Salem's Family

Family – a group of individuals that share a common ancestry. When I posted in September that Salem has found her family, I had thought that to mean “our house.” Since then, “Salem has found her family” has taken on a whole new meaning. Salem has found her family, but it consists of a large group of people who share a common ancestry. She will be joining our extended family through a couple who has felt the call of adoption and is following that call. Salem’s name will be Elliana Kate Qiao Gross and she will be the younger sister of Anna Mei, Parker, Jacob and Carter, and the daughter of Rodney and Marcy. Salem and Anna will be virtual twins.

This exciting news has been in the process since the weekend following our devastating news that we could not be her forever family. When I shared with the CHI staff how Salem had become such a special part of our family, as well as our extended family, they immediately asked whether anyone in our extended family were in a position and would want to pursue the adoption of this precious little girl. Some of our siblings would have stepped in and adopted, but due to the strict qualifications of the CCAA, did not qualify. This was hard for some of our siblings to deal with, because they would have done anything in their power to provide a home for this little girl who had stolen our hearts. When I shared with Marcy and Rodney the question posed by CHI and asked them to help us pray about this situation, they expressed an interest, if and only if, we would be comfortable with that. After many prayers, sleepless nights and stunned responses from affected family members, they have made the commitment to adopt Salem.

I know this will come as a shock to many. How and why does this have to happen? Are you sure you can handle the feelings that will come about by this decision? How will you deal with this each time you see her? The questions could go on and on. But the answer lies in knowing that we have made the best choice faced with the options we had. We prayed and asked God to help us find some answers to the questions we were faced with immediately. What is going to happen to this little girl we love so dearly? Will she go to a home and family where she will be loved the way we would have loved her? We could not stand the thought of her file being sent back to China. Our ultimate goal from the beginning was for her to have a family. Yes, we wanted her to be ours, but when faced with the fact that she could not be ours, we wanted the best for her. We know we have made the right decision and she will be loved more than she will even be able to comprehend.

Before posting to the blog about Salem's family receiving their PA, Marcy and I had talked and felt it may not be appropriate to share some of the details of Salem’s story on a public blog. Since then, after letting our family members know the whole story and feeling the love and support of each of them, we feel we can share it with others. We want you to know the love we feel for the children of this world who don’t have a family to call their own. If by seeing the love we have for Salem will convince just one to act on the love and conviction to help another child, that is one more child that will have a family to call their own.

We are still praying and asking God to lead us down the next path He has for us. He has placed a powerful love and strong conviction in our hearts for these children. Where will we go? We are not sure at this time, but we are open to what God desires for our lives. I am thankful I have had Him to lean on during these past several months and I am sure I will need Him for strength and wisdom on how to handle the future.

Thank you for following this blog. Salem means peace, and I am starting to feel peace in everything that has transpired in the past seven months. If you would like to, Rodney and Marcy invite you to follow their journey to bring Elli home. Their blog title is "Journey to Elli" and the address is www.journeytoelli.blogspot.com.

Please help us in sending love and prayers to "Elli" and her soon-to-be-sister. Anna Mei is having her first surgery tomorrow morning to repair her cleft lip/palate and she has an anxious mom and dad who need our prayers. Our prayers are for a quick and pain-free recovery.

Finally a PreApproval for Qing Zu Qioa (Salem)

I received a call on Friday morning from the family adopting Salem letting us know they have received PreApproval from China. The next step for them is to submit the paperwork (dossier) proving they are who they say they are in the initial paperwork (Letter of Intent and Introduction letter). Hopefully they will be able to complete their paperwork quickly.

