11/14/2012

Time is on our side.. yes it is..


Lucy Love,
I have been struggling a little bit today with knowing that it is going to be 8-9 months at this point until we can travel to China to pick you up little one!  Now that there is a face to our daughter it CHANGES EVERYTHING.  But I have also been encouraged to hear SO MANY who have walked this road before, tell us that God's Timing is always perfect in each adoption.  I had been thinking through all of this when I logged checked my email to see that yet another mom from the Hefei group had gone on and offered encouragement of this nature at the exact moment I was fretting over the 9 months we will wait.. Here is what I found in my inbox from someone who does not even know me.. ( am omitting her personal info)



You are 3 right now and will be close to 4 when we bring you home.  Our estimated wait is 9 months.  I am not expecting that our story will be exactly like hers, but my was this encouragement to me.  Our story does not look the same as anyone else's.  It is our story and the unique timing of it all, although it does not look perfect, is what led us to our perfect match.. YOU! And God is still working out the timeline, but I want to be able to show you one day the series of events that led us to you... Praying that these 9 months will be short for you, that God will restore the time where you did not have this crazy family to hug and kiss and love on you, and that you will bond and attach to your parents and siblings in your time.. That we will have realistic expectations and be patient with you while you figure it all out.. That God in His perfect timing will prepare each of us for your arrival.  We will wait as long as it takes... You are worth it.

March 2011 - Talked with Lisa Kelly (China Adoption Coordinator at Lifeline Adoption Agency)
Jan 2012 - Decided to start the adoption process.. Started with the intention to adopt from UGANDA..
 (you can read our post by clicking here)
Jan 8 2012 - Filled out our First HS application
Jan 11, 2012 - Sean got Fingerprints for FBI
Jan 15-20, 2012 - Painted the Adoption Canvas
Jan 20, 2012 - Laura got Fingerprints for FBI
Jan 20, 2012 - Dr. Form for the Kids completed
Feb 10, 2012- Shared with Friends and Family that we're adopting
Feb 14, 2012, - First meeting with Social Worker from initial HS..
Feb 22, 2012 - GBI Fingerprints taken
Feb 28, 2012 - Requested Copies of Birth and Marriage Certificates
April 11, 2012 - Decided to Switch to China for Adoption, spoke with Lisa Kelly again, she remembered me!
April 17, 2012 - Filled out Official Application with Lifeline
April 20, 2012 - Official Acceptance from Lifeline
May 10, 2012 - First phone interview with social worker, Bekah
May 10/16,  2012.. The window of time the other girls from Lucy's age group were adopted and the Moms visited and took these photos that included Lucy :)
May 30, 2012 - Lucy on the other side of the world, has her physical for adoption file (2 1/2 years old)
June 4, 2012 - First HS visit with Bekah - went so well - we loved her!!
June - August.. - Things got busy, and we grew weary of the paperwork :)
August 12, 2012 - Georgia China travel meeting, Peachtree City - We met Andrea, Amy, and Lily and heard from Karla Thrasher all the details about Traveling to China
August - October 2012 - Lots of visits to Lifeline China's waiting children lists ;)
September 26, 2012 - Second Dr. Form completed for Kids
October 17, 2012 - First Glimpse of Lucy
October 19, 2012 - Discovered that a friend of ours is adopting a little girl from the SAME ORPHANAGE as Lucy - can't wait to share more about this. :)
October 22, 2012 - Stayed up Late into the night gathering and filling out all the LOI documents
October 24, 2012 - All LOI docs in to Andrea, waiting on one clearance before we can send LOI
October 24, 2012- We name our daughter! Lucille Love Kirkland (will share meaning in a sep post)
November 1, 2012 - Lifeline is clear to send our LOI - First day of Orphan Awareness Month
November 1, 2102 - Laura gets blood work for Medical Docs.
November 2, 2012- Sean and I go out for Asian dinner to celebrate and afterwards to Starbucks to knock out our Autobiographies while the kids STN with Grandmother!
Novermber 3, 2012 - Sean and I spend the morning finishing our Autobiographies and head to get Re-fingerprinted for GBI a second time.
November 4, 2012 - Orphan Sunday - We pass out rice and beans at Church, I wear a red necklace because I am carrying Lucy in my heart and praying we will get PA soon..
November 6, 2012 - Get a call first thing in the morning.. WE GOT PA to adopt Lu XueChun "Lucy"
Might I add that this was election day, but the election was about the last thing on my mind ;)
November 7, 2012- We shout to the world that she is ours!!
November 12, 2012 - Order a care package to be sent to Lucy - doll, blanket, candy, pillow with our picture on it.
November 14, 2012 - Individual interviews HS meeting with Bekah Benke
To be continued....


Daddy Getting GBI Fingerprints made 11/3



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