Past and Coming Events

It has been a couple of weeks since any type of update--sorry about that. It has been eventful.

Last weekend was wonderful. We spent it as a family and really enjoyed being together. On Friday evening it was a trip to Chippewa Falls High School to see "Fiddler on the Roof" (amazing show and done very well). Saturday was the Memorial High School Italian Dinner (fund raising for the orchestra). Ruth was in charge of the items that were a part of the drawing. It went very well also. On Sunday we all went to the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. LA Lakers game at Target Center. While the Lakers won, it was a close and fun game. This was a part of Andrew's birthday present for the year.

We have arrived at another weekend, thankfully. Sometime this weekend we will go to UWEC to see the opera "Albert Hering." The trip to South Africa is coming upon us quickly. People keep asking Alan if he is excited or ready. His typical response is that he will be excited when he is ready and that probably won't be until he is about to get on the plane. It is strange to think that Ruth is not going with him and he will miss that greatly. Kirsten, however, is very excited. Another part of Andrew's birthday present will be experienced before the trip--a Badger hockey game. Along with a trip to Memorial to see "Crazy for You" in which Kirsten is playing in the pit orchestra.

We continue to wait for information about little Jadon. Hoping that we will hear sooner rather than later!!

PA has arrived!!

Finally, step one in the waiting process is past. The Pre-approval from the China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) was received today (on Andrew's 11th Birthday--Happy Birthday, big guy). What this means is that our file has been connected with Jadon's and that our Rehabilitation and Nurture Plan will now be reviewed in light of his situation.

The next step is now the referral acceptance. Because our file has already been reviewed and approved in the CCAA this should take the shorter amount of time on their prosepctive time scale based on past experiences. According to our agency this would mean 1-3 months--hopefully and prayerfully on the shorter end of that spectrum. Once we receive this we can send him a care package and begin the process of helping him to know us.

Thanks for your prayers. Please continue to pray with us for Jadon and that God would graciously prepare him to come into our family and call him into His eternal family.

Still waiting...

It's been about a month since we sent our EA (electronic acceptance) of Jadon to China. Under normal circumstances for someone in our position that would be enough time for there to be a response from China. Nothing, however, has been normal about our adoption.

China has been celebrating their spring festival (AKA Chinese New Year) for close to two weeks now. Most things shut down during the time of the spring festival. That means nothing happens with our adoption (or anyone's for that matter) during this time. You would think that after all this time spent waiting already we'd be pretty good at it. And a month wouldn't seem that long. Wrong!!!

Now that we have a real live person attached to our waiting the process has become increasingly more difficult. (Lee and Dawn Shelton...I can relate to you better than ever!) Mostly I want him to know that he has a family. I want to be able to send him pictures and start loving on him.

Realistically we know that it is unlikely that we will hear anything from China this week. But even with that knowledge we have experienced the fear of "What if this doesn't happen?" What if China says "No." These are completely irrational fears. We have already been "approved" as a parent for a younger healthy child. It is unlikely that they would say "No" to a child that we have chosen. Still... God apparently has some work to do on us yet!! Like remembering...

During the wait God has used various things at various times to encourage us. He has used His Word, showing us through the experiences of God's people that His wait has a good purpose. Abraham waited a along time for Isaac, learning to trust a personal and faithful God and then when God asked him to sacrifice that son... waiting and observing God's faithfulness time and time again had prepared Abraham for this moment of testing. God caused Joseph’s faith to grow during his wait so that he might declare to his conniving brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid." (Genesis 50:20-21a)

God has also used the encouragement of family and friends who continually support us and ask about what's happening in our process. While I know of those offended by these types of inquiries, I have found them helpful and encouraging.

There is nothing easy about waiting--especially something as momentous as bringing a son home! I know in my heart that God is taking exactly the right amount of time to prepare me for my son and to prepare my son for me. Stay tuned...

Buying Bunk Beds and Finding God's Grace

With the decision to bring and 8 year old boy into the family instead of a baby girl came the necessity of switching our thinking regarding configuration of bedrooms...namely from a baby in her own crib and own room to bunk beds with two boys sharing the same room. That led to a distinct problem. We had a crib but no bunk beds. So we started looking. My sister Sharon suggested checking Craig's List. I couldn't see any bunk beds listed. But Sharon pursued a posting which read "Tons of furniture Priced to sell - $1." She discovered a children's bunk bed (mission style with built in desk and drawers...slight water damage. I was a little skeptical but decided to call anyway. The woman who answered told me that she hoped to get $200 for this bunk bed system. After some research I discovered that this was probably a pretty good deal if there wasn't too much damage because most bunk bed systems sold for well over $1000. We called the next morning to see if we could make an appointment to see the bed and had to leave a message. We heard nothing all day.

