Yes, We are Still Alive!

I'm pretty sure that many of you by now are 100% certain that I and my family have fallen off the face of the Earth. You might be actually shocked to find that *gasp!* we are still in fact here, and that I have not forgotten about my blog!!! Actually, very shortly after recovering from the China trip, we lost internet for a couple of months, and after that, I did forget about the blog for awhile, and then we got internet back and I started some college courses and became a very busy girl.

 

So! Here I am. Ready to tell you about Chloe!

 

First off, she is doing great. Every day she learns more and more English. And we can finally(typically) communicate with her really well. A normal conversation with her looks like this:

 

(Btw, a nickname I have for her is Piglet.)

 

Chloe: Camewon, my Pigget? (She says "my" instead of "am I", "mine" or "I am", and she also can't pronounce the letter L or R.)

Me:  Yes, you are.

Chloe grins broadly: Nooooo! My Chloe! (Which she says "Koe") You Pigget! My not Pigget...

Me: Naw, I'm not Piglet! You are.

And then, of course, we go on and on and back and forth... Her favorite question is, like most 4 year olds, "What's that?" And yes, I occasionally argue with my 4 year old sister... Which gets on mom's nerves, but we sure do enjoy it!

She's actually learning how to read and beginning to saw on a violin now. She's extremely smart, especially for her age, and we are constantly amused by her wild ideas and surprised with how smart she can be. She is a great imitator... Which can be very frightening at times... She will pick up the oddest things when we are out in public, then come home imitating away and leaving us baffled at where she learned such things. She loves to sing... Which brings me to a story.

 

Once, we were heading up to the mountains for a day of driving and we stopped at a Baskin-Robins for coffee. (Yes, some people in our family have fallen into the awful habit of drinking coffee like it's going out of style. I've learned not to, for the sake of other's ears and poor nerves...) Now, we had never taken her to one of these before, so we still to this day do not understand how she knew this, but she saw the store and suddenly went from sleepy, to bouncing in her car seat, screaming: "YAY! ICESCREAM!!!" And then breaks into a very happy "Jesus Loves Me". We burst out laughing and then began to question how she knew ice cream even existed there.

 

So, for right now, I have to go study, but I promise to make updates much sooner than I have, and that I will soon post the story of China and also her prosthetic, which, by the way, is amazing... You can hardly tell that she doesn't have a leg, she walks so well.

 

Thank you all for your prayers. They were (and still are) much needed. We barely made it through China, but thank God we did and now have a sweet, beautiful little Chloe.

 

Thank you again.

 

 

Finally!

Wow. It's been so long since the last time I wrote a post! Well, I have some huge news-

We leave for China on October 3rd.

So, this means we leave a week from tomorrow! Whew! We are now packing and getting together everything we will and might need. It's so hard to believe- finally! It's happening!

I have been unable to blog or even explain what was going on in the adoption, because before this last week when we found out our travel date, no one could help us or tell us where we were at in the process, they didn't even seem to know what they were doing and we were feeling a little anxious about it all. We were having to do everything for them- make phone calls, send emails, check up on if they did what they were supposed to, tell them what was next, contact the government offices, etc. Even our friend who has adopted 3 times was baffled about everything that was going on. But now that's all cleared up, and praise God, the timing is perfect!

Mom for the past month has been randomly telling me how much she misses Chloe. She keeps telling me (I can hear it now- it's the same every time), "How can I miss someone that I've never even met?!" I will admit, I've had some strange instances myself where I literally see her running into mine and my sister's room, or when I'm sitting on the floor, I will suddenly feel her crawl into my lap... It's awesome. Excited doesn't touch what we are feeling right now.

Because orphanages in China generally don't speak or even teach English, I started learning Mandarin about 6 months ago. I hoped it would help her adjust much faster to us and that maybe I would be able to understand a tiny bit of what she was saying, or that she would feel more comfortable hearing her own language from a mouth of her new family. She is in a foster family in a little town that does (from what I hear) speak the common dialect of Chinese/Mandarin, but a rural form of it. I'm hoping and praying that she will be able to understand me, and I be able to understand her, and that it will sound like what I'll be trying to say. We heard that a lady who speaks fluent Mandarin and was adopting from the same city went to pick up the little boy, and the next morning he woke up and said "Oh look, the sun is shining." But the way he said it sounded to her like he said, "I'm going to jump out of the window and kill myself." So I'll try to be careful and not panic if I hear her say something out of the ordinary.

Switching gears to health now- We have lately all been feeling very much up to par and energetic (especially with the new news!). This is perfect, because we'll be having to keep up with a 3 year old for the first time ever (for me, that is)! I thank God for everyone's prayers and support of our family during this time. I honestly don't know how we would've made it through all this stress and drama without you all. Each and every one of you have been a blessing and I truly don't know how to express my gratitude. It all means so much to us.

Our friends who have adopted before have kept telling us not to worry- that it's in God's hands and that the timing is always perfect with Him. We've tried to keep that in mind (though it was very hard!), and now we see that it is so very true! Everything seems to be as close to perfect as possible, which could only happen with God.

Hopefully while we're in China I'll be able to find some time and ways to post pictures and updates.

 

 

I can't wait for her to be home.

God Bless,

Cameron

 

PS. Questions and comments are welcome and appreciated. Everyone, thanks again.

