Adoption means...

In Him,

 

Lily's Passport Picture

So I thought I'd check in super-quick and show you the absolutely adorable picture that is going into Lily's US Passport (for which we applied today so she can come with us to pick up Luke...sometime, eventually, one day...soon?)

This was our second attempt at getting one.  The first time she just cried and cried.  This time...she cried, too.  But, after Daddy sat in the chair and showed her it wasn't so bad, she decided to just look...well, the non-smiley version of her cute self.

And, as we were leaving the post office after filling out the paperwork, a woman who'd been making lots of smiley faces at Lily called to me..."Like your shirt!"   

I was wearing my Wild Olive Tee Faith, Hope, & Love shirt.  

I said thanks and told her it was for a fundraiser to bring home our son.  She asked where he was from and I told her and thus began a wonderful conversation with a neat lady who I found out is a sister in the Lord.  We were able to share about how the Lord brought us to Lily and now Luke and she shared her experiences with her best friend's adopted Chinese daughter.  

And not only that, she has a huge heart for China because she was discipled & mentored by the woman who was in China serving with Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire was about him)!  How cool is that!


Love God's divine appointments!


In Him,

Knees & Apple Picking

Yesterday Lily had her regular prosthetic appointment and then we headed straight over to see her orthopedist for a check up.  

I truly thought the visit to the orthopedist would be a complete waste of a co-pay since I didn't think there was any way he would write a Rx for a knee (yes, those are prescribed by doctors, much like an antibiotic!).  He had already told me that he didn't think it was a good idea until she was walking independently.  Since she isn't, I figured the trip was just going to be a waste of time and money.

Boy, was I wrong!

At both appointments, Lily super impressed everyone with her walker prowess. (I'll have to get that on video for blog world.)  Lily has made quite the impression at her prosthetist's...being their tiniest and, I venture to guess, cutest patient.  I think every P & O specialist, save one, came out to see her walking!  Then they pored over their catalogs of "components" to see if they could find a knee small enough for her.

This was all before seeing the dr. who had to sign off on it all.

Well, after a terrible ordeal getting a pelvic x-ray of my girl, her orthopedist and his medical students were clearly ultra-impressed with her walker-walking.  

And get this...he's writing the Rx for a knee!

He seems to think it's worth seeing if the lack of a knee joint is what is keeping her from independent steps.  

After that totally surprising turn of events, we headed up the mountain to pick apples with Kevin's parents.  It is becoming somewhat of an annual event...with this year bringing in our highest yield yet...120 lbs!  

You read that right...120 lbs!

Apple Cider slushies for all!

Now onto making applesauce and canning!

In Him,

LID..L-I-D...Log-In-Date

It's been awhile, I know.

To say a lot has been going on is...true, yet lame-sounding.  But it's the best shortest explanation I can offer right now.

What has brought me back to blog world after quite some time?

Three little letters.

LID

Not the missing top to my crock pot (lost it at a Fantasy Football potluck in case you're wondering).  But our official Log-In-Date for our adoption of Luke.

What does LID mean?  LID is the date on which China officially logs in a family's adoption dossier to their system.  If I remember correctly, it means that they've rubber-stamped your paperwork and all is ship-shape.

What was so amazing about this is that we'd been told to expect it to come 3-5 weeks later than it came!!!

We got it 3 days after the dossier  landed in China!

Seriously!  


It also means that we are onto our next phase of...waiting.

This time for LOA (again say the letters not the phonics).  Letter Of Acceptance.

They've already pre-approved (you guessed it...PA) our adoption of Luke, so I'm not really sure why they then send an LOA. But, it's just what they do. 

So, now we wait for the LOA.  The word on the internet ground is the average wait is running 60 days.  

I'd take another miracle!

One day I'll get on here and announce our TA...Travel Approval! 

Speaking of good news...the same day we got LID, we discovered that Luke had been featured on Love Without Boundaries Facebook page!  

And just look at the new picture of him!

The caption reads: Luke from our Shunyi Foster Care Program has really been working out! He has spent some time at the New Hope home this summer which has given him the opportunity to spend more time out of his wheelchair. He is now strong enough to scoot around without it!

In Him, 

Lily vs. Slide

Many have asked how Lily is getting around.

I'll let the video do the talking...typing.  Whatever!

She, no lie, did this at least a dozen times...with no help from me.

I finally just sat down on a nearby step.

In Him,