Tested

Isaiah 48:10

See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
I believe that when we try to do God's will, the devil tries to make our efforts harder.  I shouldn't be surprised.  However, it seems like we are being tested when it comes to finances.  It is no secret that adoption, specifically international adoption, is expensive.  We have made sacrifices, saved, and fundraised to help fund Lilly's adoption.  We have really tried to be good stewards of what God has given us.  We were not anticipating all the financial hiccups along the way.  Fixing the washing machine, fixing the thermostat, having dental work done, owing in taxes, and fixing the windshield of the van (to name a few) were not in the budget or plan.  We know that God has CALLED us to adopt and that He will make it possible, since it is His will.  We have really had to learn to trust him.  That can be very hard, especially for planners like us.  In the big scheme of things, suffering a little financially, isn't the worst way to be tested, nor will it derail our plans.  We have had to trust completely in God's plan and provision.  Just when we think we may be in trouble, God provides.  There have been multiple times when we've needed to make a payment and the money has shown up.  We have seen the hands of God through our family and friends.  This has been so humbling.  It is not comfortable to ask for help.  However, in allowing others to help us, we have seen Jesus.  We have put aside our pride for the Glory of God, because we know He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever imagine.  Thank you to those who have shown me what the love of God looks like.  Those of who you have lifted us up in prayer, have offered encouragement, and have donated financially, have shown me what love looks like, and for that, I am so thankful.  Thank you for loving our daughter!  May God continue to have the glory, even in the midst of this temptation!!
1 Samuel 12:24
But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.

LOA

We have reached another milestone in the adoption process.  Yesterday, we got this e-mail -

Dear Tiffany and David,

Good news!  I just learned that your LOA arrived today.  It’s not even 30 days from the PA approval.  Congrats!!!

I’m very very excited.  Hope CCCWA people work as fast as this.

We had been preparing ourselves for a 2-4 month wait (according to our timeline).  Everything so far has gone SO WELL!  We are praying that everything continues to go just as smoothly.  According to our timeline, which is a rough estimate, we should anticipate to travel in 14-16 weeks.  This means that we may be traveling to China in time to celebrate our anniversary.

What's next...

* We will mail in our I-800 to our social worker today, along with our signed LOA.  Then, she will look it over and get that in the mail ASAP.

*  We are getting our care package ready for Lilly.  I bought her very first outfit last night!

*  March 24th we are having a Chicken Dinner Fundraiser to help with travel expenses.  More information will be coming about that.

We are just so humbled and thankful that God has chosen us to be the parents of this little girl.  We know we have some hard work ahead of us as a family, but know that God will equip us with the tools necessary.  Your prayers, as always, are appreciated!

Waiting...

A dear friend of mine, and also an adoptive mom, sent me this email (below).  It is so true.  I long to kiss my daughter's chubby cheeks, tell her I love her, and sing to her.  It is so hard to explain, but I have had this little girl in my heart for such a long time, even since I was a little girl.  I am not sure if God is granting me the desires of my heart, or if He put the desire in my heart.  It doesn't really matter, but it's nice to know that God has been preparing us for this moment.  Esther 4:14 comes to mind - "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”  Somehow, I knew Lilly would be my daughter.  I am really trying to be the best wife, mother, teacher, and friend that I can be in this waiting period.  Some days the waiting is very hard.  I catch myself staring at her picture wondering what she's doing and how she's doing.  I'm excited and anxious.  I am just trying to trust God's timing.  He's shown us many times that His plan is perfect.  Liam's arrival to our family is testament to that!  Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  So, if I seem absent minded, please know that I'm probably just daydreaming about my little girl, and anticipating the time when my whole family will be together.

Now begins the hard part. Everyone thinks the paperwork and waiting for the referral is hard, but now is torture. Every night you will see your daughter's beautiful face and beg God to let you put her to sleep at night. You will wake up at night, wondering if your little girl is crying and why can't you be there to comfort her. I will pray for you, for patience and a trust in God's timing. I will pray for Lilly, that God will guard and protect her and that He would make her heart ready for a family.

Now, also, begins the fun part. You have a face when you imagine her in clothes you pick out, in the bedroom you decorate, and in the family photos on the wall. You stare at her picture while reading a book or playing with Liam. Your heart rejoices at the new member of your family.

Chinese New Year

This year we decided to start a family tradition of celebrating the Chinese New Year.  Liam and I started by making some decorations and art projects.

One Chinese tradition is to release lanterns into the sky.  Red is the customary color used for this holiday.  Our lanterns appeared to be floating in the sky all weekend.

Liam colored his dragon puppet.

Typically, a large dragon is woven through the streets in China.  Our dragon made a trip around the house.

In lue of lighting fireworks, we made our own fireworks on paper with glitter and glue.

Liam's fireworks

We had Chinese food on Saturday evening, but saved Liam's surprise for Sunday afternoon.  In China, it is traditional to give children a red envelope filled with money.  Liam's envelope had the wish - May you find happiness forever.  Instead of giving Liam real money, we gave him chocolate money, which he liked even better.

Although we had fun celebrating and teaching Liam a little about where his sister is coming from, we really wish we had Lilly with us now.  Several times this weekend Liam talked to Lilly's picture and asked to go to China.  Next year, we will be together as a family celebrating!

Lilly Update

We got an update on Lilly today, which we had been anticipating since accepting her referral.  On Tuesday she turned 17 months old.  She is now 28.9 inches tall and weighs 22 pounds.  She babbles, but doesn't say any real words yet.  She is standing and walking with help.  She has not had surgery for her cleft palate.  Our doctor requested that we wait until she arrives home before doing the surgery and they are honoring our wishes.  She is eating well, which is evident by her chubby cheeks.  They have let her hair grow a bit.  It is black and thick.  At the end of the update they said, "She is an easy-going, gentle and quiet little girl.  She smiles often."  As I write this, Liam is singing and playing very loudly.  I can't imagine what a quiet child is like!  We learned that she is not in Kunming City, but rather Kunshan City.  Somehow when translating the referral paperwork, they put the wrong city.  We have done research on Kunming, so now we will have to research Kunshan.  We hope to do a post about the area Lilly is from.
Looking Ahead...
We are preparing for the Chinese New Year, which is this Sunday (February 10th).  We will post pictures about our celebration.  
We are also working on our next round of paperwork (I-800) so it is ready to mail in as soon as we get the LOA (letter of acceptance).

Closet Remodel

We have been busy making room for another baby!  Until now, our third bedroom has been used as an office and guest room.  We have been working on turning the third bedroom into Lilly's room.  We have also been turning our utility closet into an office.  I got the idea from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine a year ago.  When I brought the idea up to Dave, he thought I was a little crazy.  After some convincing, he agreed to undertake the project.  We are so pleased with how it turned out.  Our brother-in-law Brady was a huge help.
Step 1 - tear down 

Step 2 - dry wall

Step 3 - electrical work (outlets, cable jack, and new light) & primed

Step 4 - painted & new floor

Step 5 - cabinets installed