100 days waiting, praying, anticipating...
We've been waiting for our Letter Seeking Confirmation for 100 days now - in some ways it feels like a lifetime and yet in some ways it feels like yesterday when we first saw our little QiQi's face. I thought it would be easier this time, the waiting I mean, simply because we have our Lilah girl and she is a pretty huge distraction. Although this is true to some degree, I also feel like a mother already, to QiQi, and I'm having a really hard time living without her.
We had a super exciting moment this week when our agency called at 8am, their name showed up on our call display and my husband grabbed it in full anticipation of hearing the letters LSC!! However, it wasn't the case - our coordinator was just calling to say that some paperwork for the immigration process had arrived. Oh well. Our time will come. Originally, we were told (by our coordinator) that we should expect the LSC by approxmately mid-July... but of course, the optimist in me wants to believe that it will come sooner than that.
After LSC, it's about 6-8 weeks until travel. We're looking at around September timeframe, I imagine.
“May the love hidden deep inside your heart find the love waiting in your dreams. May the laughter that you find in your tomorrow wipe away the pain you find in your yesterdays.” ~unknown
I really haven't much to do for the arrival of Phebe Jayne.
Since Lilah moved into her new bedroom last summer, the nursery has been left 'as is'. I bought a few new things, of course!
In fact, Lilah and I went to IKEA last Saturday for a little lunch date and shop. We found this cute little push toy for Phebe - shown in the photo below. A funny situation happened when we were there. I had picked up a few things for Phebe and something for Lilah too, however, as we were standing deciding over this toy for Phebe, Lilah said to me... "It's all about Phebe now, isn't it?" Of course, I took it that Lilah was feeling a bit offended about it being 'all about Phebe' and I really didn't want her feeling that way, so I was trying to play down the fact that everything was all about Phebe and that we love her (Lilah) so much and explained that before she came home from China, we also talked about her all the time and bought her lots of things too... blah blah blah... you know how when you go into a bit of panic mode, you overtalk, well that was me! Anyway, by the time I came up for air, Lilah was looking at me like I was a crazy lady! She calmly replied, "But I want it to be all about Phebe, because I have enough toys."
Oh my, she is going to be an awesome big sister. Of course, I told her that too - I told her that was a very kind way to think about her Mei Mei.
It's June already!
While we wish for you and wait for you, today you turned 20 months old.
We simply cannot wait to meet you and learn more about you, sweet girl.
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God has perfect timing; never early, never late.
It takes a little patience and it takes a lot of faith.
But it’s worth the wait. ~unknown
The only thing different from these two pictures, taken 3 months apart?
A jacket (or two!) and a set of very cute chubby cheeks!
Our beautiful girl sure is growing, and if it's even possible, she looks sweeter than ever!
I was reading the Choice Gleanings calendar this past week and felt so encouraged by the verse and comments the author had touched on in Tuesday's gleanings. Sometimes I forget that the Lord is walking with me, he's right beside me and he has feelings just as I have feelings. There are days that I feel emotional and worry about my daughter, and it never really struck me before that the Lord has a very real compassion and He feels for us... for ME... as I wait for my daughter. I felt encouraged, and I felt a strength to know that Lord has compassion on my daughter too. In fact, He's looking after QiQi and me in the exact same moment in time - He's omnipresent and feeling for both of us in our different emotions and situations, that's how incredible He is.
For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities... Hebrews 4:15
We constantly read about the Lord's compassion. He had compassion on the multitudes because they were as sheep having no shepherd. He had compassion on the possessed and diseased and healed them. But the compassion of the Saviour continues even as He sits in heaven. We read that as our great High Priest He can be "touched." What a comfort to know that the Lord feels with us, and for us, and that He fully understands what we are going through.
Today was an amazing day. Why might you ask? Because today we got an update on our precious beautiful baby girl!
I can't believe how quickly she's losing her baby looks - she's definitely looking so much more like a toddler already. I must say, this girl has style!! She rocks those red (split!) pants and matching red cat-like shoes! And her little star sweater is just precious. I just want to squeeze her so bad!! I was also noticing that she's pretty curious about the camera and in the first photo I can see a fair bit of determination in those eyes. Watch out! I think this little 19 month old has the confidence to rule our house!
I miss her. I really do. Sometimes I think of all the things we could be enjoying right now as a family of four, and that is hard. But I know God's timing is perfect, and I am relying on Him... He already knows the moment she will join our family.
Here are her recent measurements:
Height: 81cm
Weight: 8.5kg
Head: 47cm
Chest: 50cm
Feet: 12cm
Teeth: 6 upper - 5 lower
When we first saw your beautiful face and found out when you were born, I couldn't help but wonder - What were we doing the day you were born?
My only way of keeping track of time (at the moment) is through Lilah's blog, so I went back to October 2010 to see what we were up to that month. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I'd actually blogged on October 1st 2010, the day you were born! Lilah and I had been at the adoption playgroup that Friday and then we'd stopped by the Superstore to buy a Fall pumpkin and a potted Chrysanthemum!