After learning that the CCAA denied us PreApproval for Salem, I contacted CHI and asked them to please not send her file back to China. I explained to them how deeply we loved her. I told them how she had become a part of a large extended family, including church, work and a community, and the love they feel for her is great. I told them I had asked them to continue to pray for her and for CHI to find a family for her. I asked them to please find a family that will love and cherish her as deeply as we have and would have in the future. I explained to them that I had seen the love that the CHI family has for their children and I want her to be a part of that family. I asked them to please find her a strong Christian family that will teach her scripture and be the support she needs throughout her life. CHI honored every one of those wishes and I will be forever grateful for the love and support I received from them during that time. They were heartbroken for us because of our loss, but the ultimate goal in this whole process was for a little girl to find a forever "family" and that is what has happened.

We have been assured by Salem's family that we will be a part of her life. Our family will have the opportunity to know her. She will at some point in her life know her story. She will know what part we played in her life and how much we loved and cherished the time she spent as "ours" in our hearts. We will continue to love her and pray for her as she grows. She holds a very special place in each of our hearts and the love we have felt for her will never be forgotten and will continue to grow.

To all of those who donated items for the yard sales, bought items in support of our efforts, and donated money to prevent the "vintage couch" from being delivered to your front porch, that money has been forwarded to the family of Qing Zu Qiao. That was money to bring her home, and that is where the funds will be used. We felt very strongly from the beginning that all those funds belonged to her adoption expenses and her family will be using that money to bring her home. Thank you to each one who donated. She will have a forever family partly because of something you contributed.

Salem's family is very excited about their journey to their newest soon-to-be daughter. Please pray for their wisdom, strength, health, guidance, and provisions in order to bring her home soon. They are following a ministry that has been placed on their lives. God has called them to provide a home and family for those in need and we will continue to be supportive of their ministry.

Special prayers for the next step in Salem's life. She has been loved for many months and soon she will feel that love first hand.

Spring fever...but wait

Boy are we getting spring fever around here these days. The weather has been great the past couple of days and I'm ready for the season to change. The only things is, where we live and the time of year, it can be 70 degrees one day and snowing the next. We had our biggest snow of the season last Friday night, went sledding on Saturday, it melted on Sunday, and I rode with the windows down on the vehicle yesterday and today with capris and flip-flops on. I just wonder what tomorrow holds?!?

There has still been no word of the PreApproval for Salem, but the averages say anyday. Everyday that passes is another day she must spend without her family. I know God's timing is perfect in all things, and we trust His timing, but I want to see her with her family, soon.

We are still looking at our options, praying, and waiting. Sometimes God requires us to wait and that wait includes confident expectation and active hope in the Lord. I have faith and hope that God will let us know when, where, how and if we are to proceed. Please pray that nothing will hinder us from hearing His voice when He calls.

Happy Birthday, Issac!!!

Well, it's official. We have a teenager and he has his dancing shoes on again. The boy's basketball team is sponsoring a Sadie Hawkin's Dance tonight and he's there cuttin' a rug or standing on the boy's side of the commons area (I'm not sure which one, but I would guess the first). He turned 13 at 8:27 pm last night while we were at the high school boy's region finals, so we will be celebrating his birthday on Sunday. He and a few of his friends and family are going to a sport's grill/game room. That is what Issac wanted to do, and he is pretty excited about it.

It's hard to believe how fast the time has gone by. It seems it has just been a few days since I made the picture of him playing his guitar. Look at that sweet little face. We love this little boy/young man like only a mother and father can understand. We thank God every day we have been given such a perfect gift and we are SO BLESSED!!!!!!!

When I originally started this blog, we had hoped we would be travelling to China during this month to bring a very special little girl to our home. But our direction has changed. Now we are praying for the PreApproval of another family to bring home the same very special little girl. She deserves to be in a home with a family, and hopefully, she will have a large family with lots of people to love her.

These past six months have been a roller coaster ride, extreme highs followed by extreme lows. God has been with us and given us the strength and courage to face the issues involved with this disappointment. It has not been easy! But I know, I will not have to face more than He will give me the strength to endure. Please continue to pray for Salem's safety and health until she is home, and pray for us as we continue to do as we are led.