Getting Closer

It truly is amazing how time flies! On the 18th of last month (June), I was thinking of how I would love to update the blog, since it had been a month and it needed to be done, but lately we have truly been confused about where we are at the moment in this process. I'm sorry to say that we have been having a little trouble with getting updates and anyone to clarify what is going on, but I will try my best to explain what little I know.

So just now at the moment, we are waiting on Article 5. Which, after researching it, I believe means we are waiting for Chloe's visa to be approved. We got this information over 3 weeks ago, and as far as I know, it hasn't been completed. Typically this takes 2 weeks, and then after that, we should get our Travel Approval in 3 weeks and I believe a traveling date would come with that. We have had some problems, though, that will delay us quite a bit unless they are fixed much faster than we anticipate.

A part of the paper work needs to be changed for us to be able to get her. Funny, but I distinctly remember mom and dad reviewing the paperwork, and I for sure remember them saying that they would take a child with a missing limb, not just missing digits, but everything happens for a reason, and the paperwork was somehow sent on saying we would not take a child with a missing limb. And because she has no left foot, that will for sure have to be changed. Also, because our process is taking a little bit longer than any of us thought, she will be 1/2 a year older by the time we go to get her than what the paperwork said we would except.

These changes absolutely have to be made and normally take at very least 2 1/2 weeks to complete, which will push our traveling date back that much more.

The date keeps getting pushed back, so we're not really putting estimation on it, not only because it gets changed every time, but also because we honestly don't know quite enough to do so.

But other than that, we are ready to go and get her!

Trying to build up our immune systems has been doing much better than I thought it would. I think we have all been doing much better, and I at times feel nearly all healthy! I am extremely grateful for all the prayers sent up on our behalf. The support of so many friends has been both encouraging and humbling, and honestly, I am not sure how we would've been able to get through all these frustrating changes, problems and delays without your prayers.

The scariness I mentioned earlier has disappeared. God has calmed my fears and given me a goal; something to look forward to as we move on. Through some very good friends of ours who have adopted 3 times and others who have been there, we have gained a lot of information about China and are preparing ourselves (and making check lists of what to take!) for the trip. I am starting to get extremely excited about my sister and even the trip to go and get her! At times, I even feel my energy level coming up; it's like God is literally preparing us for this whole thing!

This is going to be so new for us, life is going to turn on it's head in every aspect. When I was younger, my parents were always really good at disciplining me and my older siblings as they tried to mold us into godly people for the influence of Christ. But even that is going to change! As I was explaining to a friend, adopted children have been "abandoned" by their parents, so it's not uncommon for them to have trust issues. So when we go to get Chloe, we should not and will not begin to discipline her until we have her complete trust, and until she knows how much we love her and that this is her family. Even after all this is gained, disciplining will be very different. Adopted children are much more sensitive. I as a child would have never thought twice about time-out, but our friends say that to separate their adopted children from them selves for even a few moments is dramatic for the children. So I wonder at times if that will be hard, or if everything will just fall into place?

I do know that God will lead us if we ask Him, though, and I'm excited to see His hand working in our family. This is all His plan, and His plan is perfect!

So that is where we are in the process and in getting prepared for her. God is blessing us in so many ways! What an honor to be a part of this. 

Again, your comments and questions are welcome, and your prayers are so very appreciated!

God Bless,

Cameron

Our Location in the Process

Lately I've had a number of wonderful people ask me to keep them updated on the adoption process, so I decided to get a blog and explain exactly where we are.

To start with, we are not in China... yet.

Right now we are in the waiting process. Or maybe I should say we've been in the waiting process since it all began. Basically you wait to get your papers done, then you (impatiently) wait to get a referral (which is a list of children/a child they think would be good for your situation and qualifications), then you wait for the doctor results on them, then you wait to be approved, then you wait to be given a traveling date, and then you wait to go and pick them up.

Wait, wait, wait.

Right now, we are waiting for a traveling date. We're not too far away from going to get her! I believe we all have mixed feelings about this. At times, we wish that we had her now, and then other times, we feel that we won't be ready or have the energy for when the time comes. I'm the youngest of three kids, and I'm 16. What will it be like to have a child in the house again? I know I've always asked for a younger sibling -more like longed for one- but what will happen when she's here, and I have a younger sibling for the first time in my life?? Not just a younger sibling, but a 3 year old!

I love kids, but what will it be like to live with one? Will she bring joy and childishness and silly girlish giggles... or just stress? Surely not just stress. Lately I've done a Bible study and found that the world sees children in the wrong light. Children aren't just some heavy expensive burden and pain, they are a true gift from God, a joy! A life- that we get to mold for Him. Jesus loved children, He even said they were "the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matt. 19:14).

So surely He will help us to prepare and be ready for joy.

We are also at the moment trying our best to build up our health, since even with vaccines you still have an 80% chance of getting (if coming in contact with) a disease. We are doing everything we can to get our immune systems up for the trip and our energy up for our little girl. I especially have a more weak system than the other family members who will be traveling, but I am trying hard to trust God with it all. He started this, He will keep us safe. I wouldn't miss out on God's plan for anything!

So that is what's happening. This is all exciting, yet for some of us (aka me) it is a little scary. But the scariness of it cannot be outweighed by the joy that's coming with our little Chloe!

Thanks for reading, thank you for your prayers, and God Bless!!

Cameron