tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80621002895915961252023-11-16T03:15:08.494-08:00Hayley's Journey Home"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families..."Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-8352672340398437982014-04-23T06:47:00.002-07:002014-04-23T06:47:45.304-07:00The Finding PlaceI sit here at 5:30 in the morning wide awake with many thoughts whirling through me head. I thought that I better get some of them down so my kids can read this one day. On Saturday, April 19 2014, we went to our daughter's finding place. I have wanted to go here for quite sometime, it is always a mystery not knowing how all of the pieces fit together. I felt that if we went, it might be one more piece that we can help her try to figure out and make some sort of sense of her first two and a half years of life - if that is possible.<br />
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On this trip, I was told by my agency that it would not be possible to find. They said it would be too difficult, but my prayers were answer and God provided us with the BEST guide possible. Her American name is Sherry and she is just willing to do anything for us. She is truly willing to bend over backwards for us. And she has such a great sense of humor. </div>
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We started out knowing that this would be an 1 1/2 hour drive and that it could take up to a half hour to find the spot. We knew the adoption documents stated that she was placed 30 meters east of the telecommunications bureau in Wugong county and that is what we were working with. Our guide did not even know if it was the only telecommunications building in that county which would mean, we wouldn't really know where exactly her birth mother placed her. </div>
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We arrived in Wugong county. They found a telecommunications building and they stopped to ask several different people that kept pointing us back the same building. We then stopped at a police station. The police said that was the only telecommunications building in the area, so we knew that it was the right place. We drove back to the building and got out of the car. My hands were shaking and I felt like I didn't know what to do next. I had packed several items to make a poster to hang at her finding spot. My prayer in doing this was that her birth mom would get to see it and know that her daughter was okay. That she would know that her daughter was alive. She survived. She made it. We took the items from our bag and began to assemble this poster. We had the finding add that had the date and where she was placed, a baby picture, a picture of her now and a picture of our family together. We asked our driver to write out what we wanted to say. It went something like this... "This baby was found here on in 2009 and was adopted in 2011 by an American family. She is happy and loved." We brought laminate sheets and then assembled it all together. We took out Nate's compass and started to walk 30 meters east from the building and there on a corner in front of a cement wall there was a large pole. We decided to hang the poster on the pole at that place, and then Nate and I decided to pray. We prayed for her birth mom and prayed that she would find that poster and know that her daughter is safe and happy. We prayed that she would know that her daughter is loved. The tears were flowing, as they are now when I write this. It was such a powerful moment that I didn't know we would even get to experience, but God is so gracious. And we are so thankful. </div>
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We then walked around and watched the people. A group of three people walked up and the one was a young women that had grown up in Wugong and then moved to Xi'an. She spoke a little broken English and asked us what brought us here. We explained and she thanked us for visiting their town. She was very sweet and they all kept thanking us. We had many stares-more than in the other parts of Ch*na where we have been. Sherry told us that we were probably the first Americans to ever come to Wugong. It was a very poor area.</div>
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We felt that something to give to our daughter was important - something that she could hang onto from her birthplace. We walked into a few stores up the road from that place but they didn't have anything that would be really special. Our guide walked us into the telecommunications building and tried to find something with the name of the building on it, but they didn't have anything. We walked back outside and she took us around the corner and there was a little shop. We walked inside and there was probably 15 women sitting at sewing machines making blankets, pillows and scarves. The ladies took us to the back and there was a room filled with items that these lovely ladies had made. Everything was so beautiful. We settled on a pink silk throw pillow. They put it in a bag and that bag had the name and address of the telecommunications building on it! </div>
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After we purchased the pillow and said "goodbye", we walked back out and decided it was time to go. It was hard to leave. This was my daughter's birthplace. This is where she would have lived and grown up and life would have been hard. God had a different plan for our sweet girl. I am thankful that He did or we would not have the opportunity to raise her and love her. But my heart also aches for this amazing women who carried her and took care of her for the first week of life and I imagine, struggled with the decision to leave her. </div>
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See I believe in my heart of hearts that her birth mom cared deeply for her. And we will continue to pray that she finds that poster on that little corner that for most people in this world means nothing, but means so much to me, to Nate, and to her birth mom. That corner is where my sweet girl's life was changed forever. That corner is where a mother's heart was broken when walking away from her sweet baby. Someday I am sure that my daughter will stand at that corner and try to make sense of it all. My prayer is that above all, she knows that her Creator had a very special plan for her life. And even if all of the pieces never completely fit together, that she feels she fits because she is created in His image and His love for her exceeds any love her birth family or her family has for her. </div>
Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-68290495331637236332012-09-03T05:52:00.000-07:002012-09-03T08:10:33.440-07:00One year later...Yes, I realized that my last post was in January. We have a lot going on here...all good things though!<br />
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So the last two weeks have been a time of reflecting back on our journey over the last year. On Saturday, September 1st, was Hayley's anniversary of one year home, and August 21st, was the one year anniversary of her "Gotcha Day". <br />
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It is amazing to see how far she has come. For the first six months or more, she was quite angry at times, she was ripped away from her whole life...everything that she has ever know. It makes sense, but so heart-breaking to watch her go through these difficult times. At bedtime, for the first few month, Hayley would scream and kick and pull her hair out, but now we read books and sing songs. She now lays down and gives me a big squeeze and a kiss. And says "bye, have a good night, see you in the morning, bye, see-ya" every night...in that order. Until about 6 weeks ago, Hayley would cry, sometimes scream, every time she would wake up in the morning or from her nap. Now, she calls "Mommy". For the first 11 months, often times Hayley would push Daddy and her big brother away, if they tried to give her a hug or a kiss. Now she gives them hugs and kisses and you can see that she truly loves them. She is finally letting her guard down. She is finally starting to feel safe. She is finally believing that we LOVE her, we will NEVER LEAVE her, she is OURS. We now see a sense of security in her that we hadn't seen until a little over a month ago.<br />
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Hayley started school this past week...just preschool 2 mornings per week. I thought we would see how it went. Usually, up until recently, in any new situation, she would cling to me. She has always had very high anxiety in new situations. She was really looking forward to school, and we talked about it often over the summer. Hayley walked right in, and said goodbye. It was hard to leave her, but at the same time such a good feeling that she felt so secure. She knew that I was coming back to get her. The first time that I really saw how secure she feels with me, with our family. <br />
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I cannot even begin to describe how much I love her. To brag on her brothers for a minute...they have so far exceeded my expectations. She has been quite difficult with both of them at times, but yet they are so patient with her. They are so proud of her and feel the need to care for her and protect her. They are incredible big brothers. I melt when she jumps into her daddy's arms, and see the relationship with the two of them turn into something beautiful. He is a proud papa. <br />
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We have been asked often, especially lately, if we will adopt again. Yes, we both believe we will, but have no idea what that timing looks like. It could be next year, or it could be five years from now. We are waiting to see what God has in store for us. But in the meantime, God definitely placed something in our path. We started a new business that is supporting adoptive families. We started a company called "Promotional Hope". When companies purchase products, like shirts, hats, mugs, key chains, USB drives, ect...these items can all be customized with their company's logo and information. We, then, give proceeds to families that are struggling with the costs involved with adoption. We cannot wait to see where God takes us with this business! <br />
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So this has definitely been a year of change, but all of these changes have grown our family in positive ways. I cannot imagine life without our spunky, funny, sweet Hayley girl. Thank you God!<br />
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<br />Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-86839580296865629992012-01-12T18:35:00.000-08:002012-01-12T18:35:51.597-08:00Pushing Boundaries<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With both of my boys I was definitely not amused when they "pushed the boundaries" of what they were allowed and not allowed to do, but with Hayley, I have to admit it's a little different. I actually find myself smiling and maybe even a little happy that she is pushing the boundaries. Why? Because it means that she is comfortable...she's at home. She gives me that little smirk and does what I just told her not to do again and runs away laughing. You know...a typical two year old that wants to test every ounce of patience in you?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I guess I view this test a little differently this time. To me it says that my little girl feels safe. She knows that she can push the boundaries, end up in time out and that I will still love her. So for right now, I can say that I am actually enjoying one of the more challenging parts of parenthood. Ask me in a few months....I may tell you otherwise! </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-36026135491063448212011-12-22T05:55:00.000-08:002011-12-22T05:55:25.181-08:00Home for ChristmasI remember this time last year. I had one thing on my mind for Christmas...bringing my little girl home. At that point, I had no idea what she even looked like. Now, I can not imagine my life with out her. She brings so much joy to all of us. She is spunky, funny, sassy, full of energy, always smiling, and our best Christmas gift that we could have this year. I so love this little girl. Her brothers adore her, and she adores them. Yesterday, when her daddy came home, she ran to him and hugged him. That melts my heart! I feel so blessed for the family and the life that God has given me.