Valentine's Day

Well, I was right. Issac gave me the rolling eyes, "my mom's crazy" look when I started reminiscing about the day we found out we had been chosen to be his parents. Little did I know 13 years ago that on this Valentine's night he would be getting ready to go to a Jr. High dance. He is my little Travolta!! We had a great day and hope everyone enjoyed spending time with their special loved ones.

We are still waiting to hear from Salem's family on their PreApproval. It should be anyday now.

News from Salem

Since my last post, the weather in China did let up for a few days and hopefully things will continue to improve. We received news through a phone call to the SWI that she is well and walking. They are keeping them layered and warm. This was good news to hear. We had assumed she was walking because of the pictures we had seen, but the workers at the orphanage confirmed it. Thank you to anyone reading the blog that made a donation to the Half The Sky program.

Thirteen years ago this week, on Valentine's Day, we were contacted by our adoption agency and they gave us the official word that we had been picked by a birthmother. Valentine's Day is a very special day because of this. When we received that news, our lives changed forever. We are so thankful we were given the opportunity to experience the birth and life of a perfect little boy. Issac will be turning 13 in just a few weeks and I cannot believe how fast the years have passed. We will have a teenager in just a matter of days and he is turning into a wonderful young man. On Valentines' Day, I'm sure I will tell him his story of how we received the news that we had been picked. When he was small, he loved his story, then he just thought I was kinda corny. I'm anxious to hear his reaction this year. I love to make him roll his eyes and give me that look like "my mom's crazy." haha It's amazing how much joy comes in making our children think we've lost our minds.

Hugs, love and kisses to everyone on Valentine's Day!!

The Weather in China

I'm sure many of you have seen the crazy weather that China has been experiencing these past 2-3 weeks. There are so many orphanages that are being affected. I have received information from an organization, Half the Sky, that works with several of the orphanages to make sure they have the needed supplies on a regular basis. This organization has helped the Qingyuan SWI, Salem's orphanage, with so many things in the past.

A lady from Half the Sky has been in touch with most of the orphanages and received requests for things such as space heaters, coal, blankets, etc. Some of the nannies have purchased from their own monies and Half the Sky has committed to them they will receive reimbursment for any supplies they purchase during this crisis. Salem's orphanage has requested space heaters and jackets. They have not been affected with snow, but much colder weather than normal and very wet. All the children have colds and they are trying to keep them warm. Please pray for her health. Since I received this information, it has weighed heavy on my mind. Think how you would feel if you received word that a child you love dearly was half way around the world, sick, and there is no one there to just pick her up and hold her and make things all better.

Please pray for her and another little girl, Eliana, the soon-to-be-daughter of a friend of mine in VA. They are in this orphanage and need your prayers.

Here is the link if you want to donate or know more:
http://www.halfthesky.org/work/littlemouse.php

Waiting.....

We are still waiting on some news about Salem's family getting their PreApproval. Hopefully they will have it in the next couple of weeks. If not, it may be the end of February or first of March before they receive it since the Chinese New Year is celebrated in February and the CCAA shuts down for a couple of weeks.

We have been researching and discussing our options concerning foreign adoption. We need to make some decisions and from the information we have received from four countries, do not feel we should proceed with any of them. They are very risky programs, dealing with new countries, and because of our past losses, we are not ready for such a big risk. I want to proceed only when God prompts, and right now, we feel we need to just wait and see. For what, I don't know, just wait.

This past month has been difficult. My emotions have been everywhere - sad, angry, depressed, lost, hurt, fine, anxious, you name it, I've probably been there. I've questioned everything that happened during this adoption process and there have been times that my human mind has wanted to just chalk it up to coincidence, but I believe very strongly things happen for a reason. I am trying to find the reasoning in it all, but I can't see the big picture. Some day I hope to look back and see how all things have come together perfectly, but looking ahead, I don't see it yet. I have faith that someday I will. I never want to waiver in my faith of what God can and will do and that He has our best interests at heart. We have a room in our home and love in our hearts to share with another child that needs it if that is God's will.

