Becca's Final Update

Everything is moving along!! Tomorrow, we expect our Article 5 to be dropped off in China, and we'll wait exactly two weeks for that process. Then we'll begin our wait for Travel Approval (TA) from the CCCWA. That should only take a few weeks, and then we'll get our Consulate Appointment and start booking all our travel!! Josh and I could be traveling in just 6 weeks or so!! We're getting really anxious, obviously, but we are trying to stay busy and enjoy each precious day that we have from the Lord. We know there are significant challenges ahead and probably many sleepless nights in the near future, so we're trying to prepare ourselves (and Sydney and Brody) as much as possible. We were able to get a letter to Becca last month. I hope it made sense to her, and I pray that she is getting lots of chances to get familiar with our faces through the photo album we sent a while back. We expect this to be a really tough transition for her. She is 3 years old, and institutionalized living is all she has ever known. She is not going to understand what a family is and will have absolutely NO idea what we are saying in English. We expect she will experience a grieving period, as she leaves the people who have cared for her this past year and the kids she has lived with for so long. We don't expect her to understand that life is about to change for the better, as she enters a forever family. As far as she knows, we are going to be two strangers who don't look like her and don't speak her language. So, please pray with us for Becca and our family as we enter a time of VERY intentional bonding and attachment. I have no doubt that God is going to do great things, because that is what our great God does! In Sydney's own words from tonight, "Something bad happens, and then BOOM! God just turns in right around." Beauty from ashes. I am so excited to see God transform the life and story of our precious Becca Fei, and we are just so thrilled to be first-hand witnesses! 

This afternoon we were SO excited to receive our final update from Becca's orphanage (final, what a beautiful word)!! This included her measurements so we have an idea of what size clothes and shoes to bring for her, as well as a couple of new pictures!! 

Is she not the most precious girl you've ever seen?!? Granted, I may be a little biased, but seriously...she is TOO CUTE! This is the first picture we've ever seen of her in a dress. ;) So sweet, even though I am really not a dress kinda girl. Be on the look out for more exciting news in the coming weeks!! Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement!!! We love you all!! 

Wonderful Deeds

"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;

I will recount all Your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and exalt in You;

I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High."

Psalm 9:1

God is SO good. All the time. On our mountain tops and down in our deepest valleys. He is present, He is sovereign and He is purposeful. In joyful news of progress and in the long waiting, He has been with us and has done wonderful deeds. Our family has SO much to recount and praise Him for. As we wait on our I-800 approval and move closer to traveling, I am taking some time to reflect on this past year and what He has done. 

1. HIS PROVISION. God has stretched us in this area, but He has been faithful to provide our needs every step of the way. At one point last year, we had a payment coming up and did not have the funds. We literally had $12 in our checking account and our "Adoption Fund" savings account did not have enough to cover the payment that was due in a couple of weeks. I was beginning to worry, when we got a "surprise" check for an overpayment that we made when we closed on our house almost a year prior. Why do I worry, when I know that His eye is on the sparrow?? The check gave us enough funds to make that next payment! We dug our heels in and worked hard at fundraising, and God has rewarded us greatly. We are now almost fully funded for this adoption!!! Praise the Lord! For those curious, here's the breakdown of how God has provided the necessary funds:

Grants (incl. matching)  $8,000 Our personal funds  9,000 Wolfe Benefit Night  3,200 Paypal/cash donations  2,600 Garage/book sales  2,280 Sponsor-a-Block Quilt  900 RB jewelry  690 Other  450 Total raised  $27,120

2. GENEROSITY OF OTHERS. Fundraising...ugh...I DREADED the thought of it. But God turned our financial weakness into a glorious display of the generosity He has called His church to. Our community of friends and family - both those out of town and our local church family - GAVE. You gave generously and consistently. Once you knew of our need, you stepped in and cheerfully met it. Adoption is costly, but as the church grows to understand the corporate and individual call to care for orphans worldwide and then gives financially toward that mission...more families will be able to fulfill this call God has placed on their lives. Our largest fundraiser (and the most fun) was a Benefit Dinner, Silent Auction and Scavenger Hunt back in June. It recently dawned on me that I never blogged about our benefit!! Oops. I only posted about it on Facebook. There were SO many people that played an important role in making that fundraiser a success; the total amount raised was over $3,000!! Some extremely gracious, hard-working, talented folks from our church stepped up and put together the night for us - Karen Allen (catering), Mary Schneider (silent auction), Erin Richardson (scavenger hunt), Dave & Cathy Ocasek (venues) and Jeremy & Allie Brannon (childcare). Then there were all the folks who came, setup, donated goods, bid, watched kids, cleaned up, etc. Here is a link to the album of pictures from the night - SO MUCH FUN!! 