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Merry Christmas!!! </strong></span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwGS0J0d27erY1hbuO_sbsnQippAs7BqQ3wZUuolfMkoC3P8uO2DOEH62pR78f9iTpSmFeLDGDO0ANZRvg5dluf6YDlWVezOuAyAoM1s5wkBkyzdBHGHHUWBiTckhCpzxvh2xx40AhlM/s1600/IMG_8098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwGS0J0d27erY1hbuO_sbsnQippAs7BqQ3wZUuolfMkoC3P8uO2DOEH62pR78f9iTpSmFeLDGDO0ANZRvg5dluf6YDlWVezOuAyAoM1s5wkBkyzdBHGHHUWBiTckhCpzxvh2xx40AhlM/s320/IMG_8098.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-1060104106792193992011-10-22T19:47:00.000-07:002011-10-22T19:47:18.913-07:00Hayley and AnthonyExactly two months ago was our "gotcha" day! Today we took the kids to a skate park in Sellersville. While the boys were skateboarding, I was watching Hayley ride her little bike with training wheels. I couldn't help but think about the last two months, and all the things that have changed in her life. She has been able to experience so many new things. She looked so happy and carefree...the way it should be for a two year old little girl. <br />
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So in one of my previous posts I mentioned a little boy that lived in the same orphanage where Hayley lived. Take a look at these pictures. The first one is the two of them in the orphanage. The second one is in China when we met for the first time, and found out that Hayley and Anthony came from the same place. And the third picture is from tonight, when our families met for dinner. Can you believe it?!?! There are millions of orphan children in China, and our children went from Xianyang, Shaanxi, China to living 30 minutes apart in Pennsylvania. A huge blessing from God that these two children can grow up knowing each other. <br />
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Today was a good day. For me, a day of reflecting, and a day for me to just say "thank you God for this precious little person that you have brought into our lives"! Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-48076397451606330422011-10-02T19:28:00.000-07:002011-10-02T19:28:01.682-07:00Little Feet in the Grass...I love trying to see the world through my daughter's eyes. There are so many things that we take for granted that she has never had the chance to experience. One example...grass! The first time she saw it, she looked down and decided that there was no way she was going to step on that strange looking stuff. Then, we showed her that it was perfectly safe to walk in, and she was certainly not convinced. It took a little time to show her that it was fine, and now she loves to run through it. The other day, I decided to take her shoes off and REALLY let her feel the grass. This was her reaction...<br />
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Then she couldn't help herself. :)<br />
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Imagine never experiencing grass! It made me think of all of the children that are there until they are 5...8...10...12 years old and they have never felt grass!!! The things we take for granted! God thank you for grass, trees, flowers, and all the beautiful things you bless us with each day. Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-2987911585180437842011-09-20T19:36:00.000-07:002011-09-20T19:36:37.588-07:00Life as a family of five...We have now been home for just over 2 weeks. It has been difficult, but amazing. It is amazing to see how far this scared little girl has come over the last month. I feel so blessed when I look at her smiling and watch her playing with her brothers. She deserves a life full of love and happiness. God has truly blessed us with an adorable, happy little girl. Hayley has her moments of struggle, as I am sure she will over the next few months or even years that she is home. God will get her and us through them...I know!<br />
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Our trip overall went very well. The jet lag was pretty rough in the beginning. Especially when Hayley decided to wake up between 3-4am the first 4-5 days that we were home. :-) But now I cannot complain, she is sleeping great! She sleeps all night, and takes a nap too! I can deal with almost anything when I have had a good night sleep.<br />
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Aidan and Cameron love her to pieces, and they both have been so great with her. They are patient with her, and are constantly showing her love. She is a bucket of endless energy, and fortunately Cameron is the same way! I think he is the only one that can really keep up with her! Hayley is also starting to do really well with her daddy too. He came home today, and she ran over to give him a hug and kiss, and they played outside for a while tonight. It has also given me a welcomed break here and there. <br />
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Tomorrow we have Hayley's appointments at CHOP. It will be a long day for her. We have three different appointments scheduled...all in one day. Poor thing...that is the last thing she needs, but we figured it was better all in one day. If not, we would have had to go down to the city three different times. <br />
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We are all adjusting to life, as a family of five. And we are all in love with this new little member of the family. I now cannot imagine my life without her. She has the cutest smile, and she always makes me laugh. She loves to give me kisses, and loves to snuggle after her naps. She loves to get her books and sit on my lap. She loves to sing 5 little monkeys...over and over. Yes, I love her. When I look at her and think of her being back in the orphange that she came from, I feel so thankful that God chose me to be her mom. It gives me strength to keep going, if we are having a tough day. It makes my heart break for the other children that are still there...<br />
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God thank you for my little girl.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-4701366179441059602011-09-02T02:53:00.000-07:002011-09-06T05:30:21.906-07:00We are home!We are so beyond happy to be home, and it was so nice to be greeted by our family and friends at the airport and at home. Hayley handled it all pretty well considering. When we arrived in the U.S., it was the middle of the night in China. She was so tired, but managed to give everyone a smile. <br />