I hope to be able to share with you soon the news of Salem's family. It's still hard to think she will not be in our home, but this journey was not about us. It was about her finding a family, and I pray that will be very soon.

Salem has found her family...

Next to her name it once again reads "has found her family." Once we have more information, I will share it with all of you. Please pray that paperwork moves very quickly so she will have a home soon.

Our family celebrated the first birthday of our little Princess Presley, my brother and sister-in-law's first child. As you can see from the photos below, she is definitely a princess.

I will continue to post to this blog for a time. Please continue to pray for Salem and so many others waiting for their families all over the world. I do not want our experience to discourage anyone from pursuing adoption. It is an absolutely wonderful, life-changing experience with a great reward for both the child and the parents. There are so many children that need the love of a family, and if you have the heart of adoption, follow your heart.

Salem has been matched...placement pending

Those are the words next to Salem's name now. Immediately after our news was shared with the adoption community, there were many inquiries concerning her future. Many couples looking to adopt were inquiring about her and her status. There is a family that is completing the preliminary paperwork in order to receive the Pre-Approval from China. They meet all the requirements according to the interpreted regulations of the CCAA, and should receive the Pre-Approval in the next 4-6 weeks. Salem's status could change anyday to "Salem has found her family." I am very thankful that someone stepped up quickly and has chosen to make her a permanent part of their family. She will be a blessing to any family she joins and I hope she will be blessed with a wonderful family.

This is a bittersweet situation. It's very hard for my simple mind to process the complex ways of God, but I have to believe He has all things ordered and in His time. When we received the news two weeks ago, I immediately asked God "Why?" I felt so strongly that I had followed His leading. Where did I go wrong? Why is this happening to us again? I blamed myself because I had put my husband, son and family through this horrible whirlwind of emotions. Some say we should never question God. But God knows me. He created me. He knows how I react and hurt. He also knew when we started this process, what the outcome would be. If my earthly father led me into a hurtful situation, I would question him as to why he did it. He might give me an answer that I wouldn't understand as a child, but he did it because he knows best. To me, that's the same way with God, our Heavenly Father. I have asked and I don't have an answer. This week, someone told me instead of asking "Why?" ask "What...do you want me to learn from this?" and "Where do you want me to go from here?" I STILL feel like God lead us to this point. I don't know why, what or where, but we are praying for the answers to those questions. We don't have to have the answers to all of those questions, but some we do need answers to.

Please help us pray for wisdom. We want to continue to follow as God leads, even if we have to face difficult situations. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.

Also continue to pray for Salem. She is a very special little girl whose life has touched many. I believe God has a special place for her and a ministry through her story. She had a rough start in life and up to this point has found a special place in every heart she has touched. From the workers with Love Without Boundries, to the foster family, to the CHI family and then our family, she has brought many people from various places together. There is a Chinese legend that says when a child is born, an invisible red thread connects that child's soul to all those people, present and future, who will play a part in that child's life. I strongly believe we are connected to her by that red thread. I don't know how and what part of her life we may play, but she has definitely played a very important part in our life.

Sending lots of love and prayers to Salem and her forever family.

Beginning a New Year

2007 ended and 2008 started completely different than what we had planned. We have a lot of emotions to deal with, but we can feel so many prayers being prayed for us. We really need your prayers over the next few days, weeks and months. We have decisions that need to be made immediately, some we have a few weeks to make and then others that may take a few months to fully decide. Our first prayers and decisions concern how we handle the emotions of Salem (Cassi) finding her forever family. We cannot be her forever family although we feel such a strong love and connection to her. This has been very hard to accept and process these past few days and I know we still have a long way to go, but we are grieving and healing with time. Our families are having difficulty dealing with this also, because we all think of her as "our" Cassi. We have to come to terms with these feelings and move forward because she needs a family and that is what our prayers need to be. After all, that is what the whole adoption process is about, a child who needs a home, finding their place. Please help us pray for these next few days that Salem will find her place. She deserves to be able to spend next Christmas and birthday with her family.

