Thankful Thursday ~ Red Light, Green Light

WOW, it's been a while since I posted a Thankful Thursday post...



Ok, here's the deal. I feel like we have been playing the game Red Light, Green Light ever since we started Kalia's adoption. In the beginning everything was a green light. We were racing to get get everything done. Despite the many roadblocks we encountered along the way, we continued to push forward.

Then just a day before we were supposed to be DTC we came up on a major red light. One that could have potentially cost us to lose our daughter. But, we fought. We jumped through the hoops, and in the end, we came out on top, knowing more than ever that Kalia was our daughter, and we were on His path. After 30 days of being at a standstill, we were given the green light and were DTC!

Little did we know that that green light was going to be short lived. We have been stuck on a red light for 120 days as we wait for our LOA! You read that right, as of today, we have waited 120 days for our LOA and it looks like we may a quite a few more days to wait.

Our agency was able to find out what was going and it appears our LIN (log in number) was issues incorrectly causing this ridiculously long wait for our LOA. It has been fixed which should mean we are speeding through a green light, right?

WRONG!

October 1 starts a week long holiday for China (it is National Day) which means from October 1st to October 7th, everything is shut down including CCCWA. This basically means that our LOA will most likely NOT be issued before their holiday.

Now, our agency and their in China contact has asked that our LOA be issued BEFORE the holiday but there have been go guarantees given. So, we are once again stuck at a red light.

IF it is issued before the holiday, our agency is expecting to know by tomorrow. Because of this LOA delay there is no way we will have Kalia before her 10th birthday on December 1st. Actually at this point, we are not even sure she will be home for Christmas.

PLEASE, PLEASE pray we get our LOA tomorrow or at least know that it has been issued. We have already endured so much to get our daughter home, my only prayer at this point is that she be in my arms for Christmas whether that be here or in China. Please spread the word, the more prayers, the better.

The fundraiser end tomorrow so there is still time to get in on a chance to win an awesome Vera Bradley bag or purse.

No News is Good News, Right...?

WRONG!!!!! Well, Friday came and went and we still don't have our LOA. I was SO hopeful that Friday would be out day. Words cannot describe my sadness and disappointment right now.

Every day that goes by is one less day we will spend with Kalia.

Every day that goes by is one more day she goes without a family.

I simply do not understand it. It is so hard to stay optimistic, but I just keep telling myself over and over, "In His time, In His time, be patient, He will know when the time is right."

We did get some sort of an update Firday. I'm not really sure if it is good news or bad. We are still waiting for more information.

This is what our agency had to say...

"Your reviewer is just back from a 2 week leave, but does not know why you do not yet have LOA as your dossier is not currently in review room. (He just said “he doesn’t know” where your dossier is). Our in China contact is going back to CCCWA to talk to them about your case and find out where it is and why there is no LOA yet, but I scanned in your “In process” screen shot, LID info, and gave them your PA. Our contact is also going to get them to fax it (LOA) if it is not yet sent out.

Im so sorry… We were all hoping for this week, but it looks like it may be a bit longer…"

I just feel like we have already been through h*ll and back with this adoption. Like it wasn't enough that a close family member tried to sabotage the whole adoption now we are learning that our dossier is no where to be found. Really?

I did get a comment the other day from a reader who quoted a bible verse that has brought much encouragement...

"For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late." Habakkuk2:3

And this is how The Message Bible says it ~And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time. Habakkuk 2:3

It WILL come. It WIILL come in His time. And when it does, you can bet we WILL be over the moon.

Please pray that things start looking up for us and that our LOA comes quickly. The longer it takes, the longer Kalia has to wait for a family.

Fundraiser Update:

The Vera Bradley Fundraiser ends THIS Friday so there is still plenty of time to get your chance to win one of these awesome bags, whether it is for yourself or a friend. Remember, Christmas is just around the corner and what a joy it would be to know that not only are you putting a smile on the recipients face, but you will also be putting a smile on the face of a nine year old girl. Please click on the picture on the sidebar for more details. We are only 33% away from meeting our goal.

UGHHHHH

I got a call today from our agency in regards to our LOA. I so wish I was posting that it was good news. Actually she was calling to let me know they did receive an LOA, but it was not ours. They are not sure why it is taking so long for us to get ours. They have inquired to see if there are any "issues" with our paperwork and have been told no, everything is fine.

The family that got LOA yesterday went to "in process" a week AFTER us so our agency is once again checking with their in China contacts to make sure everything is okay. They are still hopeful it will come later this week.

We are officially on day 111 of our LOA waiting and it is so frustrating. I keep telling myself "everything happens for a reason and when it is our time, that is when everything will come together and we will meet Kalia."

So, keep praying that we hear something soon. I am SO ready for this wait to be over.

Mylee's Miracle

Before I share Mylee's miracle story, for those who are keeping track, we are officially on day 108 of our LOA wait. Seriously, 108 days of waiting. It is getting sooooo old. Every week week I pray this will be the week, and every week passes and I become even more disappointed than the last. Something tells me this upcoming week could be THE week, at least that is what we are praying for.

