We received our I800 Provisional Approval today! The actual approval date was 5/18/12, but we received notice of it today.  Yes! This is our specific approval to adopt Sun, Min.  The next few steps go something like this:
After approval, our US Officer should mail our approval to the NVC (NationalVisa Center) (though it isn't always mailed the same day that it is approved).
When the NVC receives our approval, they will enter our information into their computer system.
Within 1-3 business days, they (the NVC) will cable (email) our file to the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China.   This is the approval of our Visa petition.
At that time, we should get a letter stating that our petition has been forwarded.  We will need to get this letter to our Agency as soon as we get it.  (Most people email the NVC and have the letter sent in an email/PDF file so they can forward it to their agencies).

The next few steps will have to be in another post. But, per our agency today,we should receive our TA (travel approval) in about 2 months.  People usually travel 3 weeks after that.  So, we are sort of on the schedule that we need to be.

We ask for your continued prayers over our Sun, Min who is waiting.  That God prepares him and keeps him safe.  For our family here, our finances, and that every step is in His timing. 

Blessings,
Cindy

I had to come back and edit...typing a post when you are silly tired is not good!  I thought I'd throw in a few pictures.  :)

Here is a photo of some of the items we sent to Min. We actually only sent a few of the items; the others are tucked away here at home.  The package was sent on May 8th, wondering if he's even received it?

                                              Here is Zane celebrating his 7th birthday!

I have been lacking on my updates, so much going on right now here at home so I'll post a quick update.

Last week, May 8th, we sent out our care package to Sun, Min.  I am not sure if/when he will receive it.  Our prayer is that they will show him our pictures and start preparing him for his journey and his new family.

Monday, we received a dreaded pink slip in the mail.  This was from USCIS (who is approving us to adopt this specific little boy and his immigration approval) and it was an RFE (request for eveidence).  Apparently they did not receive our certification of Hague training.  Every parent has to have a minimum of 10 hours of training.  We  have had 14.  After a looonng night waiting to talk with our officer (at USCIS) and our agency about this we finally, hopefully have it taken care of.  Yesterday our agency overnighted our certification/letter stating that we have met the Hague requirements.  So, now we wait for our approval.

Yesterday was Zane's 7th birthday.  It is really hard to believe he is 7.  It's a sweet day.  I always pray for and am so thankful for his birthmom. 

Cindy

Care Package

We received this email today:

'Dear Lane & Cindy,
Attached please find information about sending a care package to your son in Linyi. '

...to our son...WOW!

Our I800 forms were submitted 4/25/12.  This will be maybe around a 3-4 week wait.  Then we will wait for our TA (travel approval).

Cindy
'He maketh the barren woman to keep house, to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.' Psalms 113:9

Our hard copy LOA came by Fed Ex yesterday. 

It was VERY HARD  not to leave work early to get it signed and back to Fed Ex (though it did come too late to get it back to Fed Ex anyway).

Needless to say, it is signed, dated and checked accepted and will be dropped at a Fed EX drop today. 

 :)

LOA!!!!!

Home with Zane today, sick, strep throat.
Just checked my email.
LOOK AT THIS!!!

Hi, Phillip and Cynthia:

Congratulations!

I received your LOA from China today and sent it to you by FedEx today.

What this means is that...we are OFFICIALLY matched with Sun, Min and he will be our little guy!

 
Now, we wait to receive our Fed EX carrying our LOA.
We must BOTH sign and date, and WE MUST REMEMBER to check off the WE ACCEPT box!
Then we Fed Ex back ASAP.
Then we send off for our I800 (our agency will do this for us).  This is our  'Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative.'   It is our approval from USCIS to adopt the child you were matched with specifically.

Then, you guessed it, we wait for the I800 approval. These have been taking about 4 weeks. 

But hey, for now, we are E-X-C-I-T-E-D!  (Ok, and a little nervous, overwhelmed, happy... :)  )

Please keep us in your prayers. 

Lane, Cindy, and Zane


'For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength..."Isaiah 40:31

  

Snapshot Sunday - Turtle

We came home from church today and saw this little lady sitting on the (newly cleared) lot next to our house.  Lane went running out to see her and Zane of course, went running right after him.  She was a leather back turtle, probably trying to search for a spot to lay her eggs. 

 
New neighbors will start building on this lot this week.  So Lane decided he'd better put her back in the water and let her find another spot.  The guys clearing the lot told us they had already moved her once before.

Still waiting on our LOA....

Blessings...

Updated info and LOA wait

We received updated information on our little guy, actually a few weeks ago. 
Yes, I am just posting now! 
His caretaker wrote that he is a sweet little guy, he speaks clearly and good sentences (important), is amicable, gets along well with the other kids, is a good helper with the younger kids.
We received his current height and weight; he is about a head shorter than Zane. 
We received lots of pictures.  He is precious!   Many of the pictures were with another little girl who will be coming home before him.  I am hoping we can get in contact with that family, I've asked the agency about it. It would be nice to hear how their trip goes, if they get to meet him when they visit the orphanage, etc.  Also, if our two little ones are friends, it would be good for them. 
I cannot tell you how often I look at these pictures and read the information we received.  Not a whole lot, but we will take what we can get.  Many families do not get an many updates. 
We will not be posting any further pictures until we receive our LOA.  Mostly due to agency rules; we have not been officially matched yet. 

We are on day 56 of our LOA wait. 
Yesterday it seemed many waiting families received their LOA's.  One family was on day 57, another family on day 129. 
So, you see, there is no way of telling. 
Due to Lane's summer travels, we are just praying for God's timing. 
IT'S HARD. 
I want to go and bring him home now.  I want to hug him and love on him and see our boys play together.

We are praying about some fundraisers; please keep us in your prayers.  We need prayers for timing, costs, adjustment, patience to name a few.

With God, all things are possible.