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Now we are trying to overcome the jet-lag, and the little one sitting next to me decided to wake up at 3am. So here I sit (at 5:30am), and she does not look at all like she wants to go back to sleep! This should be interesting. <br />
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After being home for about an hour, Hayley decided to get down and play with her brothers for a while last night. They were thrilled, and they were able to see a little bit of her fun personality. They are so excited to have her home! <br />
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Thank you again for all of your prayers and support! I will still try to update periodically to let you all know how Miss Hayley is doing!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-14463272067512871732011-08-30T07:09:00.000-07:002011-08-30T07:09:49.900-07:00Last post from China!So today will be my last post from China! Tomorrow night (tomorrow morning for all of you) we head to Hong Kong, and we are there for one night. Then, we fly home! Fifteen hours in the air from Hong Kong to Newark. Sounds fun...right?!?! Hmmm.<br />
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Saying that we cannot wait to come home would be an understatement! We were ready the day we got Hayley, but we made it through the last 2 weeks. We feel so blessed to have this adorable, spunky, funny, little girl. She has come a long way in a short time. <br />
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I can't wait for you all to meet this little one. I was reading my Bible the other day, and came across a verse that is very familiar to me. It is probably very familiar to many of you too. "He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it." That verse hit me in a whole new way, as I was sitting there reading next to my sleeping beauty. He began a good work in this little precious one's life, and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be part of how He chooses to complete it.<br />
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See you all soon!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRvX_kQg3kYA_Em5RDh4bsZnm8Tr3p7Stj2gE16gYFBLVMhSHHJpjNyL1VLjSBiFTsEJuAZJIb8Zq7IKH1LmFlbiqBYS6DOqQgDtSc5gkJ6cUR-1ujjPM1C43sCJN3FRhKeVijqYdrA8/s1600/IMG_3905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRvX_kQg3kYA_Em5RDh4bsZnm8Tr3p7Stj2gE16gYFBLVMhSHHJpjNyL1VLjSBiFTsEJuAZJIb8Zq7IKH1LmFlbiqBYS6DOqQgDtSc5gkJ6cUR-1ujjPM1C43sCJN3FRhKeVijqYdrA8/s320/IMG_3905.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-74822334619569267512011-08-27T00:29:00.000-07:002011-08-27T00:29:51.395-07:00In GuangzhouWe arrived in Guangzhou late last night, and we are so happy to be here. Xian was a rough place to be. We have been able to see all of the other families that we started with in Beijing, but now they each have their children. It is such a blessing to see them all with these precious children, and also be with people that are going through some of the same struggles. <br />
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The hotel is absolutely beautiful, and the area is much nicer than the previous two cities. This morning we had Hayley's visa photo taken and medical check (that was fun). And we were able to get some shopping in on the Island...so much fun! Hayley strutted her stuff, as we walked from store to store. She is definitely full of spunk, and a bit sassy. :-) She is really doing better day by day. She keeps us laughing, and thinks that she is hysterical. Hayley still only lets me hold her, and fortunately is a tiny little thing. She is only 23lbs! I have had to stitch some of her 24 month size clothes, so they don't fall off. She is starting to respond to Nate more and more. She laughs at his funny faces, and on occasion will let him hold her hand. And they run through the halls together which is one of her favorite times of the day. So overall that is improving too. I am praying that before we leave here, she lets him hold her! He is a good dad, and can't wait to hold his little girl!<br />
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I was talking to a friend that has been a wonderful support for me this week, and she said it perfectly...it is like all of the sudden you start to see this light in them. That is what we are starting to see...Hayley's little light shine through. I can't wait to see more and more of this little personality! Nightime and naptime are the hardest times...that is when all the kicking and screaming comes out. But I am sure that is when most of her fear and anxiety comes out, as for all of us. It always seems better in the morning. I cannot even begin to imagine all the emotions and anxiety that she is going through. But I know that God will give us what we need to help her cope. <br />
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Overall, things are going better day by day. I am so ready to come home. I miss Aidan and Cameron so much, and cannot wait to squeeze them! I will post more pics over the next day or so! <br />
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Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-31027668089662814752011-08-25T02:05:00.000-07:002011-08-25T02:05:31.189-07:00A Better Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Thank you all for your prayers...we could feel them! Today has been better. She actually played with Nate in the car for a while today. They were handing things back and forth, and each time he would say "Thank you". She then started saying "thank you" (or something that sounded sort of like that) back, when he would hand her something. It is amazing how something so simple could be so precious. She is starting to babble a lot more, which is so cute. We are also starting to see little bits of her personality come out. I think that she is going to keep us laughing. She has this strut when she walks that is hysterical. We will try to post it later, if it will work. Again, thank you all for your prayers! Here are some pictures to enjoy! <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She loves her headbands!