Needing to be honest

I promised myself that I would be transparent and honest when it comes to adoption and the journey it involves.  I want people to know the truth, even if it's ugly.  I want to be able to help someone make an educated, prayerful decision if they consider adopting.  So, this is one of those times when I put pride aside and put it all out there.

This wait for Lyla is excruciating.  I go through days where it's ok, and I can convince myself that it will happen, and we will bring her home...eventually.  Some days that is good enough, most days it is not.  When people ask me, "What's the latest on Lyla?"  My insides boil and I want to shout (not at them, of course) and say, "I HAVE NO IDEA!!!!"  I feel like I am on edge all the time, one word away from screaming or one thought away from a flood of tears.  Truth.

Just like all the other families adopting from China our paperwork was updated, authenticated and submitted to the CCCWA.  Just like all the other families our letter requesting to adopt Lyla was heartfelt, sincere and sent to the proper government office where it was matched with Lyla's file.  Just like all other families we got our "pre-approval" which states that China will allow us to adopt her, as soon as all other documentation is reviewed and approved.  Just like all other families we want our sweet girl home as soon as possible.  Unfortunately, unlike other families our paperwork got stuck in one department too long.

We are not the only family who has been plagued with this extra long wait for our LOA.  We have some friends (who are on their way to China on Dec 15th!!!!!!!!) who waited over 120 days for their LOA.  I have met others online who are currently waiting as long or longer than us.  It is still not the norm, but it is happening for some unknown reason.

I believe that God is in control.  I believe that He knows the perfect time for Lyla to join our family.  I believe that this wait is purposeful.  It doesn't make it easier.  Just being honest.

Slowly but...well, slowly

Today it was confirmed that the translated copy of our dossier made it back to the CCCWA.  Shew!  Now, before you get too excited, we still have no idea how long it is going to be until we get our LOA.  At least we know that our dossier is in the right place and it is making s-l-o-w progress.

My new prayer is that we get our LOA by Christmas.  Please join me in praying for that!

Lost in translation

Unfortunately, I am not trying to be silly by my post title.  Our dossier was lost in translation, and thus resulting in our ridiculously long wait for LOA.

Let me explain the best that I can.  When our dossier gets to China it is logged in with the CCCWA (the headquarters for Chinese adoptions) it is then sent to translation and then after being translated it is sent back to the CCCWA for processing.  I do not know if going to "translation" means going to the translation department or another company who does all the translating for them.  Regardless, our dossier was sent to translation and has not been sent back to the CCCWA.

I don't know how long the translation portion typically takes, but clearly ours has taken longer than it should.  Our agency has been awesome and is trying to get to the bottom of our situation.  Unfortunately, the agency representative in China (who has been doing all the calling and asking on our behalf) said that this means that we will still be waiting quite a while for our LOA.

Still trusting in the One who knows more than me!

Still waiting...

Well, this is one of those times when you don't want to be above average.  The average wait time for LOA has come and gone, so now I can officially say we have waited too long!

It's sad because it just makes this whole thing longer, but it is also sad because we won't get anymore updates until we get our LOA.

So we wait...

A strange day

Well, I wasn't sure I was even going to post anything about today.  It is a strange day, but this is the last time October 18th will feel like a strange day.  You see, today is the day we will celebrate Lyla's birthday!  There is no way to know if this is her actual date of birth, but when you choose to adopt from China it just comes with the territory, it's typically one of the many unknowns.

It's a bittersweet day for sure.  Our Lyla isn't here yet, and the Chinese culture doesn't really put much emphasis on birthdays, so most likely today was just another day for her.

When we decided to adopt Lyla announcing her birthday was not an important piece of information, so it was weeks before I mentioned it to my family.  Come to find out, it is my late aunt's birthday (my mom's sister) and I am named after her.  That's is a crazy coincidence if I have ever heard one!

Thinking about today, and the significance it will hold from this point forward I wondered just what we were doing on this date in years past, not realizing that this would be the day we would celebrate our oldest child.  Here is what I found:

*I couldn't find a picture from 2005, but I'm not going to stop looking.  Our old pictures are not dated, but I think I have found most of the digital ones, so there is a chance that I will find one that is close.*

October 16, 2006

It isn't a picture, and it isn't exactly October 18, but on October 16, 2006 we made our "big announcement" that we had started the adoption process.

October 18, 2007 was a Thursday, which means in my former life (or my previous career) I was on the sidelines of a sub-varsity football game.  This picture was from the 19th.

On October 18, 2008 we brought Macey to her first football game.  Texas A&M - Commerce was playing at the Cotton Bowl.

On October 17, 2009 (don't have a pic from the 18th) Macey and I were in California visiting our family.  I found this picture of Macey with most of her cousins.

On October 17, 2010 (again, no pic on the 18th) Macey and Xander and I were just chillin' at home.  For some reason I took a few pictures of them in their PJs that day.

And today, October 18, 2011, Lyla's little brother and sister were happily playing with their stuffed animals after they finished their dinner.

But...

Next October 18th we will celebrate our big girl's birthday with balloons, cupcakes, gifts, singing, family and a whole lot of hugs and kisses!!!

Care package #2

Here are the items that big sister will get in her second care package from us.  It will be in the mail tomorrow.

 There are two outfits of cotton long sleeved shirts and leggings, a red fancy dress, some hair clips and candy.  Our intention is for Lyla to wear these clothes, but we did not specifically ask for them back.  Children share clothes in the orphanage and we hope the other little girls get to enjoy them as well.  We asked that she share the hair clips with her friends and the candy with the nannies and teachers.

The sparkly red dress deserved a picture of it's own.  The dress is covered in sequins and the little jacket is velvet.  In each set of pictures we have received of Lyla is appears as if she is put in a special dress, of sorts, specifically for the picture.  Since the last set of pictures we received involved her looking at a photo album we sent, we believe that the people at the orphanage are very intentional in their photos.  SO, we are REALLY hoping they put her in this dress and take her picture and send it to us in our next update.  Again, we are not asking for this dress back, they may give it back anyway, but I would just as happy if the other little girls in the orphanage got to dress up in it as well!

We are hoping to get our LOA in the next couple weeks (again, could be MUCH longer, but we are still hopeful) and at that time our agency will ask for another update. 

LID!!!

LID!!! LID!!! LID!!!

I can't believe it our LID is 9/1!!!!  It came so fast I can hardly even believe it!

You can all start counting now, we are officially waiting for Lyla!!!!!!!!

This next step is very unpredictable.  I have a good friend who has been waiting for 115 days for her LOA :( and someone else, who's timeline I saw online, recently only waited 37 days.  So there is no telling when it will come.  Averages are about 50 days, so we'll see!!!


SO EXCITED!!!!