Are these the cutest little things you've ever seen? Can you guess what they are? The first person to correctly guess what they are will receive 10 of these in the mail, from me, with love!

Update: Karen guessed right. They are chocolates!

We received another call from Virginia today to confirm out travel dates. We contacted the travel agency and they set up the tickets for Brighton and me! I'm so excited that I'm nearly all the way packed.

I bought a 12" blow up beach ball that is actually a globe. It will serve double duty as a play ball to bop around in the hotel room or pool, and also to show Brighton where we are and where we will be traveling to. The kids and I have been having quite a bit of fun learning sign language. I haven't been able to learn everything, but I think we're set for the most important signs during the trip. I've also been trying to learn a few Chinese words to be polite.

Brighton's backpack is almost full too. We bought him some pj's, a few shirts and shorts, socks, a floppy hat like his big brother's to keep the sun off his face, sunscreen, and an overnight bag with his very own brush, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, chap stick and shampoo. We have to wait on an updated size chart to get underwear. I hope he hasn't already outgrown the clothes, but he is a boy and we know how fast they grow. We did buy them a little big, so they may still fit. I also packed him a drawing pad and markers, travel games, picture puzzles and a few small toys to keep him entertained on the plane. Once we're in China, I'll get him a few bilingual books to read as well. If anyone has any other wonderful ideas to help the time pass quickly, let me know. The flight is 14 hours long!

Blessings!
Tina

"I will praise You, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High." Psalm 9:1-2

We received a phone call today from Virginia, our wonderful caseworker from CWA, announcing our TA! I'll let everyone know when the date is set for sure.

Today, I thought about Brighton all day long. I just couldn't get him out of my mind. It's on days like this that I wonder if he needs our prayers more so than any other day. It's my only connection to him right now. It's as if my heart string is attached to his and he's somehow pulling on it more than usual.

We didn't get our TA last week and we are now on day 103 of our wait (that's 3 1/2 months since our Log-In-Date). Surely it will come this week. I know that God's timing is perfect and He has a reason to keep us waiting. That is such a reassuring truth!

I sent out an urgent prayer request today about a little girl in China who is very sick and in the hospital. Her adoptive family is there, and they are hoping she will be well enough to travel home to the US this week. Please pray for Lilly to be well enough to come home! While reading their blog, I realized how much God's hand has been on this family's adoption. It was no mere coincidence that a man traveling with his own family to bring their child home at the same time as this family is an ICU RN. He has been able to intercede at the hospital on this child's behalf. What a blessing. Praise God!

Thank you for your continued prayers on behalf of Brighton. We love you all!

Tina

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

We are in the process of getting more paperwork completed, and we're getting more and more excited as the time gets closer. We also found out that China has recently changed regulations for Liaoning Province and we must now stay an extra day. I will have to travel to the city where the orphanage is (3 hours round trip from Shenyang to Anshan and back) in order to get a document from the police station stating that the child is a resident of that city and a document from the orphanage in order to get a passport for Brighton. This wasn't required before. Since I will have to go anyway, I will visit the orphanage after all.



We are happy to have found this out before I travel. Another family we know that is in China right now found out after they had already arrived and were sweating it big time due to their appointments in Guangzhou. Please pray that China doesn't change requirements while I am already there!!!!



If you know of anyone considering adoption that has older children and that can handle a child with attachment disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, aggression, etc..., please go to the link for Forever Families (message # 1699). There are several children available from Russia that are already in the US, but the adoptive familes have had to disrupt the adoptions.

Thank you for remembering Brighton in your prayers!