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxL1UunoQyagugTbjpEArUfi20MOMDhPpHt5eHOoixQCbRCSqNPXCtR1wmvvuM1j2ZTcrhFMFg8eT81EPJK2wYe4R_XYM8DrpLMbbmL7JvZXsw3XvOwKMvKiNg-8hbmYO_u35msI4dmiA/s1600/Hayley+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxL1UunoQyagugTbjpEArUfi20MOMDhPpHt5eHOoixQCbRCSqNPXCtR1wmvvuM1j2ZTcrhFMFg8eT81EPJK2wYe4R_XYM8DrpLMbbmL7JvZXsw3XvOwKMvKiNg-8hbmYO_u35msI4dmiA/s320/Hayley+2.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGk-XGPmDyaWABvHGjhNVptRzSSXiNJMWU8MDESnJVUxvG7RA4x9rm6a4BtXmOLVOmbOfmfG4HC2sAnQa3R_-EIgHDIjJFPdxk8uAjYoD_BGs_p1qAeMUf8_wyWkz4_q0hoaTusfionPA/s1600/IMG_3849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGk-XGPmDyaWABvHGjhNVptRzSSXiNJMWU8MDESnJVUxvG7RA4x9rm6a4BtXmOLVOmbOfmfG4HC2sAnQa3R_-EIgHDIjJFPdxk8uAjYoD_BGs_p1qAeMUf8_wyWkz4_q0hoaTusfionPA/s320/IMG_3849.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She does not like to take her shoes off...ever! I dressed her for bed, and she insisted on wearing them. :-)</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love this one!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaq7ThoCPy7iVn0NR-0GaZQLghd3y-TQUU0b9q9ImUCYEMwL60zpWofz06zz-yZ4eVK3s1WSSofyUjq85rmtZQH2ZnZzTVl91bGofNmIkHEY-_BvyAll8NgKCbbCKp5UkeHpdE7WrCKA/s1600/IMG_3850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaq7ThoCPy7iVn0NR-0GaZQLghd3y-TQUU0b9q9ImUCYEMwL60zpWofz06zz-yZ4eVK3s1WSSofyUjq85rmtZQH2ZnZzTVl91bGofNmIkHEY-_BvyAll8NgKCbbCKp5UkeHpdE7WrCKA/s320/IMG_3850.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-77526919082638957282011-08-24T00:10:00.000-07:002011-08-24T00:10:52.041-07:00Where to begin....The last couple days there has been a lot of ups and downs. Yesterday was very hard. Poor baby is going through so much! She is terrified, and trying to grieve the loss of life, as she know it. Even though her life now will be better than the "life" she would have here, that "life" is all she has ever known. I had a breaking point yesterday...completely broke down while I was holding her. This poor little baby is angry, frustrated, and most of all completely terrified. My heart is broken for her, and for the years that she did not have a mama to love her. God is giving me the grace to keep on, and I am so very thankful for a supportive husband. Right now she refuses to go to him, and only will be with me. He is handling that very well, and is great about helping me with what I need. <br />
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Today, so far, has been much better than yesterday. She is wanting to play more, and responded to Nate a couple times. She loves her headbands that her grandmom made for her, and decided to put them on today by herself. Then walked around with a new purse that her daddy gave her. That has been one of the highlights of the day.<br />
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I can not wait to leave Xian and head to Guangzhou, where all the other families are! I think it will help to have some other people to talk too, and some children for Hayley to play with. Yesterday, we met a family from Doylestown that actually adopted a little boy from Hayley's orphanage!!! Then, when we came back to the hotel, I looked in the photo album that was given to us from her caretaker, and found his picture with her! I love that we have two little ones from Xian to 20 minutes apart in the U.S. A gift from God!<br />
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Praying that each day gets a little easier, although I know that there will be many ups and downs. I love her so much, and can't wait to see her happy and running around with her big brothers. Oh I miss them terribly! I will post pictures soon...the pictures take such a long time to upload. I had hoped to post video but at this point the connection is not fast enough to do that. Hopefully in Guangzhou! Thank you all for your prayers and support! Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-20694201387016866552011-08-21T22:00:00.000-07:002011-08-21T22:00:42.378-07:00Pictures!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0ua3QeqU4WH5tC_Gkl6wRBJe7m_L39gDSHAdLjjq3BtaBCT7Wkf85pp3HeY3_5wkh0KJGGswgJ5tDUxbFZ6S0gwEsOcO9PZoQLZu69Op7Gd1BQPE1MD70-3PZbXtZe2PbsESvUXEp5c/s1600/IMG_3816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0ua3QeqU4WH5tC_Gkl6wRBJe7m_L39gDSHAdLjjq3BtaBCT7Wkf85pp3HeY3_5wkh0KJGGswgJ5tDUxbFZ6S0gwEsOcO9PZoQLZu69Op7Gd1BQPE1MD70-3PZbXtZe2PbsESvUXEp5c/s320/IMG_3816.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT68V7O6IDfhOD5R6q_K9478BUCY6hiugMIgJp2i9vpzmcO3JeMcU1Oty5ZsQY-5aHO-PCbL87i_k4jmTzZnrae15_GE8ElYujJVGJsA-h4zoqLK8Q8f_sbsBggHt9Ni4DipNj-OJcekE/s1600/IMG_3826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT68V7O6IDfhOD5R6q_K9478BUCY6hiugMIgJp2i9vpzmcO3JeMcU1Oty5ZsQY-5aHO-PCbL87i_k4jmTzZnrae15_GE8ElYujJVGJsA-h4zoqLK8Q8f_sbsBggHt9Ni4DipNj-OJcekE/s320/IMG_3826.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-47707970539583388952011-08-21T14:57:00.000-07:002011-08-21T14:57:51.787-07:00We have our girl!We picked up Hayley (right now we are calling her Yi Qing) less than 24 hours ago at the Civil Affairs office in Xian. She scream, kicked, and punched us while we were there, and by the time we got to the car, I think she just gave up. Poor baby - it was so difficult on her, and on her Nanny that appeared to be very attatched to her. Once we came back to the hotel, we were able to get her to smile and even got some kisses! She is a sweatheart. <br />
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We found out that she was actually placed in an orphanage through Hope Haven, which is a mission-focused, Christian organization. They took so much time in making a photo album of pictures from when she was a tiny baby. This was such a special gift for her to have and for us! It seems that they took very good care of her. She seems overall healthy, and she smiles easily. She even knew the sign for I love you...precious! They celebrated her first and second birthdays with birthday cakes and party hats, and they celebrated Christmas too!<br />
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We are just so in love with this little girl already. God has had His hand on her for the last 2 years of her life. On her schedule we were given, they told us that every night is "prayer and praise" time before bed, and her album has the verse Psalms 68:5-6 "A father to the fatherless, a defender of the widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families..." We are so blessed. She really is precious-this beautiful chiild of God. I know the work is not over, and I am sure there will be difficult times and adjustments. But I know that God will give us the grace to get through it. She was given to our family for a reason. <br />
