Travel Approval!

I can't believe we have TA.  I feel like we have been waiting for this moment for so long.  It has really not been that long.  We started this process last March, so it has only been a little over a year.  Tomorrow we will hopefully figure out the details of our trip.  I feel like there is so much to get done! 

Where we are

I am not good at posting.  But, big things are happening!  We are so close to traveling.  We are currently waiting on our Article 5 to be picked up.  It should be picked up on March 21.  We will officially be waiting on Travel Approval once it is picked up!!!!!  We are hoping to travel sometime in April.  We don't know for sure though.  I hate saying a specific time, because something always changes.  All in God's time.  A year ago this March we saw our first picture of Ava.  We were on the fence about whether or not we wanted to adopt from China.  Our friend Michelle sent us this picture.

How could we say no? 

Our little girl...

We were notified that our Dossier was officially "logged in" on October 8th.  We sent our letter of intent to adopt this sweet little girl on November 2. 

This is our sweet Ava:)  Her chinese name is Xu Jiajie.  She lives at Jiamusi Social Welfare Institute.  She has been at there all her life.

We cannot wait to get you home sweet girl.  We are praying our paperwork moves fast.  Our LOA (Letter of Approval) wait officially began on November 7th! 

Here are some other pictures we have of her.  These pictures are from July.  We are hoping to get updated information and pictures soon!

DTC!!!

As of September 29th, are Dossier To China!!!   This means all of our paperwork is headed to China.  I am so thankful we have gotten this far.   We are now waiting for the paperwork to be logged in.  As soon as it is logged in we can be officially matched with a child!!  So exciting!!  We are praying that things move quickly.  We are estimating that we will be headed to China around February. 

On another note, here are some fun pics from this the beginning of school...

Noah's first day of Kindergarten

Gabe's first day of preschool

Gabe and Luke

Adoption Update

So I guess I am not so good at this blog thing...considering I haven't posted in 4 months!  We are currently waiting.  It seems like that is pretty much what you do in the adoption process.  Submit paperwork, then wait.  We are currently waiting for our I800-A approval and then we can get our Dossier together and sent to China...woohoo!!!  As soon as it is logged into the system we can be matched with a little one.  We are interested in a little girl.  She turned 3 this summer.  If the timing works out, and if it is God's will, she will be ours!  We are estimating we will be traveling to China around December or January, depending on how fast the paperwork moves.  We are excited!! 

A book I recommend...

 

I just finished reading this book with a group of women.  It is an awesome book.  It will challenge you. 

The message of biblical Christianity is not, "God loves me, period," as if we were the object of our own faith. The message of biblical Christianity is "God loves me so that I might make him--his ways, his salvation, his glory, and his greatness--known among all nations." David Platt

Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends."
 George Mueller