3. HIS CHOICE. When Josh and I first began looking at the Waiting Children lists, it was tough. I felt like I could be drawn to any number of these precious children, and we did not know what to expect. Would we "just know" when we saw her face? There were a few children that Josh and I requested more information on, and we took time to look through their files and pray for God's direction and choice. We received some great advice from our Lifeline Adoption Buddy and our Social Worker about the process. One morning, Josh called me from work and said "Yep, this is her. Let's move forward and see if God confirms or puts up a roadblock." We were not yet "logged in" with China, but in order to be matched with her, we had to be. Becca's file was set to go back to the Shared List before we would be logged in, and she would likely have been matched with another family at that point. Our agency requested an extension for us, and we received it just in time! I am talking literally days. We have fallen head over heals in love with this precious little girl that we now call Becca Fei!!

4. COMMUNITY. Thinking of our local church just brings me to tears. We LOVE our church family. They have been behind us 110% since we started this adoption journey. Our neighbors, our family, our friends, our agency, all the adoption folks we've met on the web....oh my goodness. God has shown up time and time again in this web of people we call our community! It seems like I can't leave the house anymore without God bringing someone into my path that is somehow tied to adoption!! It has been SO encouraging and uplifting. Just this week, I have connected with two moms who have little ones also waiting at Becca's orphanage!! The one mom and I even have pictures of our kids sitting right next to each other eating cake at Becca's birthday party that we threw! It's been so neat to see God connect so many dots in this process. Makes me smile ear to ear. 

5. HIS CARE. It is hard to live each day knowing that your child is not with you, but is instead living in institutionalized care half a world a way. To know that she needs medical care she isn't able to get and you can't yet provide it to her. But, God has given us peace in a variety of ways. First, we know that our little girl is first a child of God. He knows her needs and her hurts. He knows her heart. And He loves her more than is humanly possible. We have a peace that God is working to prepare her to join our family during this wait. He has a purpose and a plan, and He is for her. Second, we are blessed to know that Becca is in one of the nicest orphanages in the world! This is the second orphanage she has lived in, but we've seen pictures of the daytime facilities at this orphanage, which look similar to a daycare you would see in the U.S. That is a comfort to this Momma's heart. Lastly, she has already received some tangible care. Some of you have asked about Becca's special needs. She was born with cleft lip and palate, and also has some vision care needs. Her cleft lip was repaired when she was 18 months old through the Tomorrow Plan, but she will still need several surgeries when she gets home. But, we have learned that Atlanta has one of the most experienced craniofacial teams in the U.S.!! Oh, how wondrous God's care is!! And so many times, God's care comes through our obedience. So cool. As some of you know, our two bio kids require glasses, and Brody's eye doc happens to be Chinese. I cannot wait to take Miss Becca to see him!!! We will also have bonding, language and development to work on when she arrives home, and I LOVE that stuff. Bonding will be our first priority - more to come on that. I can't wait to get started!! ;) Our expectation is that Becca does not know a word of English, will definitely need speech therapy and is likely at about 18 months developmentally, due to being in institutionalized care for most of her life. Much to do, and I am so looking forward to seeing God work in all these areas.

God is SO good. I realize this is getting long, so let me cut to the chase for today...Praise Jesus with us! These next couple months before we travel, there are A LOT of things to take care of...I-800 approval, Article 5, Travel Approval, Consulate Appointment, travel vaccinations, travel planning and booking, wiring funds, getting Becca's room ready, etc. I have a feeling there are LOTS of all-nighters to come. Please continue in prayer for Becca and for our family, praising God for His goodness to us and praying for continued energy, heart preparations, protection, His perfect timing and a smooth process! We are so thankful to be surrounded with so much love and support!! As always, I am overflowing with gratitude.