Update on China
May 20, 2011
Well two updates actually
First I am exactly 14 days away from leaving for my China mission trip (by way of Kazapalooza). We have been absolutely blessed by the generosity of so many people. There are only about a dozen people on our mission team but there are hundreds joining us in spirit and prayer!
As of right now I have more than 200 pounds worth of donations for the orphans in Chen Zhou packed for transport in my dinning room. Also the Bashful Bliss necklace fundraiser (with a bunch of help from Robin J) helped me raise $500 which will be combined with other donations and used to purchase a larger item needed by the orphanage once we are in China.
I am also really excited to be working with a group here in Cleveland called MedWish International to put together three kits (one for each orphanage we visit) filled with much need pediatric medical supplies. (Thanks Heidi H for all your help with this!!) I will be attending a fundraiser for MedWish this weekend and I’m really looking forward to learning more about their good work.
So we have lots of good stuff for the mission trip. We are struggling a bit to figure out how to get everything to China, baggage allowance being as stingy as the are these days. Most of our team is traveling with just a small carry on bag for personal items and using their checked bag allowance for donations but it still may not be enough. We are investigating costs to ship and extra bag fees, but all in all it’s a good problem to have. God (though many of you) has provided in a big way for this trip and He will continue to do so. After the amazing outpouring of love and support we have seen how could I believe otherwise?
Of course there is another China update, my personal update, you know the one where I’m adopting the most beautiful baby in the world (the one where I still can’t share a picture...sorry).
We are still waiting for a PA. Actually I guess my agency hasn’t even sent my LOI to China yet. I was a little surprised when I pieced that together since I wrote my LOI weeks ago and assumed it was sent in shortly thereafter. That’s how it worked with Macy. But the process is slightly different than it was a year ago, mostly because we are reusing our dossier. I expect the LOI will be filed today or soon and in any event by May 30th, our deadline for reusing our dossier.
I’m not upset by this “delay” as it will have no impact on when we get to bring our child home. That’s because one other change is that China will no longer issue the LOA until AFTER a family has immigration approval which we do not have yet. In fact we can’t even file our I800a until we finish our home study update.
So many things contingent on the other. A long to do list. A time line with many things out of my control. Yup I’m adopting again!
I’m strangely Zen about the whole process this time. it has nothing to do with lacking enthusiasm about P#6-I’m over the moon. I think it’s just that I’ve learned my angst added NOTHING positive to the adoption process.
Cry, complain, pound my fist and the process still inched along in its own time with hardly a nod to my histrionics.
I’m too busy (at least for now) to give in to this negative energy.
So stand by a little longer. Once I have the PA I promise to share. I have loads of pictures and even two videos of P#6 and I’ll be posting them all right here. In the meantime, Ommmmm.
Ok now this weekend is my birthday weekend (yeah at my age you need more than one day just to light the candles) and all I want this year is your vote....
First I am exactly 14 days away from leaving for my China mission trip (by way of Kazapalooza). We have been absolutely blessed by the generosity of so many people. There are only about a dozen people on our mission team but there are hundreds joining us in spirit and prayer!
As of right now I have more than 200 pounds worth of donations for the orphans in Chen Zhou packed for transport in my dinning room. Also the Bashful Bliss necklace fundraiser (with a bunch of help from Robin J) helped me raise $500 which will be combined with other donations and used to purchase a larger item needed by the orphanage once we are in China.
I am also really excited to be working with a group here in Cleveland called MedWish International to put together three kits (one for each orphanage we visit) filled with much need pediatric medical supplies. (Thanks Heidi H for all your help with this!!) I will be attending a fundraiser for MedWish this weekend and I’m really looking forward to learning more about their good work.
So we have lots of good stuff for the mission trip. We are struggling a bit to figure out how to get everything to China, baggage allowance being as stingy as the are these days. Most of our team is traveling with just a small carry on bag for personal items and using their checked bag allowance for donations but it still may not be enough. We are investigating costs to ship and extra bag fees, but all in all it’s a good problem to have. God (though many of you) has provided in a big way for this trip and He will continue to do so. After the amazing outpouring of love and support we have seen how could I believe otherwise?
Of course there is another China update, my personal update, you know the one where I’m adopting the most beautiful baby in the world (the one where I still can’t share a picture...sorry).
We are still waiting for a PA. Actually I guess my agency hasn’t even sent my LOI to China yet. I was a little surprised when I pieced that together since I wrote my LOI weeks ago and assumed it was sent in shortly thereafter. That’s how it worked with Macy. But the process is slightly different than it was a year ago, mostly because we are reusing our dossier. I expect the LOI will be filed today or soon and in any event by May 30th, our deadline for reusing our dossier.
I’m not upset by this “delay” as it will have no impact on when we get to bring our child home. That’s because one other change is that China will no longer issue the LOA until AFTER a family has immigration approval which we do not have yet. In fact we can’t even file our I800a until we finish our home study update.
So many things contingent on the other. A long to do list. A time line with many things out of my control. Yup I’m adopting again!
I’m strangely Zen about the whole process this time. it has nothing to do with lacking enthusiasm about P#6-I’m over the moon. I think it’s just that I’ve learned my angst added NOTHING positive to the adoption process.
Cry, complain, pound my fist and the process still inched along in its own time with hardly a nod to my histrionics.
I’m too busy (at least for now) to give in to this negative energy.
So stand by a little longer. Once I have the PA I promise to share. I have loads of pictures and even two videos of P#6 and I’ll be posting them all right here. In the meantime, Ommmmm.
Ok now this weekend is my birthday weekend (yeah at my age you need more than one day just to light the candles) and all I want this year is your vote....
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