Blessings,

Tina



"Those who know Your name will put their trust in You,For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You." Psalm 9:10

URGENT from IAAP

Time is Running Out For
Fu Yang Yang



We have had Fu Yang Yang's file returned to us because the family that was to adopt him cannot continue. Unfortunately he will be turning 14 in July and will no longer be adoptable under Chinese law. We must find a family for him that is either already paper ready or can be in a couple of weeks. We will waive our agency fees for Yang Yang's adoption. This leaves the China fees of $4,500 which includes the orphanage donation, CCAA fee, and the fees in the province. Fu Yang Yang was born on July 15, 1993. His medical report states that he has congenital dislocated hips, but his diagnostic report says that his right hip is normal, only his left hip is affected and he has a club foot. What we know for sure is that Yang Yang is a charming, outgoing, talkative young guy who is quickly running out of time to find a family. On the day he turns 14 years old, he is no longer eligible to be adopted under Chinese law. We need to help him find a family as soon as possible. Yang Yang may be adopted by a couple under the age of 55.

An amazing thing happened today! After a wonderful day full of prayers and thanksgiving yesterday, I went to sleep confident that God is SO in control and will handle EVERY detail of our lives and our adoption. He is so faithful! I prayed and specifically asked God to provide for every need as it came along. Well, today we needed a certain amount in order to pay for the next step in our adoption.

This morning a sister-in Christ, my very dear friend, Shayne, stopped by to visit. We sat on my couch and visited a bit before she told me about a yard-sale that a friend had over the weekend. She took some things to sell and had decided that she would dedicate a certain amount that she might make for our adoption expenses. She ended up making the entire amount with 99 cents to spare!!!!! When she handed me the envelope, the tears began to flow down both our cheeks. She did not know that we needed this exact amount before she blessed us with it!

I asked her if she knew where the exact amount came from, and I proceeded to explain to her about putting everything in God's hands yesterday. It's amazing and such a blessing to see God's hand at work and His lovingkindness! God is sovereign. This is His way of showing us He is there EVERY step of the way, at EVERY moment for EVERY individual need. When He told us to adopt this child and that He would provide the way, He already had all of this pre-planned! There is no reason to worry. He knew our future before we were even conceived. He is wise, infinite, sovereign, holy, omniscient, omnipresent, faithful, loving, omnipotent, self-existent, self-sufficient, immutable, merciful, eternal, good, gracious, and just.

My children talked me out of running up and down the streets today screaming hallelujah. It's hard for me to focus on daily tasks when all I want to do is call everyone and shout GOD IS AWESOME! If the LORD is calling you to adopt or to be involved in orphan ministries, please do not ever think that He will not also provide the means necessary.

On another note; I was asked recently, do you think God has a sense of humor? It made me remember something that happened last summer. Our AC had been out for quite some time on our car. It did not come and go; it was dead, and it was HOT! Especially when the heat index was 105. The inside of a car can feel like an oven down here, especially when you have a minivan and the middle windows do not open.

I was driving around, doing errands, griping and complaining about being miserable. I said aloud to God, "Oh please God, what I wouldn't give for just one blast of cool air!" Would you believe that the next moment the AC came on full blast and lasted about a whole second, then went back off????? I don't know that I've ever laughed so hard in my life! I had to pull my car over. Every time I got into that hot car after that, I laughed and didn't complain. The AC never did that again either!

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations!" Psalm 100

Wonderful News and a Confession

All of the children from Ethiopia in need of hosts families (that I spoke of earlier) have found host families!! Praise the Lord! If anyone is interested in finding out more about adopting or hosting to adopt, please click on one of the links to the right. Christian World Adoption, Forever Families, and Central Texas Orphan Mission Alliance are all good places to start your search or get more information.

A few weeks ago I realized that our son, Josh, wasn't going to be able to travel with me to China to get Brighton. I will have to make the trip alone. For someone who put so much faith and trust into the Lord throughout this adoption, I began to falter. Fear began to creep in and I began to worry. There wasn't just the usual, "What if I get mugged?" scenario running through my head. It began with that, but once I started to entertain that fear, and let it get a foothold, all sorts of crazy fears began to spring up. There were so many "what ifs" running through my head that I couldn't hear the Lord whispering, "Put your trust in Me alone."