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Believe it or not, she laid down next to me last night at 8:45, and she is still sleeping (it is 6:00am). Nate and I are sitting here, anxiously waiting for her to wake up.:-) I would love to post some pictures, but right now the internet is running slow! So I will try to have pictures up, later today (tomorrow morning for you). Keep the prayers coming!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-39756245028758838972011-08-20T07:15:00.000-07:002011-08-20T07:15:18.871-07:00BeijingIt's evening in Beijing right now...I am looking out the 18th floor window to this crazy and very dirty city. There is a lot of things about Beijing that I am not fond of, but I do love experiencing my daughters culture and the people are wonderful. We were blocked from our blog and facebook, but figured out a way to by- pass security by logging onto a computer in the U.S. Yesterday was our first full day here, and we were able to see the Great Wall. It was absolutely breath-taking...<br />
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After climbing the wall, there was several vendors, and I found this cool hand-painted bottle. It is actually painted on the inside of the bottle, and they put Hayley's name in English and Manderin. I love it! And Aidan and Cameron - I got you both something too, but I am not posting a picture of that! :-) You will have to wait till I get home.<br />
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This afternoon we had orientation, and they had updated pictures for us! Yay! Tomorrow we fly to Xian, Shaanxi, and we will then, meet our little girl! It's finally here! I am hoping to post by Sunday with pics/video of her. Thank you all for your prayers and support!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-37797062398776708112011-08-15T14:03:00.000-07:002011-08-15T14:03:31.713-07:00Here we go!Sometimes the wait seemed so long over the last year, especially when I saw her very first picture. It felt like it was going to be the longest 4-6 months of my life. Even though some of the days were longer than others, I can't believe I am sitting here. Bags are packed, and I am so ready to meet my daughter! I must say for the first time, I feel nervous. Mostly nervous about how she is going to react to us. I am praying that she bonds and attaches to us both quickly, but I also know that it is sometimes not the case. So those of you that have kept our family in your prayers, please pray that God is preparing her heart.<br />
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I will miss my boys terribly! I will definitely be holding back tears when I say goodbye on Wednesday morning. Leaving them for 2 weeks is not my first choice, but the best one for our family right now. They will start school while we are gone. Today they found out who their teachers will be, so I was glad to know that before I left. I love you my sweet boys!<br />
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We leave on Wednesday, and on Sunday we will meet our little girl. For those of you on the east coast, we will meet Hayley while you are sleeping (Saturday night into Sunday). I hope to post something that night when she (hopefully) falls asleep...ha! :-)<br />
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God has been so good! I know I have said that over and over in my posts, and I will continue to say it always. He has blown me away with this whole adoption journey. Financially He has blessed us with what we need, when we needed it. Emotionally and Spiritually, I have grown so much. I am starting to see that when we follow His will, and we are doing something to futher His Kingdom, He will bless that.<br />
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We will be in four different cities, while we are in China. I am sure the trip will be exhausting, but also so exciting to see the culture and experience the country that our daughter is from. I hear that driving over there is an experience, and that the Chinese food there is nothing like the Chinese food here. I am very excited see what "squeak" shoes are all about, and plan on getting Hayley a pair. I am most certainly not looking forward to the "bathrooms" that are just a hole in the ground (hmmmm...), or the intense heat that we were told to expect. But we are really looking forward to seeing the Great Wall, and we are hoping to toboggan down. I never knew you could do that!<br />
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So I thought I would post a few pictures of her room here, and the next time I post we will be in China!!! Yay! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGymfNtJMv7uU0HoVIeihvG27TFxub7N4UbciPvvdccW5dbJGU8mdvlAo6bBJnHSjzKtf3VHebk-um1Z_Laq65GZz0PFB9RGKOfW9SyAE3ByPMPLh2MvVcO06LTqUuJm5ueVjfGMW22MQ/s1600/IMG_3619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGymfNtJMv7uU0HoVIeihvG27TFxub7N4UbciPvvdccW5dbJGU8mdvlAo6bBJnHSjzKtf3VHebk-um1Z_Laq65GZz0PFB9RGKOfW9SyAE3ByPMPLh2MvVcO06LTqUuJm5ueVjfGMW22MQ/s320/IMG_3619.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-19482568098616706302011-07-31T20:21:00.000-07:002011-07-31T20:21:57.048-07:00Travel Approval!!!!!!!!!!!Woohoo! I am beyond excited! We get to meet our daughter for the first time in a little over 2 weeks! I know the next two weeks are going to be crazy, but a good kind of crazy. I am full of so many emotions right now. Just knowing that I will get to meet our little Hayley so soon...wow...my eyes are filled with tears just thinking about it. The other part of me is a little sad to say goodbye to my boys for 2 1/2 weeks, and miss their first day of school. I am so thankful to have such an amazing family here that I know will take care of them, like I would!<br />