Prayers for Salem

I don't even know what words to use to break the following news to all of you reading this blog. We received the news this morning that after much discussion and debate over our Letter of Intent, we have been denied the Pre-Approval to adopt from China. In May of 2007, the CCAA issued new regulations concerning those eligible to adopt from China, and we met the regulations according to the interpretation published. However, some of the top officials have said that the interpretation published was different than the meaning of the rules and will not allow us to adopt from China.



I am so sorry that I have to share this news with all of you. It hurts so bad!!! We have had so much support and I can never thank each one of you enough for all you have done. The encouraging and excited words you have spoken to us, the kinds acts, the love you have shown for us and for a special little two-year-old half way around the world, will never be forgotten. Please continue to pray for her. She has become a part of our hearts and we want her to have a "forever family." We are hoping that our agency can keep her file and find her a family soon. I feel comfort in the possibility that Stefani and her staff, with Children's House International, will find her a family that can love her and cherish her as much as we did and would have in the future. She has taken a portion of every heart who has followed our story and concering her future, I know she will have many prayers going up on her behalf.



Please pray for Richie, Issac and me. We are searching for answers we may never find. I pray that God will heal many broken hearts and once again give us the peace we need. Help us in sending much love and prayers to our precious little Salem.

Happy 2nd Birthday Cassi!

The following is a very special poem written by Marcy, Anna Mei's mom, in honor of Cassi's birthday.

Happy Birthday Cassi

We'll sing a little song today
though you are not here
to wish you Happy #2
and a very special year

For this year will be so different
from any one before
you'll finally met your family
that couldn't love you anymore

So Happy Birthday Cassi
from across the Pacific blue
Let's celebrate this day with her
For Bobbye's baby is turning 2!!!!

Marcy in KY (very proud cousin)

This was posted to the agency's waiting kids yahoo group in celebration of Cassi's birthday. We spent most of her day, out and about, thinking about her and enjoying the relaxing time off work. I can't help but think how different next year will be.

We did receive our approval from the USCIS in the mail on Christmas Eve and I took it and had it notorized and authenticated today. We are ready to finish up the authentication process and hope we have our PA very, very soon so we can send our dossier to China.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. We sure did!!!!!! I'll try to get some photos on here soon.

Sending birthday love, hugs and kisses to a very special two-year-old!!!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

For all reading this, we wish you a very Merry Christmas! We just celebrated our Christmas at home and Issac seems to be very happy. He is in his room now watching the Santa Claus 3 movie and putting away his other things. Yesterday was spent with Richie's dad, step-mom, his three sisters, and their spouses and children. We are very blessed to have large families with lots of children, but the only thing is we don't get to spend as much time with them as we wish we could. I got to play "Are you smarter than a fifth grader?" with some of the kids and we won a million dollars. (Now I guess I just wait for the check to come in the mail. ha ha)

Today after attending our annual Christmas breakfast at church and enjoying the children's Christmas program, we celebrated with Richie's mom, step-dad, his other sisters, spouses, nieces, nephews, and children. We had one celebrating his first Christmas this year, 4-month-old, Alexander, and everyone was oooohing and aaaahing over him. We played the Dirty Santa game, and I drew the #3, which is not a good #, so I went and got an ink pen out and changed my # to a higher one. Of course I had to confess after almost getting away with it, but it was worth a laugh.

Monday and Tuesday we have more family gatherings and will be quite busy, but we are spending time with family and that is what the holidays are all about. When we contacted the agency last week to ask about our PA, they told us they hope to know something by Monday, so we are hoping for a Christmas miracle. After all that has happened over the past 5-6 years, and then two years ago when I received the CD with the Christmas song "All I Really Want for Christmas," on Cassi's actual birth day, nothing would be more fitting than the actual PA from the CCAA saying that we can move forward with the adoption of the birthday girl.

