Since we will be in China on Kate's 2 year referral anniversary, I wanted to post now...
I love Kate's story because I see God so evidently in it, just as I do in the stories of AnnaClaire, Charlie, and Grace. It is just so clear that He chose for us to be united as a family.
I should start by saying that when we went on the "interested families list" 9 months earlier, we had put down one special need. Not because this was the only special need we would accept, but because we really wanted to adopt another child with this need. However, by the end of May, Mom and Dad started talking about why we wouldn't put other things down if we were open to them... why not open ourselves up and allow for God to work? They checked "yes" to quite a few other needs. There was one that they went back and forth on. Hemangioma. After some prayer, they put yes and turned in the list.
Fast forward to June 12, 2008.
The day before, our agency had posted that a new shared list was out and they would be matching families. A had a feeling that this might be it.
It was a Thursday and there had been a big storm the night before. We had no internet, no phone, no cable. Mom, AC, and I were out at Hall*mark Father's Day shopping when around 11:30, a call came.
As she picked up her phone, I noticed that the area code was our agency's area code. My heart started pounding. I could sense Mom's excitment and I knew that "this was it."
She couldn't have gotten off that phone fast enough for me. I knew I was about to be a big sister again and just wanted to know all about our sweet Kate! But finally, she did. There was a little girl named Ling Xu Liu who was 15 months old with a hemangioma. Did we want to lock her file?
Of course, we had Dad on the phone by now and he said, "lock it!" We had to move quickly, because anyone could see her file on the list. They were more strict with locking back then and you were only supposed to if you had reviewed the whole file. However, it would be over 30 minutes before we could get to Dad's office (remember, we had no internet at home) to read the email. So we told our coordinator to lock the file.
The whole way to Dad's office, he tried to explain how cute she was. It was the longest car ride. Finally, we got there and as we stepped into the office, her picture was on the screen. A sweet little girl clapping her hands. She had the cutest little crooked smile. There was no doubt she was our Katherine MeiLing.
We went to lunch and ran her file to our ped. and Mom and Dad went home to write the LOI...
A few hours later, they heard back that she was perfect :)
Of course, we already knew that anyway!
When Mom was introducing our sweet girl to her friends, one commented on how familiar Kate looked to her.
A few months later, we found out that Kate was at the Philip Hayden Foundation, sharing a room with the daughter of another good friend of Mom's.
Not only that, but remember that friend who had felt like she had seen Kate before? She had. She had been in China adopting her darling daughter in November. Their family sponsored kids at PHF and went to visit them. While there, they met a little girl named Shia. Jeanette actually held sweet Shia and prayed for a family that could get past her needs and bring her home. She held our precious girl and PRAYED FOR HER! She had even posted a picture of sweet Shia on her blog... we had seen this picture of our little girl... yet at the time, we had no idea!
Little did she know that the sweet girl of her prayers would be a cherished member of OUR family!!! Is that not so amazing how God works?
My sweet Kate. She can put up a pout like no other, but oh, how I love her. She is the most appreciative, loving little girl. I marvel at how God has transformed her life in the 18 months that she has been in our family.
I am so thankful for the way he brought precious Katherine MeiLing into our family. I remember how hectic and absolutely exciting that day was as we looked at her face for the first time and fell in love with another sweet precious sister!
Thank you, Jesus, for our precious Katie Cakes!
2009
2010
It's been a long 2 days, but we are finally in Hong Kong!
First things first, I will be posting at http://www.tochinaforcharlie.com/ during our trip! If you know me, you know I post a LOT. I hope you don't get too sick of me for 24 days! :) Anyway, there may be a few posts here, but everything will be on our travel website, so be sure to follow us there!
The fish have been dropped off at AC's friends house to be taken care of...
We've eaten at Chi*ckfila for the last time in the next month... and said goodbye to all of our friends...
Charlie's carseat has been recovered with a more boy-ish cover... (aren't you loving the longhorn?)
Our TA's have arrived...
We are completely packed...
The other day, one of Mom's friends offered to take care of the girls this morning so that we could get some things done for our trip. Oh my goodness, it was SO helpful. We got Charlie and Grace all packed, finished up shopping for Grace's foster family, and did a few other last errands.
The pool is open, which is always a highlight of the summer!
AnnaClaire loves swimming with Sis! She is such a big swimmer and can also now stand on her tippy toes in the shallow end! (3 ft)
She has come SUCH a long way with her swimming! Just look at her!! I think I taught her well :)
Kate got a few new nightgowns the other day... She LOVES nightgowns and doesn't ever want to sleep in anything else! Here she is brushing her hair with her new princess brush!
Booie is so excited because scooters were on a really good sale at Wa*lMa*rt the other day and she has been dying for one for months! She loves wearing her helmet and going on "scooter walks!"
Cakers got a treat when we were out shopping, too. She picked a Do*ra doll, who doesn't leave her side!
Woohoo!!! It's official! We're going to CHINA! :)
our TA celebration dinner last night... P*ei We*i, of course!