I have discovered with age and maturity that I have a tendency to become discouraged easily. This was no exception. I convinced myself that someone else must have purchased the bed and decided that if no one had it must be in awful shape. Alan and I started shopping around (in part because Alan's parents are providing money for this purchase and because there is a great need to replace our guest room matress). We found a plain oak bunk bed that was very reasonably priced. We started weighing options. I nearly pushed Alan to purchase it. But God had other plans.

The very next morning we received a call. The bunk bed was still available if we wanted to look at it. By this point we weren't sure but decided to look anyway. When we were shown the pieces we were pleased to see that it was actually in excellent shape...very little water damage and only a few scratches. It was a beautiful bed and wasn't so high that we couldn't easily converse with whomever was on the top bunk. The construction appeared to be solid pine in a cherry finish. We were sold. It was a great bargain at $200.

As I was writing the check the woman exclaimed how wonderful the Lord was to bring together the sale of all her furniture before she moved cross country and only about one week after posting her items on Craig's list. I stopped, not sure if I had heard correctly. I asked if she was a believer. She responded, "You bet I am!" Then she went on to offer some of her son's outgrown clothes to use for Jadon telling me she wanted to bless me. I was blessed!!!! I couldn't stop smiling.

I looked back over the journey of the bunk bed and realized that while I was looking for a bunk bed for my sons I found God's grace too. It shouldn't surprise me. It happens absolutely every day. I just don't see it as I ought. It took someone else bringing God glory for me to recognize His glory in the ordinary (or not so ordinary) experiences of our lives.

Preparing a Place

The house preparations continue. The plan is to have Andrew and Jadon share a room (the one that is currently Kirsten's). In order for that to happen we needed to do some work in the downstairs bedroom. In September Spence (a friend and blessing as a servant of God) put in his first egress window in our basement--worked great. The room needed to be finished off with some insulation to keep Kirsten toasty warm. This weekend Spence came over to frame some walls, put in insulation, add some electrical outlets, and make some tremendous improvements to the room. It will help keep the whole house warmer. Much was accomplished and we thank God for his provision. Spence was helped by family members and another friend from church--Becca! What gifts!

In thinking about all this preparation for Jadon, I can't help but consider the preparations that are being made for God's adopted children. Some day we will go home to a place that has been prepared for us. In that place we will be a part of God's forever family and be able to enjoy Him forever. Praise God from whom all blessings flow--blessings of church family here and blessings which we are able to anticipate for eternity!

Waxing Philosophical

Jadon doesn't know he has a family yet. I have found myself pondering this extraordinary thought quite often. He won't know he has a family until the CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) has finalized approval on our request. That could take a month. We have all been growing in love with him more and more, praying for him, waiting for approvals, wanting to leave right now. And he has no clue we're even here. He is probably still longing for a mommy and daddy and doesn't realize he already has one!

God is continuing to teach me about my own spiritual adoption through this journey. I am seeing through my current philosophical contemplating that I was...indeed all who are chosen by our heavenly Father...were once just like Jadon, having a Father and a family and not even knowing it.

What is he thinking right now? Is he aware that people are praying for him yet...not knowing why he feels this way? Is he hopeful? Is he discouraged? Is he longing for home?

I watch so many people stumble through life, searching, even longing for something bigger than themselves. And so many never are satisfied. How wonderful when God's wooing brings the woeful sinner home!!!

Adoption is opening my eyes to the wonder of redemption as if for the first time. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that You chose to love me even when I was so dead and unlovable!!!

I can't wait to see what God will show me when I have Jadon home in my arms!

Family Photo Story

Funny story connected with this picture. In order to lock Jadon's file we needed a family photo. We haven't had one taken in some time. We were fighting the clock so Ruth and I pulled Andrew from school on Monday morning, took him to Memorial High School where Kirsten was just beginning her English class and had the DARE officer take the picture in the hallway outside of Kirsten's class. When he went to take the picture, the batteries were too low, so he left us to find two AA batteries, came back and took this picture. All the school personnel were very helpful and excited in the process. Soon we will need to take a new picture with our son who is currently living across the ocean.