Take a little extra time this Christmas to be especially thankful for your family and children. There are so many little ones that never celebrate special occasions with a family of their own and the sad truth is, there are so many of us that never even think about it or realize it. Until we adopted Issac and then had the burden for other children, I just had gone through life without really thinking about how I can help change the life of other children. Every child deserves a family to call their own and we can all help in some way. Whether it's supporting a family that has made the step of faith to adopt or foster, or maybe you realize that you have room in your house for another, do something to make a difference.

Once again, thank you to everyone who has been and are continuing to be so supportive in our life changing journey. Your thoughts, prayers, kind acts and words of encouragement mean more than you will ever know. Tonight and for the next few days, Cassi will especially be on our hearts and minds. I may not have the time to post again until after Christmas and her birthday, but please keep us in your prayers. Love your family and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Getting ready for Christmas!!!

Nine days 'til Christmas! Is everyone ready besides me? I could not get in the Christmas mood until we returned from vacation, and then sickness strikes. I went Christmas shopping for the first time on the 4th and did a little and planned on having last weekend and Tuesday (my day off work this week), but sweet little virus bug came to visit last Sunday morning and finally left the house on Friday. So far, Richie hasn't been sick and seems fine, but Issac and I have had a rough week. Due to that, shopping was put on the back burner until yesterday. After spending from 7:15 am - 2:30 pm at Issac's basketball games, Richie and I were able to go Christmas shopping. Crowded, cold, very wet, but shopping just the same. We knocked quite a bit of it out and I should be able to finish up on Tuesday.

In case you are wondering, yes, we are STILL waiting for our PA and our I171-H. We did receive word from our placing agency that we are one of three families that had to go through a second round of approval (ours being due to a medical question from our basic information) and standard procedure on those are that the director of the CCAA must sign the preapproval also. Due to it being the end of the year, training, and visiting the orphanages the director has been out of the office some and they are on his desk for approval. Our agency facilitator is leaving on Tuesday for China on other agency business and I'm hoping she brings home or sends our PA.

As far as the I171-H, this past week we started contacting our congressmen asking for their help in getting this paperwork completed. What started out as a 45 day wait, turned into an 8 week wait and now we are beginnning our 11th week of waiting. Apparently, the Memphis office of the USCIS processes at a slower rate than some offices of the USCIS. I really need the I171-H in order to go through the authentication process and be ready to send our dossier to China as soon as we receive our PA.

I hope everyone reading this continues to life us up in your prayers. This Christmas season is exciting but there is a feeling that I cannot describe. Knowing there is a little girl half way around the world who we have grown to love and are counting the days until we can make her a part of our family that must spend one of the happiest times of the year with no family is hard. I want to enjoy all the celebrations to the fullest, but can't help and anticipate next year when she will experience Christmas for the first time.

Sending a Christmas kiss to a button nose many, many miles away....

We're back and still waiting

Well, we're back and we had an absolutely WONDERFUL time!!! The only thing that didn't go as I had planned was we didn't receive our PA while in front of the castle in the Magic Kingdom or while in the Chinese world showcase in Epcot. Bummer!!! I had thought one of those two places would have just been the perfect spot, but we will get it when we are supposed to. The stress of waiting is not fun, let me tell you. I know alot of you are feeling the stress of the wait also, but we have NO control and I am not a good one at releasing all control (maybe another lesson I am supposed to learn).

Now, back to Disney World. Perfect weather, great company, relaxing (some days), lots and lots of memories, what could be better (except receiving PA while there)? My 87 year old grandmother, who was only going to the Christmas party, went to every park we went to for the entire day until the very last day. She was completely exhausted on Friday and spent the day in bed. We all had so much fun and the memories that our four generations made will last a lifetime. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and I am so thankful we were blessed to enjoy it.