Today at church, the pastor's sermon was all about surrendering to God. It was a tear-jerker for me, one of those, "God just spoke to me" moments. I finally understood that, yes, something bad could happen, but it doesn't matter! All that matters is that we are totally surrendered to the good and perfect will of God! We can let go of fear and hold on to His hand and trust that no matter what happens, He is there with us. As we sang the hymn, "I surrender all," all of the fear washed away and was replaced by a stronger faith and trust in Him. Beloved, have you surrendered all?

"I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

And my favorite one of all....Look at that smile!!!!!!!!!!

Lots of Good News!

We received a phone call from Virginia, our caseworker at CWA on Friday to let us know that they have received our LOA from China and she has shipped it overnight UPS so we can get it on Monday. She said that we should receive our travel announcement in 2-3 weeks. I will be traveling about 4 weeks after that, so I will be flying to China to meet our son and bring him home in June!

We also received a few photos of Brighton from his teacher again. She is such a wonerful lady. One can tell, by reading her emails and seeing the photos, that she loves Brighton. We are so thankful for that!

Please continue to pray for Brighton's safety, for the Lord to bless us financially by providing for our upcoming travel fees, and for my safety in China because I will have to make this trip alone. (which I am a bit nervous about)

"I lift up my eyes to You, to You whose throne is in heaven." Psalm 123:1

We're still in waiting mode for those of you who've been wondering why we haven't posted in so long. We really do not have any new information. The wait has been really hard, but has been a good teacher of patience, which I need. The past few weeks have really been a time to slow down and to just be still and know that He is God. I want to sit at His feet and choose the better part instead of always fretting over the details.

Forever Families is bringing a group of orphans from Ethiopia for a short stay this summer. There are still several children who need sponser families. If anyone is interested or wants more information, please email me.

While praying for these children, one child in particular really struck my heart. She's only 6 and her name is Bethlehem. She still doesn't have a host family. They will be here around the same time that I'm in China, so we can't host a child at this time. Please pray that someone will take this sweet child into their home so she can experience the love of God through them.

Today, this is what is on my heart. My prayer for you is that you too will choose the good part. From Luke, Chapter 10:38-42 (NASB)

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me."

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

...and from Psalm 46:10:

"Be still, and know that I am God..."

We're Logged In!!!

We received an email today from Traci at CWA telling us that our logged in date was Feb. 7! We should get our travel announcement in 3-4 months.

We bought the paint for Brighton's room this week. I'll post pictures when we have some progress. It sure is hard trying to stay away from the stores. I want to buy him everything he's never had! (but I won't)

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

We are shouting hellelujah's to the LORD and singing praises for His wonderful gifts tonight! The gifts keep coming, one after the other!!!! They have been coming in all forms...a letter from Brighton's teacher, then beautiful photos of our son to cry and laugh over at the same time! Then, a HUGE surprise that made me fall to my knees in wonderous praise of our LORD's wonderful blessings!

David came home this evening with an envelope that he was given by one of his builder's today with our names on the front. Inside there was the sweetest 'For the Parents-to-Be' card with the MOST PRECIOUS letter typed on the inside. Mr. Knight thought we were adopting a baby boy, but adopting none-the-less. I would like to type out what they wrote in the letter because it is the most beautiful heart-felt letter that I have ever received in my life and I feel it will encourage all of you who are struggling to adopt right now, or who are thinking about it. I am extremely thankful for the generous donation, but the letter itself is more the treasure to me! I will keep it in my diary for the rest of my life.

David & Tina,

People who make a difference in others lives are special people. Those who give love, hope, and a home to the children of the world are truly a special gift from God. You have been on our minds and in our prayers since we learned of your adoption of a beautiful baby boy. My wife, Kimm was adopted and holds a special place in her heart for you and those like you who give the gift of hope and belonging. I was fortunate to be raised in a loving Christian home where my parents taught us by example that our lives are defined, not by what we have, but how we use what we have to help others and to make a difference.

My father passed away in 2002, and my mother this past October. We recently received some money from their estate. I can think of nothing that would make my parents prouder than knowing that their teachings and labors are still paying forward the gift of love.

In honor of our parents, our family would like to give you and your family this gift of love to help in bringing your beautiful child home soon! Our hopes and prayers are with you daily.

