I want whatever that best will be, even if I have to wait.

Vickie, Glenna and I are committed to keeping the girls relationship in tact. If we don't travel together we still have each other here in the U.S.

While writing this post a ladybug landed on the counter less than a foot away from me.....could this be the Chinese sign of good things to come????

CONGRATULATIONS VICKIE!!!!!!

Today Vickie called to share her wonderful news. Her family FINALLY received their TA. Kelly will be coming home soon!! I'm so so so HAPPY for Vickie and her family. Three years into the process and thankfully they will be bringing their little girl home!

When we received our referrals, we were allowed to ask questions concerning our child. One of Vickie's questions related to Kelly's attachment to others. When asking this question, she was trying to learn of her daughter's ability to attach with others, with the hope of finding a particular caregiver important to her. She never would have dreamed how God was going to use that question to bless her. When the answers to the questions came, Vickie was informed Kelly was attaching very well and they listed the name of Kelly's best friend......Jiju!!

Vickie met another mom adopting in her area and had been corresponding throughout the process. She shared the news with her new friend about the name of the little girl listed as Kelly's best friend. This is where another miracle comes in..... Vickie's new friend is my friend Glenna, who adopted at the same time we adopted Ellie. We traveled together in China to receive our first adopted daughters from the same orphanage. Once again we are adopting from the same orphanage!!!! Glenna e-mailed me about Vickie's story. She inquired if I knew what a little girl named Jiju looked like or if I remember seeing her on the portal. She asked if I had noticed any posts on the boards of who, or if anyone was going to adopt Jiju. I thought I was going to fall off my chair because.....Jiju..... is my daughter!!!!! What are the chances in this great big world for something like that to happen? God in His great love for these girls, united their forever mommies miles away from each other. There are never any guarantees of traveling together and chances seem greater that we wouldn't. If we don't travel together, we probably would never have had the gift of knowing of this precious relationship.

Since we've found out about each other, we've been corresponding through e-mail and phone conversations. Even though I've known Vickie for such a short time and have only seen one picture of her, I can honestly consider her a friend. I imagine when we get the girls together in the states we will share more than friendship.....we will be like FAMILY!!!!!

Vickie's one question has blessed me in so many ways. I am and will be forever grateful for my new friend!

God bless you Vickie......your precious daughter is coming HOME!!!!!!!!