Friday, November 13, 2009
PA!!! and What Happens Next?
First of all let me start this by saying, WOW!!! What a blessing to have so many celebrating with us. Thank you! I can't wait to share the story of how this little girl came into our life. It is a story that only God could orchestrate. It all began with an email from and adoptive friend to me back in September of 2008. This led us to a little girl that we thought was meant to be ours. But, ultimately God had another plan. Much bigger really.. And, it involves this quote by Jan Beazely in her book, "The Strength of Mercy." This is what she heard God say to her when an adoption for a specific child fell through:
"I showed you one to give you another. Trust me. You don't have time to grieve
over this. If you do, you'll miss the child I have for you. I promise
in the end you will see and understand."
Jeff and I have learned that when you really trust God, and hear his voice, and step outside your comfort zone that He blesses you abundantly. The verse that encouraged me during the past year was this...
"The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it!" ~1Thessalonians 5:24
Our new daughter's name is Xia, pronounced "See-ah." We think it is beautiful, and we are working on keeping it or naming her something very close. She is a summer girl like Ruby and Jeff. Her birthday is July 20, 2005. She was on the Waiting Child List in August, but we did not find out about her until late September (from another amazing adoption Mom.) We locked her file on October 9th. And, yesterday we received the coveted PA (pre-approval). We are logged in, so now we are waiting for our LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation or "LOA" Letter Of Approval.) This is the official referral of her to us. This is when I get to share her beautiful face with you all! They tell us it can take anywhere from 6-12 weeks to receive this. Then another 8-12 weeks to travel to Changsha, Hunan to meet her. So, best case we are in China in March, worst case May. Of course we are praying for things to go quickly!
Many of you have asked about the girls! Well, they are very excited. Ruby tells everyone who will listen that she is getting a new sister!!! She and Xia will be roommates, and Ainsley is willingly giving up her big bedroom. Some have asked how Ruby will do with Xia being older.... In my opinion Ruby needs to be the baby here. She fits the role perfectly!!!! And, they will be so close in age, that I don't think it will matter. Ruby will love having a "buddy!" and partner in crime! Sharing her Mama will be another story!
And, for Jeff, I just have to say thank you honey!!! Your willingness to have four girls in your life and two female dogs is such a blessings!!!! I can't wait to go back to China with you!
We know that bringing a 4 year old into our family is much different than a baby. But, we also believe God led us to Xia. And, He WILL equip us with what we need to meet her where she is at. And, in the meantime we are working closely with a friend in China to communicate to her foster mother what is going on. With the hope that Xia will be as prepared as a four year old can be when she meets us. There will be more than one care package going to our precious girl!
So, thank you again for your kind messages. We look forward to sharing the story of God's faithfulness!
~Blessings,
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47 comments:
How very exciting! I can't wait to see her sweet face! Your hubby rocks!
Congratulations! Fun days are ahead for your family! I look forward to following your journey!
I am so happy for you. You are a blessed family and she is blessed to have your family.
I am looking forward to hearing more.
Thank you for the quote. My husband and I recently turned down a special needs referral and we are waiting for another one. I have felt guilt over the decision but your quote really helped
Wow! So happy for you and your precious family...I'm enjoying following your journey to your newest daughter:)
Congratulations and Blessings to you!
Rachel
So, So, So happy for all of you! Will definitely pray for a quick process to bringing sweet Xia home!
Oh wow! I am only reading your new news now! And I am crying! So excited for you all! Congratulations.
I KNOW that God has given you and your family everything they need to give Xia the best and most loving home!!!! So thrilled for you!
Love,
Kim
Congratulations! We are so excited and happy for your family. Can't wait to see her beautiful picture. We stayed in Changsha on our journey to adopt Sophie. Praying for a quick LOA and TA.
It is wonderful to hear the whole story and I do remember when Denise emailed me that same quote when we knew we could not adopt Lu Ai last year. It was not long after that when God gave us another referral for the child that we believe was meant for our family and we for her!!
It is always humbling to realise that God is in control of every part of our lives.
Celebrating with you!!!!
Naomi
Diana,
I have followed your blog for a while. PRAISE THE LORD FOR YOUR CHILD! We are friends of Matt and Almeda (mommy and daddy to Jade!) who were with you in China on your first trip. God is so GOOD! Lifting up the banners for the LORD!
I am so happy for you! Can't wait for you all to have her home,
AMEN!! :) When the Father calls, He equips! <><
Can't wait to follow you on yet another journey to China. Remember, your journey to Ruby was the first to China I had followed in full, and the start of a very big heart change in this mama, that would eventually lead us to our own Chinese daughter!! I love how the Lord works! Can't wait until you can share the details of your story with everyone...it is so God-breathed, they will have goosebumps for sure!!! <><
Have a blessed weekend!