Love, The Knights


(Okay, I have to go get the Puffs again) I want to hug and kiss every one of the members of this family for their beautiful gift. I thank God, not only for their donation, but for Randy's parents who raised their children in a Christian home with love and the understanding of that which is the better part. I am also thankful for Kimm's parents who gave her the most precious gift of a loving family.

For those who are reading this who have been thinking about adoption, but have been burdened by doubt over the financial aspect, PLEASE, PLEASE do not let that hold you back. If it is God's will for you, please trust that He will also provide for every need you might have along the journey. There are so many orphaned children around the world, in every country, who just need to "belong" to a loving family.

I know that some of these verses are repeats of what I've posted before, but they are so much in my heart right now that I had to post them again!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone that asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like the wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all that he does." James 1:5-8



"And whatever things you ask for in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:22

New Pictures of Brighton!

We received these new pictures of Brighton from his 3rd grade teacher at the Anshan School for the Deaf. This was a party they had on December 30. They were celebrating the New Year. His teacher informed us that Brighton performed magic string tricks for his classmates and that he practiced for quite some time for the performance!

Doesn't he have the most beautiful smile? These are the first pictures we have of him showing his beautiful teeth and the first pictures we have of him with his friends.

Letter From Brighton's Teacher:

亲爱的大卫和蒂娜：
你们好！
安声能有这样的机会、能有你们这么有爱心的父母我很为他高兴。
下面我介绍一下安声在学校期间的情况：
他目前就读于鞍山市盲聋哑学校，是三年级的学生。在校期间努力学习、遵守纪律，老师和同学们都很喜欢他。作为一名聋童，他从小生活在无声的世界里，语言环境的缺乏使他的语言发展、认知能力都与正常孩子还有差距，但是他是一个非常聪明的孩子，经过在聋哑学校三年的学习，他的手语、识字、理解能力、与他人的沟通能力等等都在逐渐的进步。
他每周周一到周四住在学校宿舍，周五到周日回到儿童福利院，除了不喜欢吃肉类以外对其他的食物并不是很挑剔。
对于他去美国的事我也与他进行了沟通，他对美国的生活并没有太明确的概念，但是知道了有人要领养他、做他的爸爸妈妈非常的高兴，也充满了希望。虽然他是个孤儿，又是聋哑孩子，但是只要用真心去对待他、爱护他，他也会用爱去回报你们。
安声写信给你们恐怕有一些困难，因为他年龄太小了，识字量和语言组织能力都有限，如果你们有什么需要可以写信给我，我很愿意帮助你们。
你们对于安声的祝福和希望我会一并转达！

What it Says in English:

Dear David and Tina,

Hope you are all well.
I am very happy for An Sheng that he has such a great opportunity and lovely parents like you both.

Below I will describe An Sheng's school situation:
He currently studies at AnShan school for the deaf and mute . He is in 3rd grade. At school, he works hard, very minding, all the techers and students all like him. Being deaf and live in a world without sound since little, he has a little language deficiency compares to the other children that are not deaf. But he is a very smart kids, being in this school for 3 years, his sign langauge, word recognition, and his ability to understand, his ability to communicate with others and etc have improved a bit.

He stays at the school from Monday through Thursday. On Friday, he goes back to the Anshan CWI. He does not like meat, otherwise, he is not a pickly eater.

I have discussed with him regarding going to US. He does not know much about lives in US. But he does know that someone want to adopt him, and want to be his parents, and he is very happy and very hopeful about that. Even though he is an orphan, and is deaf, if you raise him and protect him with lots of true love, he will repay you with with lots of true love!

It will be a little difficult for An Sheng to write letter to you because he is too young and know not that many words. But if you need something, you can write to me and I will be more than happy to help.

I will convey to An Sheng all your good wishes!

