May 2015

Our dossier is logged in, now it is hard when we don’t get a match because I know it pushes back our travel three weeks each time we don’t get a can email. 

March 2015

With the paperwork behind us we now filed our dossier.  Until our dossier was registered in China we were only eligible for a special needs focus list which was a narrower list.  These children might have more severe disabilities or have been on the special needs list longer.  However Simi, our case worker said it was still possible to get a child.  The list came out every 3-4 weeks 8 am China time meaning 8pm our time.  Simi said she would email 11- 12 pm letting us know if she thought there might be a match.  These nights felt long as I stayed close to my computer to wait for that email that might contain a picture of our 5^th child.  Till our dossier was logged in it wouldn’t slow down the process of adopting so it wasn’t too hard each time Simi sent the email stating the system was slowing down and she didn’t expect to get too many more children coming thru. 

October 11th, 2014

I’m so excited as tonight myself and the family are heading up to Messiah College to have a family meeting and share how God is calling us to adopt.  Shira was drilling Lee and I on what the meeting was about.  She says dad and mom you’re adopting, and Cody pulls his ear phones out and says with disgust…Mom you are not pregnant are you!  This had me chuckling the rest of the way.  After picking up Mitch we all headed to Bonanza Restaurant.  I could hardly contain my excitement as Lee revealed the reason for our meeting.  He ask each child how they felt about it.  I loved everyone’s response:  Shira with great conviction says, Dad & Mom we are called to take care of the orphans and widows.  Mitch was slow to speak but after some thought, responded as Lee would have.  Well I won’t be around so really all the work is on you guys, but it sounds good to me.  Cody was so sweet and said could we get a little boy so I can play football with him.  I explained he would be close to going to college when she joined our family and he understood.  Kate just got a HUGE smile across her face.

The paper work began…a pink binder was started and it all became real.  The list of things to file, forms to be filled out, classes to be taken, interviews, and fingerprints to be done was daunting!  Not only did we need to get clearances, referrals, and prints done for Lee and I but for all three of the older kids. One of the many forms that needed to be filled out was going to our family doctor and discussing over 50 plus medical conditions, and what we would be willing to work with.  Could I handle a child with learning disabilities, missing limbs, skin conditions, blind, hearing loss, and the list went on and on.  Many of the terms I didn’t even recognize.  This is not an easy thing to do.  Every child needs a mom and dad to love them.  LHAA was so kind and said we want success for the child and parents.  Be realistic to what you know you can handle.  Lee and I both agreed we were not cut out for severe handicap or learning disabilities.  Taking a step back in time…Mitch’s second day into charter school he ask me a question, and Shira yells from her desk, “don’t ask mom she doesn’t know anything”!  I wanted to say yes Shira you are correct academics was not my strength and this is why you have teachers on line.  And if you want dinner…be kind!  But I tell you that story to say I’m not cut out to be a teacher, and patience has never been a strong character of mine. 

Beginning of October, 2014

I realized there was no way around it.  If God made it that clear that we were to adopt I had to follow thru.  So with excitement and fear I made the call to Living Hope Adoption Agency.  We could have been happy adopting anywhere but we felt this could be a beautiful thing for Kate to have a family member who looked like her. Due to our age and Kate’s age we came up with our desired adoptee request, anywhere from five to ten years of age. Adopting special needs thru China is very different than going the traditional route we went with Kate.  We were told we could even get a perfectly healthy child, but due to them being over 4 years of age they are harder to adopt so they are considered special needs.

September 22nd, 2014

This week I received an email from LHAA (Living Hope Adoption Agency) about some children coming to the states for a 5 week visit that needed sponsored.  This is the agency we used to adopt Kate, so I enjoy getting updates on events and children joining their forever families.  So this was no different than other emails that I would read and then delete.  Each day that week the email kept popping into my head.  I didn’t think much of it till the 4^th or 5^th day I just had this feeling there was reason.  My first reaction was Oh no Lord you are not calling us to adopt are you!  I love my four children but four kids is a nice number, two girls and two boys make it even sweeter.  Lee and I never talked about more than four children. Five children crossed the line into a large family.  I’d like to say my first reaction was a happy one, but it wasn’t.  I kept it to myself for a day or two thinking nah I’m just reading into it.  It’s not the Holy Spirit talking.  Lee and I are not getting any younger and I already feel old when I go to elementary events with Kate. 

That weekend Lee and I were on a couples cycle riding trip.  It popped into my mind as we had time alone on the bike and I wondered should I say anything to Lee.  Would he be wow you are out of your mind or would he be well maybe.  It felt more comfortable asking him while we were on the cycle and he couldn’t look me in the eyes and say you are crazy.  I wasn’t even sure how I wanted him to answer.  So I got up the courage and said Lee you are going to think I’m nuts but I think God might be calling us to adopt again.  I broke into tears with Lee’s response.  He said yes I’ve been feeling the call again too.  Then he had me reeling as he said call the agency on Monday.  I still had serious doubts and ask for a couple weeks to pray and mull over it.