January-March
I have been asked about the timeline of the past two months and what happened before I shared our joy with you, so here is a brief rundown. There are steps and forms and phone calls and trainings all along the way. I will try not to bore you with all of the behind the scenes processes...
January 5-
Our case manager, Ashley, calls us with news of a precious little boy. He has an unrepaired cleft palate, some slight facial differences (micrognathia/small jaw; ear shape), and possible/probable/unknown hearing loss. He is 3 1/2 and not speaking.
We say yes, tell us more.
Ashley sends us medical reports, pictures, videos. He is adorable. He can walk. He can run. He can carry objects in both hands and switch toys between hands. He smiles and his eyes light up and he loves the pictures on the walls. He holds the hand of an adult in the room and something out the window catches his eye. I cry. He is so wonderful. So worthy and wonderfully and fearfully made.
There are a lot of knowns and even more unknowns.
January 10-
We talk. I cry. We pray. I cry. We talk to our international pediatrician whom we just adore and I am so sad that she is so far away and can't be our real life doctor. We talk about the surgeries, the therapies, the syndromes, the possibilities that we can't even get a percentage on and it's a blind leap of faith. I cry a little bit/a lot a bit more.
We say yes.
January 22-
We submit a request to China stating that we would love this little boy so, so much and provide for all of his needs. The physical ones we know about. The physical ones that we don't know about. The emotional ones that are even harder and sadder.
January 31-
China said yes.
We receive a fancy letter written in Mandarin with a beautiful border on that paper that says yes, he is yours. I cry.
February 5-
We submit paperwork to US Immigration to make this little boy that we have fallen in love with a US citizen once the adoption is finalized.
February 22-
Immigration paperwork is approved, but doesn't arrive to us until March 2. Because, mail.
March 5-
We submit for his immigrant visa so that he can enter the US. He will legally be our child once he is with us in China, but he will travel on an immigrant visa. Once he is in the US, he becomes a US citizen.
Today-
All of the paperwork is complete and on it's way to the US Embassy in China. They will look over everything and submit it to the Chinese government. This process will take a couple of weeks. We will then be issued "Travel Approval" which means, come on over! Travel Approval is typically issued about 3 weeks before travel.
All that means is that we are nearly there. We are nearly to him. We are nearly a family of 5. We are nearly his parents. He is nearly our son.
Prayers for this month-
We are now praying for accurate paperwork and quick processing. Receiving Travel Approval this month would be a wonderful, wonderful thing!
Thank you for your love and prayers!
January 5-
Our case manager, Ashley, calls us with news of a precious little boy. He has an unrepaired cleft palate, some slight facial differences (micrognathia/small jaw; ear shape), and possible/probable/unknown hearing loss. He is 3 1/2 and not speaking.
We say yes, tell us more.
Ashley sends us medical reports, pictures, videos. He is adorable. He can walk. He can run. He can carry objects in both hands and switch toys between hands. He smiles and his eyes light up and he loves the pictures on the walls. He holds the hand of an adult in the room and something out the window catches his eye. I cry. He is so wonderful. So worthy and wonderfully and fearfully made.
There are a lot of knowns and even more unknowns.
January 10-
We talk. I cry. We pray. I cry. We talk to our international pediatrician whom we just adore and I am so sad that she is so far away and can't be our real life doctor. We talk about the surgeries, the therapies, the syndromes, the possibilities that we can't even get a percentage on and it's a blind leap of faith. I cry a little bit/a lot a bit more.
We say yes.
January 22-
We submit a request to China stating that we would love this little boy so, so much and provide for all of his needs. The physical ones we know about. The physical ones that we don't know about. The emotional ones that are even harder and sadder.
January 31-
China said yes.
We receive a fancy letter written in Mandarin with a beautiful border on that paper that says yes, he is yours. I cry.
February 5-
We submit paperwork to US Immigration to make this little boy that we have fallen in love with a US citizen once the adoption is finalized.
February 22-
Immigration paperwork is approved, but doesn't arrive to us until March 2. Because, mail.
March 5-
We submit for his immigrant visa so that he can enter the US. He will legally be our child once he is with us in China, but he will travel on an immigrant visa. Once he is in the US, he becomes a US citizen.
Today-
All of the paperwork is complete and on it's way to the US Embassy in China. They will look over everything and submit it to the Chinese government. This process will take a couple of weeks. We will then be issued "Travel Approval" which means, come on over! Travel Approval is typically issued about 3 weeks before travel.
All that means is that we are nearly there. We are nearly to him. We are nearly a family of 5. We are nearly his parents. He is nearly our son.
Prayers for this month-
We are now praying for accurate paperwork and quick processing. Receiving Travel Approval this month would be a wonderful, wonderful thing!
Thank you for your love and prayers!
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