It is just so wonderful to have gotten this letter! We are thrilled and overjoyed to hear news of our son! We read it over and over and cry each time. It really sounds as if his teacher truly cares for him. Plesae pray for God's safety for Brighton while he's at the orphanage. Please also pray for God to help us with the remainder of the adoption fees. Sometimes doubt and fear creep in and it begins to feel like a mountain we can't climb. But, then we remember that God is sovereign and will provide for our every need as long as we have faith and do not doubt! He has provided exactly what we have needed at exactly the right time all the way up to this point!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened!" Matthew 7:7-8

DTC!

We were officially DTC (Dossier to China) on January 9th. We are now waiting to be "logged in" in China. It has been taking about 2-4 weeks to get logged in because they are behind. It usually takes about 90 days to get travel approval, then another month before we travel. We were thinking we might be traveling around the middle of May, but now we are not so sure.

China has changed their guidelines for adopting again. We will now have to wait for them to send us another form called, "Letter of Seeking Confirmation From Adopter" that we must fill out and return to China before we can get our travel approval. We have been told that this can delay the adoption process by an additional 4 weeks. Please pray for patience for us!

Tina

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Merry Christmas!

Our paperchase is now finished! I picked up all 12 of our documents today at the Chinese Consulate in Houston. They were all authenticated with no problems. We are now ready to send our dossier to CWA the first week of January (they are closed next week) and it should go to China on January 10th. It takes two weeks to get logged in to China, so I'm guessing January 24, 2007 we will be logged-in in China, which puts us on the waiting list for our travel announcement. That should be around 90 days. (18th of April?) So my best guesstimate would be that we will be traveling to China in May. Two months after that will be Brighton's 10th birthday!

I was doing so well waiting, being patient, understanding delays... until Christmas got closer. It is so hard not having our son home for Christmas. I keep thinking about the kids sitting by the fireplace in their pj's with messy bedhead, going through their stockings with huge grins on their faces, and one son sitting in China wondering what his family is doing. I miss him so much my heart aches! Please pray for safety and comfort for our little boy!

We sent out a huge package two weeks ago for the orphans and for Brighton. We hope we can get a confirmation soon on whether or not he received his package. I ordered stamps from China and sent self-addressed stamped envelopes in hopes that he might write to us.

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone and may you have a very blessed, Christ-filled New Year!

Love, Tina

"You will seek Me and find Me..." Jeremiah 29:13

Our I-171H is Finally Here!

We received our 1-171H in the mail from the Department of Homeland Security clearing us to bring Brighton home! Now we can finally get our dossier to China. Once we are DTC, it will be 3-4 months before we get TA (travel approval). Once we get TA, we must travel two weeks later.

Please pray for us to get all of the necessary stamps from the Secretary of State and the Chinese Consulate in Houston in a timely manner so we can be DTC by Christmas. Please also pray for provisions for all of the fees. We've only payed for about half of the adoption fees. The Lord has provided exactly what we've needed when we've needed it! We are going to continue to trust Him for His provisions. He has been leading this adoption from the very beginning and we are faithfully following His lead.

I took Dani to her Christmas Around the World dress rehearsal today. The parents were allowed to sit in the stands and watch the entire performance. There are several children from different countries skating to songs from their countries. There was this sweet little Chinese girl who skated to Chinese festival music while skating with Chinese silks and firecrackers, which are always lit for festivites in China. She was so precious, and it brought tears to my eyes thinking about Brighton not being home for Christmas.

My computer crashed this week, and it's been so frustrating not being able to check my email or post to the adoption forums we're on. Every time we think we're getting ahead, something else sems to crash or go haywire! We had to completely gut our kitchen two weeks ago because we had a bad leak that caused black mold under the cabinets. Two weeks before that it was our car. I'm beginning to think a horse and buggy and a tent would be just fine! LOL!

Our social worker told us to call her if anything changed. I'm wondering if the kitchen qualifies? I was nervous about this because we haven't been able to afford to finish it, then I heard on the news that her Taekwondo school was infested with bats. I'm sure she understands better than anyone how freak things can happen!

I will post more news when I know something else. Sorry about the huge paragraphs. Blogger isn't being cooperative again.

Tina

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15