Update(s) on our Girlie!

When we started this process, I was sure it would be so much "better" than being pregnant, and I was so wrong. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely different.

But, FRIENDS, this waiting is SO HARD. It's just as hard as being pregnant

We are on day #34 of our wait for our Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from China. This can range from 40-100 days, but it feels like it's been months and months already. It's so trying- we can't even tentatively plan anything travel-wise until we receive our LOA. However, even after we receive LOA, the timelines we're being told range anywhere from 7 weeks to 12 weeks until travel.

By God's grace, last Sunday night (Monday morning in China) we received our first update on our beautiful girl! We couldn't have been more excited- the update came exactly when we needed it. It's the oddest sensation to miss a child so desperately that you've never met face to face. It was boggling opening our email to see our precious girl an entire year older. My heart.

Friends, do you see the tiny bracelet on her wrist?! Oh my. And look at all her pony tails! I have stared at this picture way more than you can imagine. If I could crawl into that photo I would.

She just looks so sleepy here, and I love to imagine her home in her jammies making this precious sleepy girl face. And may I note: this girl is a GIRL'S girl. She is eating out in the first picture, and shopping in the second. This is my DAUGHTER! :)

 

Look how bundled our little dolly is. FYI: in China, they bundle the children like no one's business. Even in the summer from what I hear, they still dress them much warmer than we would ever dress our children here in the states. It's a cultural thing, and I love it so (they all look like little squishy marshmallows). I love her little pipe cleaner crown!

 I can hardly handle the pig tails. She is so darling, and we are so thankful that somehow, God is leading our girl across the world to our family.

We received ten questions answered by her foster mom, and we have learned such precious tidbits about her. I've read it over and over again, and each time feel like I'm getting to "know" her better. This girl is obviously so loved and well cared for in her foster home. She attends therapy daily, and by God's grace, this little girl who we were unsure would ever be able to walk without assistance is now running. She doesn't like noisy toys, and if they surprise her, she throws them and yells 'no' at them. She is allergic to seafood, and loves meat and pot-stickers (that-a-girl).

Friends, this girl is HEALTHY. She's a big girl :) She's bigger than her big brother Bennett in both height and weight, and almost weighs as much as her biggest brother, Keegan. We are so very thankful to have her in such awesome care.

What we've found is that now our preparations are having to adjust slightly, and we're having to prepare for the fact that although she may not have much experience with the trauma from neglect that typically comes with adoption- we're having to prepare that the grief she will feel will most likely be that of having to leave her China Granny and foster brother. Will you please continue to pray for her heart? That she would start to be prepared for all of these changes coming up?

This update was so, so precious to us, and helped us to feel all the closer to our Caroline Grace, but my WORD, if I thought I was itching to get over to China to pick her up before, you better believe that I am all the more on pins and needles to get over there now.

Lastly, will you pray that God would continue to direct our paperwork through the right hands in China so we can start moving on to the next step? Waiting is hard. But what a joy to be waiting on our Sweet Caroline, and to be able to trust in our God who is able.

We are so very grateful for your willingness to join us on this journey to bring our girl home. You are (all) the best, and I couldn't be more thankful for you.