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Thank you to all of our family and friends that have been so supportive of our adoption. There is so many of you that are now a part of bringing this little girl home through prayer and financial support. We are so thankful for that. God has blown me away over the last year. We knew that he was calling us to adopt, but did not see any humanly possible way that could happen. He has blessed us over and over in ways that no one could ever explain. Someday soon, I plan to put the whole story here! <br />
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Please check in while we are in China, as I plan to post pictures and video of our adventure! At this point, we are scheduled to leave on August 16th, and that will be confirmed early this week coming. <br />
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Here we come Hayley Grace!!!!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-58246890167017016572011-07-15T14:10:00.000-07:002011-07-15T14:10:50.667-07:00Trying to be patient!We are getting closer! We should have a travel date in the next 2-3 weeks, and then leave approximately two weeks later. I am so ready! I must check my phone and email a hunderd times a day. It looks like Nate and I will most likely miss school starting. That was definitely a struggle for me because Cameron is starting Kindergarten. I am not too excited about missing that milestone for him, but I know God's timing is perfect. We will set up skype, so I can at least talk to them that morning. On the other hand, if we leave any later, we may miss his birthday. He was not thrilled about that option, so if they give us the option, we will choose to miss the first day of school. <br />
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Hayley's room is all ready! It is so girly!!! Something that I am really not used to with this house full of boys. I have definitely been out-numbered here for a while! So I am ready to have another girl in this house! <br />
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For those of you that have been praying for our family, thank you! Please continue to pray for a quick TA(Travel Approval), and that God would prepare Hayley's heart for the difficult transition that she is about to face. Poor thing is going to go through so much in such a short period of time. Pray that she adjusts and bonds to us quickly. <br />
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Next time you hear from me, I plan to announce our travel date! Thank you to those that have been followng along. We plan to blog from China, and hopefully post pictures and videos, as well. Hope to have a reason to be back on here really soon! <br />
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Here is another picture for you...:)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYszMgwmAhFgDw3ez9h25n3OwKqFM-XgtOfmdYtkmEj1FgXK-XH4jX77C5RjrZuDs9Tdl_BarsaTyA4Kzd80j6KRHKpR_2_9XCeVil8nK7WIUoz52xtW97nYF_grSdotT_Dz4KzWSVuGg/s1600/Qin+Yiqing_June+2011+%25283%2529+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYszMgwmAhFgDw3ez9h25n3OwKqFM-XgtOfmdYtkmEj1FgXK-XH4jX77C5RjrZuDs9Tdl_BarsaTyA4Kzd80j6KRHKpR_2_9XCeVil8nK7WIUoz52xtW97nYF_grSdotT_Dz4KzWSVuGg/s320/Qin+Yiqing_June+2011+%25283%2529+%25282%2529.jpg" width="212px" /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-14088203412193448212011-06-21T19:10:00.000-07:002011-06-21T19:10:29.676-07:00Update!!!Today we received an update on our little Hayley Grace! They say she is doing well, and her speech has improved a little since our last update in April. You have no idea how badly I want to get on a plane and bring my baby home! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozs-2PUry3CLXLsEu9gBNK5mVcGCLpdyDdsszWSWvpB7DLQm_d7n8VbFtg_zP5ZIaZBQq4bQKqVD-uNjVLEi2d2_veqIwkVvkuCS81XDo3bzWf3iGpFOFBuwlw6vdKgu8EDt7nNQ6E-Q/s1600/Qin+Yiqing_June+2011+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozs-2PUry3CLXLsEu9gBNK5mVcGCLpdyDdsszWSWvpB7DLQm_d7n8VbFtg_zP5ZIaZBQq4bQKqVD-uNjVLEi2d2_veqIwkVvkuCS81XDo3bzWf3iGpFOFBuwlw6vdKgu8EDt7nNQ6E-Q/s320/Qin+Yiqing_June+2011+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-67519857977732304882011-06-09T10:55:00.000-07:002011-06-09T10:57:37.178-07:00LOA!!!Yesterday, we received our LOA(Letter Of Acceptance) from China! This is the paper we have been waiting for. It basically says that they have officially been approved as Hayley's parents! We needed this paper in order to get our Travel Approval. There is a few steps of paper work in between now and then, but I will not bore you with all of that! :-) At this point, my agency feels we will travel before the end of August. <br />
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Our case worker agreed to request another update for us, so I am hopeful that by the end of next week, we will have new pictures! I finally see an end in sight, and am beyond anxious to meet my daughter! Even if she does scream at me! :-)<br />
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God has been so good, and provided everything we have needed throughout this process. As some of you may know, adoption is expensive. Through fundraisers and some very generous souls, we have raised about $18,000, so far. At this point, the remainder of the money that we need to raise, is for our travel expenses. I have just been in awe! We have the money exactly when we need it, and sometimes down to the penny! There is no doubt that God wants Hayley Grace here!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-87925549722041618662011-05-04T13:26:00.000-07:002011-05-05T07:53:20.528-07:00My BoysThe boys wanted to have a picture of Hayley for their rooms...:-)<br />
