September

We have been continuing to keep busy here. After returning from a fabulous vacation with family and an in between trip to one of our favorite spots on earth, Destin, Florida, it was back to work for another school year. No complaining here, I thoroughly enjoyed my summer. I also enjoyed each and every minute I got to spend with my nephews. I just love this picture of Dave, and it would be even more perfect with a little hand reaching up to his. Once again, I pray that our next trip to the beach is with our little one. (Oh yeah- picture taken with my brand new camera). The latest update is...last week China matched children to their families through the date February 6, 2006 and they arrive sooner than expected. We are taking a Chinese Culture and Language class at our local university.

Infinite Patience

January 2006 Log In Dates are now complete. That leaves February, March, April and May. So, we are getting closer. I have linked some blogs for families who received an August referral (on the right). I wanted to share an inspirational thought for the week:
Patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us. Romans 5:4-5

We hope you are enjoying the breaktaking moments of the Olympic games and the beauty of our child's birthcountry as much as we are.

We're Still Here

Today makes 26 months that have passed since we were logged in and our wait began. We've been having a wonderful summer, relaxing and enjoying the things we love to do. There hasn't been much to update on our journey but we have faith that after the Olympics things may move along. We have been watching the Travel Channel's China episodes, and embracing the opportunities to make a difference in our child's birth country. Most times I do not understand why it has been so difficult for us to share our lives with children. Yet at times we are reminded of our capabilities. We were overwhelmingly blessed last week to receive an email informing us of how what we do have can and did share our lives with some very special children. The email informed us: "We are in the process of setting up a foster care program there and, through your generosity, we were able to purchase an incubator just in time for their newest arrivals—two tiny babies that were born in April. The staff at Shangqiu wanted us to pass along their sincerest gratitude to you for your generosity." The photos that were attached reminds me that this is the place in our journey of life that we belong. With that in mind to keep to keep this blog active I am going to try and use my love of taking pictures to post via a picture a week. Now I must buy that digit camera. ( The new layout is a work in progress, something else I'm learning this summer.)

618

618 today's date, and the number that appears often before Dave. He believes 618 is connected to us and our adoption. So, today when I was at work Annie,who works in the cafeteria, shared the dream she had this morning (618) with me. She told me she saw my daughter in her dream and that she is beautiful. She was wearing a red dress and had little bows in her hair. You see I do not know this woman well. Several weeks ago, my car was in the shop and Dave dropped me off to work early. Well, the only open entrance to the school was through the kitchen and the janitor hadn't come in to turn the alarms off yet. So I had to sit and wait. Annie and Anna sat with me. She asked me if I had any children and that is when I briefly told her we were in the middle of an adoption from China had has already taken 2 years. She commented about families that she knows who had adopted. Was this God's way of sending us a message?

Two Years

Well, 2 years has actually washed away since our paper work was sent to China. Referrals were made for June and they include LID's through 1-20-06. We are praying that once the Olympic games are completed in August we will see more dates being referred each month. The following link is an update from Half the Sky regarding China's children and the earthquakeaftermath, and HTS's director who will have the honor of carrying the Olympic Torch to represent China's orphaned children. Due to the dangerous conditions that currently exist, the children will no longer be able to run beside her.

http://www.halfthesky.org/journal/?p=103