Adoption TiMeLiNe so far!!!

Here's the highlights of our adoption timeline....these dates do not include when we first felt the 'nudge' to adopt, the HELLO moment of let's do it etc...but here's some of the important dates. We sent in our application to adopt last Feb. We are currently, 11 months paper pregnant.

Referral 9/20/2010

LOI 9/20/2010

PA 9/20/2010

LOA 11/24/2010

1-800 12/17/2010

NVC 1/6/2011

Article 5 1/20/2010

TA-

CA-

CoMe On! Travel Approval...time's a flyin'!

On another note, we went to WinterJAM this past Sunday. We waited in line for 2 and 1/2 hours which was worth it because we got seats on the floor. We were seated right next to the second smaller stage where a few of the singers perform and the speakers speak. Tony Nolan did his preaching from right there...it was awesome. I enjoy hearing him speak. His testimony is an amazing one to hear. The first time I heard it was at Winter Jam 2009. Just the previous year, we had an unexpected pregnancy followed by a miscarriage. I had already gotten the adoption bug, when our friends Marc and Sherry came home with their baby girl and the miscarriage intensified this desire to parent another little one.  But I thought back to us and thought who adopts when they are in their 40's and when they already have 3 kids...(apparently many people do)...lol

So, Tony Nolan shared his testimony at WinterJam. He was an orphan himself. If you have not heard his testimony...hear it or read his book Hurt Healer: Reaching out to a Broken World. He also, shared about the need to sponsor orphans and the need to walk in obedience to the scripture of James 1:27. He then shared how they were adopting a little girl from China too. I listened to his story, and weeped. I asked Karl did he hear his story? (lol) The next year, Winter Jam rolled around again, I had already been feeling the strong desire to adopt and had been praying and talking to the hubby about it. He said he was not sure, but he was open...If God wanted us to do it, He'd push us right through the doors. So Karl and the kids planned to go to Winter Jam 2010, I did not go...I knew that Tony Nolan would be sharing his story, he'd be advocating for the orphan, and he might just have some news on his adoption of his China girl. Karl went, came home and said that Tony Nolan shared his story, and introduced everyone to his newly adopted little girl from China. My hubby said to me "maybe we need to do this thing, every where I turn it's adoption, adoption, adoption....China, China, China..." He also said, We won't go wrong helping the orphan." So the rest is history...after almost a year of paperwork and more paper work, a clean septic tank, pet shots, kids check-ups, our checkups, waiting and more waiting, $$$and more$$$.  passports, visas, adoption reading and education, re-building the "nursery" (cause 40-somethings have usually by this time given all their baby stuff away)....we await travel approval!

I heard Tony Nolan's story again this year at Winter Jam. I tried not to weep when I heard about the orphans.  The whole family was a little emotional. So, I emailed Tony Nolan and told our story. He emailed back! He said that he was inspired. I am thankful for people like Tony that share the story that God has given them so that they can be an encouragement and blessing to others.

James 1:27 (New Living Translation)

²⁷ Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Please pray for us as we continue our adoption journey. Pray for favor as we travel out of the country. Pray that she bonds well with us. Pray that she comes to know Jesus at an early age and seeks to serve Him all the days of her life. Pray that God would parent through us and that He would make all the rough places plain...that HE would love her through us and that HE would love us through her. Pray that HE is glorified! In Jesus' Name!