January is here!

Well, it's been almost a month since my last post...seems to be a pattern here! Not much else to report other than we are, yet again, a month closer to meeting Megan. We are, also yet again, waiting for the next batch of family matches to come out. I predict (with no data to back it up) that they will come out late next week. December's batch didn't actually come out until the first week of January. It matched families through September 27, 2005. So, there's less than 3 months between where they are matching and where we sit on the list. Lord willing, we will be matched in 3 months. But that would be require a miracle for that to happen. It is just exciting to see all the miracles God is doing throughout this entire process, and matching in April or May would be one I'd truly appreciate!

While the wait has seemed to take forever, at the same time, it feels like it will be only a matter of days before we see Megan's face! After all, it will be within the next 5-6 months. Oh my...time flies...even when we are waiting! The realization of how soon it could be made me me go through all of Megan's clothes--oh my does this girl have clothes already! I didn't realize just how much she had until I washed it! (It was 6 loads and I didn't even wash all of it!) As I was folding the clothes, it made me even more anxious to find out which ones will fit her...which ones we will take with us...it's all so exciting!!!!

Well, continue to pray for Megan's safety, security and love until we get there. Pray she'll be here before "the" wedding in July so extended family will be able to meet her too. Pray for our continued patience as we draw nearer to "our turn"! Thanks!

Our LID Anniversary

Today marks one year of officially being on the waiting list to bring Megan home! How we thought she'd be home before Christmas! How wrong we were! Apparently, she is not ready yet. I don't know what the delay is, but God does. I recently read a post by a mom who pictured an angel connecting her file with her daughter to ensure they were placed together. I have to say I agree with the concept. I know God will ensure we are placed together. That, I am confident!

Referrals are supposed to be coming out within the next week. Those next in line are hoping to receive them before Christmas. And I'm praying that is true for them! Isn't that an AMAZING Christmas present, even if it is a few days late? Hopefully, it will be the rest of the individuals who have been waiting since September 2005. Dare I hope for into October? Well, dare or not, I do! But, I am reminded of words I shared with a friend who was placed on the list in April 2006, whatever it means for our Megan to be matched with us it will be. It might be continued slow down, it might be a speed up (PLEASE!?), it might continue at this pace. Whatever it is going to take, it will take the perfect amount of time necessary for our Megan! It's wisdom that was shared with me...and I am reminded it is true, even though I am anxious to bring her home!

Merry Christmas. We'll have our daughter in 2007...THAT we know!

Well, not as much exciting news in this month's batch of referrals. They were very young children, at least those I've seen were, and all were VERY CUTE! But, there still remains MANY, MANY months between where they are matching and where we are. The agency is still saying we should hear something Feb/March. It would be miracle at the pace they are continuing on! But, God is in the miracle business!

The semester is almost over...praise the Lord! This has been a stinker semester. Looking forward to closing the book on it! Teaching the week before Christmas, so I'm looking forward to Christmas when I will truly get a break. I'm trying to decide which fun book to read! YIPPEE.

Another month closer to bringing Megan home! Again, we are waiting to see who receives their child's photos this month which are predicted to arrive in another week or so. It is expected to be those families were placed on the waiting list in September 2005.

Our agency continues to tell us to expect to hear something in February or March, which is just around the corner! While it sounds so far away....February....it's almost December already! Before we know it, it will be 2007...then it will be only a few weeks...and hopefully we'll see Megan's glorious face! It's so exciting to know each day we get closer! As fast as the days and weeks go, it'll be here before we know it. I'm so anxious to know where she is right now...which providence is she in? Does she have a foster mom that is caring for her? Does she have a favorite nanny? I DON'T KNOW! BUT we will SOON!

As we reflect on Thanksgiving, we know that next year we'll have a toddler who shares her food with Dakota & Irish, who squeals with excitement, who is busy, busy, busy! I'm so anxious for that day!

We are currently waiting for the next batch of matches to come out. Everyone seems to expect them in the next week. Although we will definitely not be in this batch, the next couple of months could tell us whether we could expect the wait to continue to extend (over 15 months) or if they seem to be attempting to speed up a bit (keeping within 12-14 months). But, one never knows exactly what will happen.