Love Ya,
~Tanya
Diana,
We are sooo touched by your story, and how you are opening your hearts and home to a 4 year old (I agree, Ruby is a perfect 'baby' of the family). I dream of doing the same someday when Miss D and Baby H2 are a little more settled (of course we have to get baby H2 home first).
Your lives will be so enriched and blessed, I just know it!
We will love following your journey to China again, God will do amazing things through your family, and I'm so glad another China blessing will be soon home with you and sharing in the love and family she so deserves.
We are loving your wonderful news and love being able to share in your joy!!!
Karen, Dan and Princess Danika (who is wearing Mickey Mouse pj's to school today because she would NOT get out of them) Ahh two year olds! :-)
Congratulations!
Both of my girls are from Hunan. Xia is a spicy Hunan girl. You have a beautiful family.
Tina
What an amazing story! May God guide the hand of the Chinese officials and expedite this process for your family!
Congratulations!
I have three daughters; my biological daughter was 13 when my youngest was adopted. I returned a year late to adopt my middle daughter who is 4.5 months older than the youngest. I had many people saying that adopting out of birth order yet so close in age was a mistake. But their relationship with one another is a blessing I'm forever grateful for!
BTW.... I love the name Xia!
Diana,
First off, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this post! You had no idea God was going to use this to speak to a terrified mother who just recently accepted a referral of a little boy and had to grieve the loss of another that was never mine to begin with. Through your Godly wisdom and shared scriptures, I see how the Lord continues to speak to me. We are stepping out in faith, completely out of our comfort zone to bring home our precious 8 1/2 month old boy from Henan! I have needed more confirmation and I know the Lord uses brothers and sisters in Christ to affirm and counsel. Obviously you had no idea that the Lord would use you in this way, but I do thank you and and praise the Lord! I haven't announced it on my blog, we are still sharing the news with family and sending off our LOI today!
I am very excited for you and for the joy Xia will bring to your family. Congratulations again!
Robyn
I am so happy for you and your family. I feel so blessed to be able to share in your joy here in bloggy land. Our oldest daughter, Isabella, is from Changsha, Hunan ... so, it holds a special place in my heart.
Michelle
Oh my goodness, congratulations! I can't wait to see pictures of your new addition. I loved following your journey to Ruby and thoroughly enjoy your blog updates of your beautiful family.
So happy for your family. We too started our 2nd adoption for one child and was lead to adopt another. Praying for your family. We await TA for our 2nd. Also, we too have a Yugan County CWI girl. Her Chinese name was Yue Meng Ran, very close to Ruby's. I look forward to following your journey.
www.givingthanksforeverydaylife.blogspot.com
WOW! Where have I been? I guess I have not been cheking your blog for awhile. I followed your trip to get Ruby.
We are waiting for our PA now for our little emperor in Zhuzhou,Hunan. He was on our agencies WC list.
Where is Xia from? Our guy's name is Xia Yi Wei.
Come visit our blog!
http://findingoursweetcheeksbabycake.blogspot.com
Congrats!!
Jody
in tears ... just sooo thrilled for you all. i hope to once again follow in your footsteps one day!!! love & blessings - debbie
I am so excited!! What a wonderful blessing!!
That is so awesome. God knew she would be your daughter before you did...it's a match made in heaven!
Congratulations and blessings to your family!
Diana, this is so awesome to hear! God works in amazing ways. You're all in our prayers.
How wonderful! This story is amazing. Congrats to you and your sweet family! I look forward to seeing her face soon.
Blessings,
Joy
James 1:27
Good luck on this new adventure. You will be in my thoughts and prayers
Oh, Diana, congratulations!!! What wonderful, awesome news!! I'm so happy for you all.
Sweet story unfolding to your special new addition. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to "hearing" more...
Ainsley and Ruby are beautiful as always.
Yay!! I've been following your family's story every since you went to pick up Ruby, and I'm soooo thrilled that you guys are coming back here to pick up your third daughter! Blessings on you as you go through all the hurdles to get here!
We are so happy for you all.I am so very thankful for our Lord and how he does lead us if we will be patient. I know without a doubt that my little Madeline was to be in OUR family and no other. I can't wait to see your precious girl. Ruby and Ainsley will be such wonderful sisters!!
You are RIGHT ON, Diana - it WILL be different; beautifully, perfectly different!! God has woven your family together & He will continue to provide you with the strength and tools you need to parent Xia, Ainsley & Ruby!!!
Such a bummer about waiting to share baby girl's picture - we could share after P.A. ;)
BUT, you can share the girls' rooms and all the preparations you are making to make room for one more girly girl!!!!
Oh my goodness!! I have been offline for a few days and I come back to this!!!! WOW!!! I am sooo happy for you and cant belive your are bringing another little girl into your family.I am just thrilled!