I've had a couple of people e-mail me privately letting me know they are thinking of us and praying for us. They have shared that they have followed our blog from back when we were bringing the boys home and have prayed for us since then and continue to do so. Between those e-mails, and the comments left, that is what is keeping me going right now. Honestly, it is so uplifting to read the positive comments or to know that complete strangers are praying right along with us that we are united with our daughter very soon.

I am in complete awe of how much our fundraiser goal has jumped within the last week. I am really starting to think that once we meet our goal we will get our LOA (or at least that is what several other people have suggested). I would love to have met our goal by the time we get LOA and maybe that is what God is waiting on, so lets give Him a good reason to bring us one step closer to Kalia. We still have quite a ways to go, but just the fact that we are over 50% of the way is so humbling. Nothing is too big for God, and I am certain that He is going to let nothing, especially money stand in the way of me wrapping my arms around my daughter.

Now for Miss Mylee's Miracle...

Oh Miss Mylee is a riot. We had her 6 month check up from her last surgery this past Monday at Riley Childrens Hospital with the infamous (to Mylee) Dr. Loder. He truly is an awesome doctor and luckily Mylee LOVES him. On the way down she colored a picture of him in his white lab coat, complete with his name tag. She put glasses on him and made sure his hair was gray as well. She most definitely pays attention to detail.

After looking at her legs he looked up at me and said, "I feel terrible, I just don't think we made much progress with this last surgery. After everything we put her through, I was really hoping for better results." I told him we would not have know has we at least not tried. So, we went on to discuss further treatment. Mylee's knees still do not bend compltely and probably never will. She can sit on her knees, but that is as far as she can get. As for her ankles, her right isn't too bad, but her left (that is the one they worked on back in February), is still really, really tight.

The plan for now is to have her re-checked every 6 months to see her growth pattern. Then when she is 8 or 9 he may want to cut into her bone right where her leg and foot meet and put some type of flexible piece in there to create more flexibility when she is walking. Mylee heard this and about flew off the table saying "no, no, you are not going to cut my bone." After calming her down and explaining to her that we weren't going to do anything right then, she was a little better.



We also discussed how her feet are so wide near her toes and very narrow at her heels which makes it extrememly difficutl to find shoes to fit her right. So he had the orthodics guy come down and make a heel insert to put in her shoes. They also put a little lift on them hopefully keep her from falling as much. Once they were done and in her shoes they had her walk back and forth across the room to make sure they were okay. As she was walking she looked up and very seriously said "it's a miracle." The ortho guy looked up and asked what she said and when I told him, she siad "yep, it's a miracle, I can walk good."



That girl cracks me up! She is always coming up with something and never misses a beat. She was adamant about me not forgetting to wear her special heel things to school on Tuesday. The first thing she said when she walked in the door was "mom, they work, I didn't fall much today at school. Aren't you so proud of me!"


Oh, and here is a little sneak peek of what is to come next week...

99

99 Days of waiting...

99 Days of stressing...

99 Days of wondering...

99 Days of frustration...

99 Days of hoping...

99 Days of anxiousness...

99 Days of disappointment...

99 Days of praying...


It has been 99 days of waiting for our LOA (letter of acceptance). I think this is the hardest part of waiting. We have done everything we can and now we just have to sit back and wait for China to give us their final approval to adopt Kalia.

Back when we started this adoption I never in a million years would have thought we would still be waiting. Our original goal was to be DTC in January or February at the latest, putting us at traveling over the summer. Obviously that didn't happen since we are still waiting.

By the time we were ready to DTC we were ecstatic. We were finally going to be one step closer to bringing our daughter home. Then the unthinkable happened just a day, ONE day before we were supposed to be DTC. This setback was like nothing we had ever faced before but it definitely did not stop us from pressing one. In the end we "won" and were finally DTC on June 2.

I honestly had no idea we would still be waiting for our LOA at this point. I thought for sure we would have out Ta by now and just be waiting to travel. When China decided to let families reuse their dossiers within a year everyone was so excited because it was going to save so much time and money. For starters, it has save us no money! And as for time, it has actually taken us twice as long to get out LOA, which in case I haven't mentioned, we still don't have.

I spoke with our agency a few weeks ago and was told that as of 9/16 we were "in process" which means our dossier is being looked at. We were told that they were expecting our LOA within a couple of weeks. I just keep telling myself "any day now, any day."

But the true reality is that even if we get out LOA today or even tomorrow, I am terrified. I am scared to death that we are not going to have the money we need this time. I have shared my fears with Matt and he keeps reminding me that we have never had the money, but when we need it, it is always there. So, I keep praying, and putting all my faith and trust in God that He will provide.

We just got an e-mail from our agency yesterday saying that the Consulate appts are booked until October 11th. Then the fall trade show falls at the end of October going until November 6th. So, at this time, the absolute earliest we could travel would be after the trade fair. My birthday is November 9th, so my new goal is to be in China celebrating with my new daughter. That would be the ultimate in birthday gifts, don't you think?

