handsful

Recently, I was forwarded a blog post that summarized a speech given by Amy Eldridge, Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit organization Love Without Boundaries (www.lovewithoutboundaries.com).   According to the website…

Love Without Boundaries began in the year 2003, after a group of adoptive parents came together to help save the life of one tiny boy in China. Following his successful heart surgery, they realized that people with a pure love for helping children can truly make a difference. LWB incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charity in the state of Oklahoma, and our worldwide team of volunteers went to work. We have watched our foundation grow from providing a handful of surgeries and baby formula in 2003 to touching the lives of thousands of children today through our many program areas.

In her speech, she gave her insights and opinions on the current state of China adoption.  It was extremely eye-opening for us, and we believe the information is important to pass along to anyone with a heart for China adoption.  Please click the link below.

http://chinaadoptiontalk.blogspot.com/2010/07/amy-eldridge-of-lwb-speaks.html

Our journey begins today!  We are driving to NC, where our family is keeping our children while we’re in China.  Our flight on Wednesday leaves early, so we’ll be up before the birds…not that we can sleep very soundly right now!

See you in China!

I don’t think I’ve ever posted a picture of Lainey’s orphanage.  Here is one view, and this was taken recently (see the snow).  She is fortunate, and the recent storms haven’t affected them at all, they are warm, dry and well fed.  We are so thankful.  Her orphanage is new, built last year.  Just recently, they were able to receive generous donations of new clothes and fruit for Chinese New Year, through the charity Packages of Hope.  I hope she’s enjoying her fruit! 

4 days till we board the plane!

Happy Year of the Rat!  (I know you’re not happy about the “rat” part, Kathy, sorry!!)

We’re busy working on our “to do” lists, getting closer and closer to being ready to travel!  It’s hard to believe that we will be on the plane in 6 days. 

We’ve been checking the weather in the three cities we’ll be in, Beijing, Hefei, and Guangzhou.  Highs for those cities this week around around 36, 42, and 55.  As you can tell, we begin up north and go farther south with each city change.  The lows in Beijing are in the teens…ouch.  Did I mention that it’s been in the 70’s and 80’s here in Florida?  I’ve been searching for winter clothes (we don’t have much need for gloves, hats and thermal undies here!) 

Better get back to packing, etc.  The days are slipping away! 

Here’s what we know so far…we’ll get more detailed information from our guide, Lisa, in Beijing when we land. 

2/12 Drive to NC to drop off our children with family…it’s going to be hard to do! 

2/13 leave for China (NC to NJ to Beijing)

2/14 arrive and celebrate Valentine’s day by crashing in the hotel room!

2/15 Beijing tour (Great Wall?)

2/16 Beijing tour (Forbidden City?)

2/17 We leave Beijing and fly to Hefei, Anhui province.  Lainey’s orphanage is in Anhui, in the city of Bengbu.  We will be staying in Hefei which is the capital of Anhui.  It’s about 3 hours from Bengbu. 

2/18 Lainey Day!  We’ll receive her in the morning, at the registration office in Hefei.

2/19 Go back to the registration office to finalize our adoption…she’ll be officially ours after this! 

2/20-2/22 These days are rest or tour days, our choice.  There is also paperwork going on during this time.  During registration on the 19th, we apply for Lainey’s passport so it takes these days for her paperwork to process. 

2/23 We leave Hefei and fly to Guangzhou. 

2/24 Free day

2/25 Lainey has her visa physical done and visa photo taken.  We also do some paperwork that day. 

2/26 Free day

2/27 We have our US Consulate appointment

2/28 We go back to the US Consulate to take the oath, promising never to abandon her and to always care for her.  We receive her visa today, too. 

2/29 We leave Guangzhou for US (Guangzhou to Hong Kong to NJ to FL)  I’m sure we’ll be so happy to be home. 

Our agency was able to give us our definite travel dates today, after receiving confirmation of our appointment with the Chinese consulate!  Our consulate date is 2/27, so we’ll be leaving for China on 2/13 and returning on 2/29.  Because of the time difference, we’ll have a really LONG leap day!  We will receive Lainey…known as Gotcha Day…the morning of 2/18! 

We made our flight arrangments today and had our conference call with Josh and Lily this afternoon.  Josh and Lily are the founders of our agency and they have a phone conference with every group of families that leaves for China to adopt.  They are also available to us (they give us their cell phone numbers) 24hrs a day while we’re in China, should we need them.  I think that is amazing…we have such a fantastic agency and have always felt so wonderfully taken care of. 

When we have a more detailed itinerary, I’ll post it!  12 days to go…

Our boys this morning, praying for “the form”

Our I-171H worries are over!  The USCIS faxed it to our agency TODAY!  We are so relieved, happy, and thankful - especially for everyone prayers!  We were able to speak to the representative for our local Congressman, John Mica, this morning.  We gave her all the information and faxed over a release form and our formal request for help around 11am.  She mentioned that she had a good relationship with the officers at our local USCIS…obviously! 

Our agency assures us we will travel with our group on 2/13 (yes!!) and they are requesting our consulate date, which we will hear about in the next few days.  Praise God!! 

Now, Lainey, your days are numbered in that orphanage.  We have been praying that the nannies are doing what they can to prepare her for her big life change.  Specifically, that they have been showing her the photo albums with our labled pictures in them so that she learns what we look like.  We would love for you to join us in praying for her! 

We’ve received no word from our local immigration office regarding the status of “the form” we need (I-171H) in order to travel soon.  We’ve called, we’ve emailed, our agency has called and they’ve emailed.  Nothing.  So, the next step…

Today we faxed our local Senator, asking him for help in our case.  Unfortunately, we didn’t hear from him today.  (notice a theme here?)  Tomorrow, we’re going to call his office and the office of our Congressman.  We would very much appreciate your prayers in this matter…the clock is ticking on us being able to travel with our group on 2/13.  We know that God has this under control and that His plans will work out.  We are just so ready to meet our Lainey.  Thanks :) 

…the elusive immigration letter that we’ve STILL not received (more on that later…), here is Randy’s bench creation!

He designed it himself, after looking at other bench designs. 

It’s the perfect size for 3, with Abbey and Lainey on the other side.  We’ll take one of the other chairs out and put Lainey’s clip-on chair. 

About immigration.  Our agency has been calling and emailing this week, and only today got notice that they’ve READ one of the emails, but not responded back.  We’ve called and left a message and sent 2 emails…nothing.  Our agency isn’t panicking yet, they say that we’ll be okay as long as the form is received by the end of the month.  I’m still praying that I find it in the mailbox tomorrow.  We’re so ready to begin making flight arrangements! 

I know, I already posted this picture on another post, but do you really ever get tired of seeing her little face?? 

We received the call today, China has sent our Travel Approval!  Our travel dates are 2-13 through 2-28.  However, there is STILL something we need before our agency can begin making travel arrangements for us.  We’re still waiting on our I-171H form from the US immigration.  It should be here (I think I recently said this?) any day now.  Our agency is making a call tomorrow to double check on it.  The gal in travel told me today that even if the form doesn’t show until next week, our travel dates should still be fine.  Chinese New Year in China is 2/7 and the whole place shuts down during that week.  This actually worked out well for us…it’s allowing us to be home for Ab’s 12th b-day (2/9) and giving us more time to wait for that pesky form. 

We are so thankful to God for working all these things out for us, and so anxious to meet our little girl!