Little Xia is from Hunan? Can you email me where in hunan-- mia is from Yueyang County Hunan and we got her in Changsha as well. I am sure I will be able to share many of the Hunan experiences with you and I am sure you will stay at the Dolton which is an amazing hotel all adoptive parents stay at-- amazing!!! Please email me- I would love to know more. Also, Im not sure you know I am a school psych and have tested preschoolers for years so I know lots about cognition and other areas of development. Other adptive parents over the years have had me help out looking at SN kids and give advice or guidance as to cognitive, speech, processing etc. development and how to get testing and help once they are home- If you at all need any help, I would be more than happy to look at whatever you have. I just cant express how happy I am for you guys. This is AWESOME!!!!!! I cant wait to see her beautiful face!!
YA Hunan Girls!!!
Christy:)
kcbock@hotmail.com
Congratulations! I am so happy for you and your family!
That is so awesome! I have been reading your blog for years and so excited for your family! I wish my husband and I could afford another China doll! Congrats!
Hi Diana,
Thanks for the heads up!! I haven't been able to get on the blogs this week...but just wanted to let you know how thrilled I am to see these posts and for your PA!!!! PTL! And as far as Xia being four...take it from me....4 year olds are GREAT!!!! God is sooo good!!!! Sending love and prayers for a speedy process so you can bring your daughter home soon!!!
Love you!
Tam
Congratulations!!! What an amazing blessing for your family. I cannot wait to follow your journey for your 3rd daughter- it doesn't seem that long ago that I was reading when you and Jeff were getting little Ruby Mei. This precious little girl is so blessed to have Ainsley and Ruby for "big" sisters!!!
Emily
First of all...I am SOOOO excited for you and your family! Another blessing...how wonderful!!
We traveled in Sept. 2008 for our daughter. She was considered SN (or waiting child) and our call came in mid-June 2008. When we received our PA, our agency told us how long it could take to get our RA (or LOA), which I think is like 1-3 months. Well, we got ours in 5 days...YES, 5 days!! So anything is possible. You could travel ALOT sooner than you think. You just don't know what GOD has in store for you or your little girl waiting.
I wish you all the best and I'll be praying for you all, also! Can't wait to see her face.
Many blessings from Florida...
OH MY GOODNESS!!! I've been away from the computer for 4-5days and when I opened this I thought you were updating about a trip to PA (Pennsylvania)!! LOL! (BLUSH)! I read/comment on your blog regularly and just can't figure out "how I missed this VERY IMPORTANT and WONDERFUL NEWS!!!"! Congratulations, I know Ainsley will be an EVEN MORE Wonderful Big Sister and Ruby will fit into her role of "baby sister" very well! I had to laugh, when you made the comment about the ALL FEMALE household!! EVEN THE DOGS!! OMG how funny!!! I can't wait to meet Xia! I got to know what your NEW BLOG name will be, hmmm maybe, PRECIOUS GEMS!!!!
Congratulations! I can't wait to follow along on your journey to Xia. She will indeed be a blessed little girl and I am sure will family will be blessed with her in it too.
Keri
Diana, I am so happy for you! You are truly blessed with an amazing family and I'm sure this new little one will be blessed to become part of it. I can't wait to hear more about her.
Would love to know more about the program. We are still sitting idle, wondering if the CCAA will ever get past March of 06.
Congratulations!! Don't get to blog very much anymore, so I am late in seeing your announcement!! How exciting!!! God has a way of letting us know His plans for us!!! Can't wait to follow the journey!!!
Oh my goodness - signed in today and saw your comment about 2 preschoolers... what awesome news! Genevieve is just a bit younger than your new daughter and is also a Hunan girl Con grads! Annette
I am so excited for your family!! The quote you shared is ministering to my heart this very moment. I recently found a child that I was convinced was my daughter, however, I am unable to receive her referral because I cannot transfer agencies as a single(although married couples can transfer) - which makes no sense to me. I was broken...grieving. And I don't think anyone was able to understand the pain that my heart felt. My fmaily and friends had no clue the pain that I felt...and how does one describe that...it was a miscarriage in the heart. Praying I will see my daughter's face soon!
I am praying for March travel!
Angie
I love the quote you shared. We had a very similar experience. We weren't planning to adopt again and then I found him...our son. Or so I thought. He was available for adoption for over a year and then we missed him by weeks. Then 6 weeks later, the most beautiful little boy was presented to our family, our son! I couldn't help but think that the first little guy led us to him. We are so grateful...such a great reminder that God has a plan.
Melanie
waiting for TA and hoping to travel in December
Oops...I forgot to congratulate you on your beautiful daughter! She is precious as are your other two. Congratulations to you and your family.
Melanie
And now you made me cry! Wow!