Our fundraiser is still going strong, but we still are lacking in funds. Our immediate need is $3000.00. That is what we need to pay the agency in order to move forward. We have been awarded a matching grant from Brittany's Hope for $1000 (we raise $500 they will match). So, our immediate need is actually $2500.00. For now, that is the only thing that is standing between us and our daughter. Obviously we need more than that to complete Kalia's adoption, but we are taking it one step at a time and only focusing on what we need right now.

The Vera Bradley Fundraiser is still going so please spread the word. I know it can be done, I have seen it time and time again. I wish I could offer some really cool prize this time, or give away something free with every donation, but unfortunately, I can't.

What I can do though, is guarantee you that Kalia will be joining a family that is over the moon about bringing her home. I can guarantee you that she will be loved beyond measure. She will be an opportunity to live her life to its fullest. She will have brothers and sisters that will laugh with her, cry with her, and yes even fight with her. She will be raised to know Jesus and to learn that without Him nothing else matters. Point blank, she will have a family, one that will do whatever it takes to bring her home.

Extending

This is not a post I had wanted to write, but we just felt there was no other choice. After contacting all the contributors and getting their okays, we have decided to extend the Vera Bradley Fundraiser for a bit longer. Obviously I would love to be packing up purses right now to their new owners, but we need to raise a little more money.

These purses and bags were NOT donated, we purchased these on our own knowing they would be used for an adoption fundraiser. So, we have to at least cover our costs.

I wish with all my heart and soul that we didn't have to fundraise. It is not something I look forward to. I wish we could just get out the checkbook and be done with all the money, but the reality is we can't. I know there are families out there that can and at times I envy them for that (I am only human). There are times when I question whether we are doing the right thing (again, only human). I mean come one, four adoptions in three years? If someone would have told me three years ago when we came home with Mylee we would be going back not just for one, but for three more, I would have thought they were nuts.

The journey to Kalia has been filled with roadblocks, hurdles, and even a few mountains, but we have made it through all of it. With each setback we have doubted, we have questioned, and we have prayed about whether we are supposed to be doing this. But with each setback, we have also been convinced that we are right where we are supposed to be, doing exactly as He had intended. He has showed us time and time again we are Kalia's family and that we just need to continue to have faith in Him.

So, we are extending the original Vera Bradley Fundraiser in hopes that we can come a bit closer to our goal. As of today we are on day 92 (YES, 92!) of our LOA wait. According to our agency, as of August 16th, we were "in process" so we should be getting our LOA very soon which will hopefully still put us traveling in October/early November. We still have quite a bit of money to raise, which I know we can do. We have done it before and I have seen much more raised in much less time. But like so many others, we can't do it alone.

The new chipin in has been added to the right and I am working on a button that you make copy and paste. Please spread the word about our fundraiser and more than anything, please pray that we are able to be united with Kalia very soon.

Below are the pictures of the bags and purses in the fundraiser. There will be a total of 11 winners. These would make great gifts with the holidays coming up. Just think, not only could you be giving the gift of a great bag, but by making a small donation, you will also be giving a little girl the greatest gift of all, a family.




#1. This is the Buttercup pattern. This set includes the Honor Roll duffel bag, Tootsie purse, Please Hold wallet and the Make Me Up makeup bag. This would make a great set for a little girl or even a tween.





#2. This is the Purple Punch pattern. You will get the Saddle Up purse, Double Eye eye glass case, and the Compact Wallet.





#3. This is the Puccini pattern. You will get the Double Eye eye glass case, and the Taxi Wallet.





#4. This is the Bali Gold pattern. This set includes the Stephanie purse, Double Eye eye glass case, and the Compact Wallet.





#5. This is the Carnably pattern. This is the Stephanie purse, the Double Eye eye glass case, and the Euro Wallet.





#6. Make Me Blush pattern. This is the Reversible Tote purse, and the matching Taxi Wallet.





#7. This is the Call Me Coral pattern. This is for the Cha Cha Hadbag, and the matching Best Bud wallet.





#8. This is the Patchwork pattern. This is for the Medley Tote.





#9. Palm Beach Gardens Pattern. This is for the Pretty Tote purse.


#10. This is the Day and Night pattern. This is the Comin Up Roses Handbag and the matchin Best Buds Wallet.





#11. This is the Loves Me pattern. This is for the Comin Up Roses Handbag and the matching Best Buds wallet.



I know pretty cool, uh? These are some great bags for both big girls and little girls. Emma has one of the Tootise purse and Best Buds wallet and LOVES them. In fact, she was begging me to let her keep the Buttercup set, but backed off when she realized it was to bring Keliah home.

So, here's the deal. All you have to do is follow the instructions below and you will be entered to win one of these awesome prizes.

1. For every $25.00 donated, you will receive 5 entries!
2. For every $50.00 donated, you will receive 10 entries plus a free bracelet (pictured below) in your choice of color.
3. Post about the fundraiser on your blog, receive 3 entires!
4. Post about it on facebook, receive 3 entries!
5. Become a follower, receive 3 entries!

Please use the Chip In button to the right. I know there are some people who do not like or don't have a paypal account so if you would rather donate another way, please contact me at mmyag@comcast.net