Imagine that, shopping for a Chrysanthemum on the day you were born. I bought Lilah a book recently, called Orange Peel's Pocket, it's a lovely book about a little girl that learns about the country she was born in - China. In fact, in the book it refers to some of the things that originated in China... and yes, Chrysanthemums were first cultivated in China and were later shipped over here! And another little fact is that Chrysanthemums are often called 'Mums' (a British terms for Mama!) and are a beautiful reminder that Autumn has arrived.
My hope and prayer is that my baby girl - Phebe - will be home for her 2nd birthday, just before the arrival of Autumn. And that she'll even get her photo taken with the Chrysanthemums, just like her big sister Lilah did, (well... maybe not so 'big' in this picture!), when she came home from China!
We think about you and pray for you every day Phebe Jayne - we miss you incredibly.
Today, we've been waiting 50 days for our Letter Seeking Confirmation.
Believe it or not, it's hard. Waiting for your daughter - who lives and plays - half way around the world.
But then again, I've experienced first hand how wonderful the outcome is.
Have Faith.
Today... we got some more pictures of our precious precious baby girl.
I am so beyond delighted! I'm falling in love with this child every single day and seeing her in these photos just makes her feel so much more real to me. I can even see details of her little fingernails and the beautiful features on her gorgeous little face.
Oh man, I am so smitten it isn't even funny!
I love her so so so SO much.
I love updates!
I've been so anxious to see my beautiful little girls face again that I sent her another different care package through "Gifts to China with Love". I got pictures of what was sent to her, including a panda bear, a toy telephone and of course, candy! Sherri and Katherine (at Gifts to China with Love) are incredible, I got a little verbal update on her stats and general life, which is amazing.
Of course, I am still praying for pictures! ...we'll see, they might happen or they might not. For now I'm thankful for this little update on my sweet sweet girl... you would not believe how much I want to hold her right now.
: HEIGHT - 79CM
: WEIGHT - 9KG
: HEAD - 46CM
: CHEST - 56CM
: FEET - 13CM
: JIANG YANG QI LIVES IN THE ORPHANAGE SINCE SHE WAS FOUNDED. NEVER IN FOSTER CARE.
: JIANG YANG QI CAN WALK AND GO UP AND DOWNSTAIRS BY HERSELF.SHE CAN DRINK WITH A CUP BY HERSELF. SHE IS INTROVERT. SHE IS SHY WITH STRANGERS. SHE HAS FEW WORDS, SOMETIMES SHE SPEAK SIMPLE WORDS LIKE MAMA AND GRANDMA. SHE KNOWS ADULTS' WORDS. SHE KNOWS THE SIGN LANGUAGE OF GREETING AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. SHE LOVES TO PLAY WITH MANY CHILDREN, IT WILL MAKE HER HAPPY.
: HER HEART DISEASE IS NOT VERY SICK. SOMETIMES SHE HAS FEVER AND GETS A COLD.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO CONTACT WITH US. CHANG DE SWI
Our agency asked us to get a little care package ready so they could send it to QiQi and hopefully they'll get a little update on her to pass on to us. I'm pretty desperate for an update again, so I got all the things together and dropped it off at the agency. Everything had to fit into a shoebox, so here's what we sent:
: a colourful and very noisy Lamaze doll! Honestly, every part of that doll rattles or crinkles or squeaks. According to her referral information, she 'takes bright colourful dolls and rattles in her hands to play'. Well, with this doll, she's got all that!
: a photo album with pictures of our family. I wish I could have photoshopped her into the photo of the three of us! My photoshop skills are not that great, unfortunately. I did have fun with the stickers and googling the Chinese characters that I needed!
: a little dress and hairclip, actually this dress is the very first purchase I made for QiQi. I bought it last summer, in fact, I also bought Lilah one on the same day and she wore hers last summer - it should still fit her this summer! If my girls aren't wearing them together, maybe they will from afar!
: a bag of sweets and a letter, both for her caregivers.
Baby QiQi, you just hit a special milestone today - you turned 18 months old.
It's hard to put into words how we feel missing special milestones like this. Every day of waiting for you is hard, but soon we will be with you, holding you, loving you, making up for the time we lost without you.
We love you so much already.
Changde City SWI in Hunan Province, China
Changde City Social Welfare Institute, founded in 1950, is a social institute of first class in Hunan province which provides the service of recovery training, medical treatment, old age support and orphans’ rescue, and mainly engages in the adoption of old people who have no income, no supporters or laboring ability, orphans and disabled children and meanwhile provides the service of socialized old age support, medical treatment and recovery of disabled children. There are 500 beds in the institute now. The service and facilities of the institute are complete and the environment of institute is very good with many green trees and colorful flowers. Three leisure fitness squares and various courts in the institute are the paradise of old people and children. The institute has a special education school which calls “Trust Myself” supported by the organization “Love is color blind”. This school has been giving the preschool disabled children formative education.
The institute has adopted 1,400 orphans and disabled children since founded. For making these orphans and disabled children return back home and integrate into the society as soon as possible, the institute has sent 1,188 children to be adopted by foreign parents and helped them find their own families. Many foreign adoptive parents took their adoptive children to visit the institute for seeking their roots each year.
The institute has been sticking to the idea of “family, humanization, standardized service” and the doctrine of “love forever, care the old age and young children, serve for society, devote sincerely”, and received the full acceptance from all circles of society. The institute became the second one which got the International Quality Management System in Hunan province.
Information taken from here.