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</div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-3631370541537637642011-04-30T19:10:00.000-07:002011-04-30T19:10:05.917-07:00A Letter from your Mommy<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It’s been a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things have been crazy and hectic, so I have not been able to update as often as I would have liked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here we go…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has already been a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I said, things have been busy, so that does make the time go so much faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although there is never a minute that she is not on my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I would not give to leave tomorrow and bring her home!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At this point, our agency feels we will be traveling by the end of the summer. We will probably be leaving in July or August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes July feels right around the corner, and other times it feels like a lifetime away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will be in China for approximately 2 weeks, and Aidan and Cameron will be staying here with their grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a difficult decision, but we feel this is best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trip can be very exhausting and emotional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are several steps of paper work that we need to wait on before we get our TA (travel approval).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will not bore you all with every little step, but for those of you that have been though this process or are currently going through it, we are now waiting of our LOA (Letter of Approval) from China.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This past week, I was very excited to receive an email with new pictures of our Hayley!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That definitely made my week. :-)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boys ask almost every day when we are going to go get their sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are so excited to meet her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is really sweet to watch them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are so interested in anything Chinese that they see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it makes them feel some connection to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are very proud big brothers already! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">There was two reason that I decided to start this blog. The first was to keep everyone up-to-date with all that is going on throughout this process. The second is to have all of this documented for Hayley, as her story that she can tell someday. Then hardest part of the waiting is that I can't hug her right now, or pick her up when she falls down and gets hurt. I can't hold her when she is sick, or rock her to sleep. So here is a letter to Hayley from her Mommy, telling her how much I love her. This is so someday she can look back at this, and know what I was thinking.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">My Sweet Hayley Grace, <br />
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There is not a minute that goes by that I am not thinking about you. I wish that I could pick you up, and love you! You are a beautiful little girl, who is already lighting up the faces of your family here that loves you. We love looking at your pictures. My favorite is the one where you are smiling and clapping. You look so happy!<br />
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We are working on your room, so it will be all ready for you when you come home. Your big brothers are soooo excited to meet you. They ask almost everyday when you will be able to come home. They love you and are so proud of you already. <br />
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I cannot wait to know more about you...what makes you smile, what makes you laugh, what you like to eat, what you like to do. I know that when you come home, it may not be easy for any of us at first. Everything will be new and a little scary, but know this....We love you, we are your family, and we will never leave you. <br />
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I can't wait till the day I get to hold you for the first time...I am longing for that day. I am praying that day comes quickly, and you can be home with us forever. <br />
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I love you!<br />
Mommy </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vp_MEob2ZUyHqMAMzzz6Qlz3MRvmETyR9nofnAR1Xe3hXwtcjrmOa5FFOg-njql9mQPGNslCbWJsAYTFPrLqBqf5DtK_RIbCNpsBLVYR3WARTkdVgcQ4nyUv9sZd_Xd3KTV3dIduKHg/s1600/Qin+Yiqing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vp_MEob2ZUyHqMAMzzz6Qlz3MRvmETyR9nofnAR1Xe3hXwtcjrmOa5FFOg-njql9mQPGNslCbWJsAYTFPrLqBqf5DtK_RIbCNpsBLVYR3WARTkdVgcQ4nyUv9sZd_Xd3KTV3dIduKHg/s1600/Qin+Yiqing.jpg" /></a></div></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-48728161926787902252011-04-02T20:40:00.000-07:002011-04-02T20:40:16.732-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8SDwZL5zGL8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062100289591596125.post-42439483075021566932011-03-26T10:04:00.000-07:002011-03-26T10:04:00.104-07:00GraceI have this little flip calendar that sits on my counter. I am not always the best about flipping it each morning, but I decided to today. It is about grace. Fitting since Hayley's middle name is Grace. This is what it said:<br />
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"Grace is what someone gives us out of the goodness of his heart, not out of the perfection of ours. The story of grace is the good news that says that when we come, He gives. Grace is something you did not expect. It is something you certainly could never earn. But grace is something you'd never turn down."<br />
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This pretty much sums up many of my thoughts on this precious girl that God has given us. I was only given her by His grace. I came to Him and asked for the desire of my heart, to adopt a baby from China, and He gave that to me. I didn't expect for everything to go, as smoothly and quickly as it did. I could never have done anything to deserve or earn the ability to care for this little girl, but God sees fit to trust her with us. And when it says "grace is something you'd never turn down", this made me smile becuase on our paper we requested a child 0-14 months. I didn't know what age to put down, and really battled with that. And Nate said "Don't worry about it. Just put down an age, and God will take care of it". He was right. God took care of it. She was older than we expected, but perfect for us. Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13248120992025336167noreply@blogger.com0