While in FL, I received another email from Cassi's foster mom and brother and they told me she was about the size of 12-18 month old. Short but very chubby. When they arrived at the orphanage to visit with her, she was pushing another little girl around in a little red wagon. They also said that her hair is a bit lighter than the average Chinese child but darker than when she was in their care. They also said that she is very healthy and in really good hands. I am so thankful for the orphanage she is in. It is a small one and they have very good comments from all families that have ties to it.

Please continue to pray for us to receive good news SOON!!!! It really should be any day from both CCAA and USCIS. Until then, please pray for our direction in all steps leading to bringing Cassi home.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I was feeling an urge to contact Cassi's foster family in China and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving and I received a wonderful surprise. They are unable to read our blog in China because it is blocked and they had asked me to keep them informed on how things are progressing. I had not updated them since September 30, so I emailed them on Tuesday night. Lori, the foster mom, responded by telling me that two of her children, daughter, age 19 and son, age 15, had visited with Cassi at the orphanage the day before she received my email. They were within one hour travelling distance and decided to stop in and check on Cassi and 3 others they had fostered in the past. They had a really good visit with her and she didn't want the son to put her down. I had been told in previous information on the foster family that Cassi had a bond with the older sons and because of that, I am hoping she will bond quickly with Issac. Lori said that because of the way Cassi was with her son, she should be quite ready to bond with Issac. I was so thankful to hear this wonderful news!!! She continued to tell me how sweet Cassi was. When I pulled the email up, Issac was sitting at the computer reading it with me and the look on his face was priceless.

I am so thankful Richie and I have finally, after years of being unsure of where God was leading us, started down this path. We can feel His hand leading and we hope that we will do exactly what He wants, when He wants. As I have said before, me sharing our journey does not stop with that. I am hoping there is someone reading this blog who will listen and follow God's leading in their lives.

Don't forget to give thanks during this season and remember the reason we have this special time of year. "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."

Anna Mei turns 2!!

Friday night we went to the birthday celebration of Anna Mei Yi Gross. If you have been reading my blog, you know she is the daughter of Rodney and Marcy, and the beginning of many things that fell into place at just the right time that led us to Cassi. I am so thankful to her parents and the journey they shared that convinced two reluctant individuals to follow the direction God was leading. We celebrated her first and second birthday and it was a very special occasion enjoyed by family and friends. Happy Birthday Anna!!!

I am hoping so badly we will get some good news this week. I was hoping to have our dossier in the hands of CHI - our placing agency - by Thanksgiving, but that is pretty much impossible the way things look now. There are so many different agencies, organizations and individuals involved in preparing the needed paperwork and some of them are just not in as much of a hurry to bring Cassi home as we are. They don't have a stake in the process, just paperwork to them, and it's just a job. In some states, they are receiving their I171-H in just a matter of days. We started the process on July 28th, didn't have fingerprints until September 28th, our homestudy was sent in on October 5, and I inquired about ours this past week and they will not even look to see where we are in the process until we have reached the eight week mark. URGH!!! I just have to believe there is a reason for the waiting. If nothing else, it's to learn a lesson in patience.

Help us pray we will receive the good news of our Pre-approval this week. Once we have that from the CCAA, I think I may be able to handle the wait better. I'm probably kidding myself to think that, but I'm hoping. I hope the next time I post the title will be, "We have our PA!!!"

Basketball pics

Here is a picture of Issac in his uniform like I promised. He's in the 7th grade and hasn't had his growth spurt most boys have in Jr. high yet, so he'll be spending time on the bench during most Jr. High games. He starts for the 7th grade team and they had their first game Monday night and won by 2. YEAH!!!

The next picture is of Issac and Jon-Thomas (my nephew) after the pre-season tournament last Saturday. The team took the 3rd place trophy and somehow it got into the hands of these two. It did make it back to school in one piece. And that's a great accomplishment when you put the two of them together.

I hope to post soon with news of our Pre-Approval!!! Keep us in your prayers.

Our Trick-or-Treaters