Well there is just so much to write, I really don't know where to start! Before I get into all the details and history, we have some exciting news to share!! We have sent in our LOI (Letter Of Intent) for a sweet little girl from China!!!!!!!!!!!! We have our daughter!! She is the sweetest, cutest little girl, at least to us anyway!! This all happened yesterday. What a day! I think we are still in shock over here. As of right now, this has not been made public. We want to tell our families at our Christmas get togethers. Tomorrow we will tell the Vandriel side and Sat we will tell the Bredenhof side. AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
So why, you wonder would I write this in a blog that family has access to? Well before writing this I made this blog only viewable to me. :) I plan to make it a public blog after we get PA (Pre Approval- China approves our wanting to adopt this girl-this is the HUGE step that means China says YES to us!!) Until then I just wanted to get this all down. We are so excited! We told our boys last night at dinner. A little sister, hard for it to seem real when we won't actually have her in our arms for months and months. (the wait is going to be agonizing, we just want her to come home now!!) I want to climb on the rooftop and shout it out to everyone, "We have our girl!!!" God is so good and everything has been in His timing not ours. I am in awe of everything. I broke down and cried earlier today just thinking about everything that has happened that has led us to this. To think of all we've lost to bring us here. There is a song that really speaks to my heart when I am hurting and there is one line that really strikes a chord and catches my breath. The song is by Jason Grey and it's called "Not right now" and the line is, "One day we'll talk about the dreams that had to die for new ones to come alive, but not right now...." Says a lot, doesn't it? I can't really get my head around it all, and sometimes it just hurts too much to think about. One thing I DO know and understand is that God is good, He is good ALL the time. God has been with us, held us up, blessed us with family and friends that care, He has given and taken away and both more than once. He has lead us, guided us, given us peace and blessed us beyond measure. We are ever so thankful for a God that loves us, forgives us, washes us clean and gives us HOPE! He is not done with us, I'm not sure what's all in store but I know life's not supposed to be full of sunshine and roses and we can just take comfort knowing that whatever lies ahead we won't be going through it alone.
What? You want details?? Well I already gave away that we have a GIRL! Not sure she knows what's in store in this house full of boys. I think she just might rule this roost! ha! So she is two years old right now, which means by the time we have her home she will be (or almost) three. She was found Oct.21, 2012-which also happens to be Joel's birthday, she was brought to the orphanage on Oct.30,2012-which happens to be Tyler's birthday. They estimate that she was born Oct.20,2012 but of course they can't know for sure. We have a name, but we haven't finalized that yet, so you'll have to hold tight for that. But you do know what her last name will be. We will announce her name when we officially have PA from China. Have I mentioned that we are excited? Pictures will also have to wait. We are actually not allowed to post pictures online until we officially have her. We also have a video, not sure how many times I've watched it but it's a lot!
Yesterday was a crazy, busy, amazing day! It was filled with filling out application forms of many kinds, writing our Letter Of Intent, copying, scanning, emailing, and calling. It was nonstop! I was a bundle of nerves and in shock. We almost had everything done but we still needed a Dr.'s note to put in with the application (to state that my epilepsy will not hinder my ablilites to parent ). I called my family Dr.'s office, they told me that I could not get a letter unless I went in for an appointment because I haven't been in in so long. The next available app? Jan 12!! So I make the app. feeling a little defeated, we want to do this quickly! Then I thought maybe my neurologist could write it, since I just saw him two weeks ago. So I called there and they were more than happy to do that for me! The nurse was so excited for me that she offered to drop off the letter herself on her way home. Say What?? How nice is that?? She saved me a trip out there, a good hour and a half round trip. She came and dropped it off and said "Merry Christmas!" So we ended up getting everything together and done before the end of the day! Now we wait......nothing else to do right now. Except tell people the good news. :) I am guessing this is going to take around 4 weeks before we hear anything.
Well that's it for now.....we are celebrating our last Christmas (the LORD willing) as a family of 5. Please pray for us and please pray for our little girl (and all other orphans) who is on the other side of the world and has no idea that she has a family that will be working hard to get her home as soon as possible!