If things speed up only slightly, we should receive our referral (aka photos, etc.) sometime between December (12 months) and February (14 months). In either case, we'd travel approximately 2 months after we receive our referral. So, that means travel between Feb and April. The problem with April is that there is a trade show in China which makes finding hotel rooms difficult (and more costly) close to the US Embassy. Many agencies try not to schedule travel during this time. So, it could be late April or mid-May before we travel IF we receive our referral in February. Now, if we just happen to fall in the later end of the waiting period, then we could just miss the cut-off for Feb, putting us in the March batch at which point we'd most definitely travel in May. I really do not care WHEN we travel (but it needs to be soon), as long as we are home for a few weeks before Katie's wedding in July! I'd like to be able to get settled a bit with Megan before we have to travel with her again. But, it's all in God's hands!

So overall, nothing new to report...simply waiting....still!

EXCITING NEWS!!!!

We are out of the review room! The CCAA website was updated this morning! This means that we have jumped hurdle number one!!!! So, our file has moved to the match room where now five months of waiting families' files are waiting for their child.

Now bring on the matching!!!!

Still no new information for us to report other than the CCAA website has been updated to show that all files submitted through November 2005 have been reviewed. Our agency had already said that they were reviewing December files, so it was not a surprise to us at all that the update on the website had been completed. It is exciting to know that right now (or possibly it's already done!) our file is being reviewed by officials! Now, bring on the matching!!!

Currently, the families being matched to available babies have been logged in with the CCAA for 13-14 months. If this holds true, then we can expect to hear something in January or February 2007. Subsequently, we would then travel to bring Megan home in April or May 2007. It could be March, however, I really do not see that happening. And if it is April, it will probably be toward the end of April as there is a huge trade fair close to the Embassy the last few weeks of April. Agencies typically do not have family groups go during that time because of all the commotion and hotel rooms are not only extremely expensive, they are also hard to find. There are rumors, however, that we could have to wait until May or June 2007. Our agency, at this point, does not seem to think we will have to wait this long, but there are never any guarantees. And since we are at the CCAA's mercy, we simply wait until our turn comes up.

Keep praying that Megan will be home for Katie's wedding in July!!!! Although we have decided not to have her actually participate in the wedding due to her only being home for a short time, we want her here for the photos! Besides, we simply want her home!!!!!

We know that wherever Megan is she is never out of God's hands! He has her safe, feeling loved, and well cared for and we trust His timing will be perfect!

Not much new to report on the adoption other than we are still anxiously awaiting Megan's arrival! The CCAA has now reviewed up through October 31, 2005 and indications are they are almost done reviewing November. So within the next few weeks, if they need additional information, they may be contacting us to provide that. Although that does not happen very often, it does happen. We do not expect it to happen, but it would tell us that they are reviewing our file! This is the first step in the process--the review.

As far as matching children with families--the second step, they are finishing up those placed on the list in June. The hope is they will be going a bit faster now as May and June were months where record numbers of individuals were placed on the list. The CCAA is saying they are attempting to keep the wait within 12 months which would mean we'd receive our match in December, however, I believe it will happen before that. However, it remains to be seen!

I will keep posting...however slow...as more exciting news come available!

This seems almost amazing, but the CCAA (the agency that handles adoptions in China) has reviewed files who were placed on the list through September 30, 2005. They have matched families with children for those placed on the list through June 6, 2005. We were placed on the list on December 20, 2005. We are getting closer!

We are desperately hoping they will play catch-up in the matching area as they typically do not have so many months of files waiting to be matched! At the end of May, we hope to have a better idea of what to expect they will be doing over the summer. If they do play catch-up, we could still be on track for receiving information on Megan in August, however, if they do not, it could be as late as October or November. But no matter when it is, God has our Megan marked for us and will place us together in his perfect timing.

Thank you so much for your continued interest and prayers! I will continue to update this both when we hear more information as well as while we are in China getting our precious baby!

Not much new to post...just that we were placed on the adoption list in country on 12/20/05! We can bet that within 6-8 months from that date (June-August) we will receive our information on our little cutie-pie!

So, as I know more, I will post!!!

Well, I guess this will be the new site where I can update everyone on the adoption process! I will post what I know, when I know it! Hope you find it interest!