WE GOT OUR LOA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hold on baby girl, I am coming to get you!
Here is what our time line looks like so far:
October 2011 -God starts speaking to my heart about adopting from China
November 2011- I bought a book called "Choosing to See" by Steven Curtis Chapman's wife. It is not about adoption, but they have adopted and it helped me see that you don't have to be perfect to consider adoption; you just have to be a loving parent.
December 2011- I said nothing about adoption, but God was working on our hearts. January 2012- My husband and I started missing having a little one and started to casually talk about adoption. I told him I thought it would be expensive maybe even $10,000! He told me to tart doing some research. I had no idea where to look.
February 14, 2012- Our first appointment with an adoption agency in our hometown. We took time off work to meet with her before lunch, and then we decided to have a romantic lunch at Red Lobster for Valentine’s Day. At the meeting the director told us it would probably be around $30,000 and we could expect it to take about a year to a year and a half. We left the meeting feeling defeated. We did not have anywhere near that amount and we had no way to get it. I was disappointed and very sad.
February15- March 15- I could not get adoption off my mind or my heart. I may have to admit I was a bit obsessive. I read anything I could find on the internet, I talked to people and to different agencies. I felt burdened by this, I could not shake it. We decided to go ahead with the home study. I had just gotten back our tax refund and I had just enough to pay for the home study and first follow-up visits that China requires. It was super hard to write that first big check. I was so worried thinking," what if we cannot come up with the rest, will I have just wasted all that money?" God spoke clearly to my heart and told me to trust him, if would just write that first check he would take care of the rest. So I did, but it felt like I was insane. Then we started telling people were going to adopt. Most people were happy for us.
March 15-30th- I did research on every country that does adoptions and I looked at adopting here in the US. That sounded the best, we could adopt from the foster system and it would be way more affordable. I did a lot of research and even met with the coordinator here in town, but God had other plans. I could not get China off my mind. I felt like my child was in China and that is where I needed to go. On March 30th I sent our application and first fees to Madison Adoption Associates to adopt from China.
April and May- We prayed and prayed, and God worked out the finances. We were able to re-finance our house and our payments are about $1.50 more than the old payment. I did not even have to extend it very much, only 2 years longer to pay. WOW, God is good!! :)
June- I saw pictures from the camp Madison did in Suzhou, Baoan and Liuzhou China. I knew one of the babies was our baby. I saw 3 little girls I was particularly interested in.
July 12- We sent our collection of tons of paper work to China. I had worked for 4 months getting all my paperwork together, and authenticated. (This was a major ordeal) DTC- Dossier to China
July 20- China logged in our paperwork. LID- log in date
July and August- We waited and waited for China to send the files on the children from the camp to the agency. I was asked to look at 2 files, but I knew that I had to wait. (This was emotionally very hard)
September 7th- We got an email saying that some of the files had been received. I was a nervous wreck. When I got back from lunch the file for our girl was on my computer. I prayed, cried and stewed about this child. Was she "my" baby? Was this the child we were destined to adopt? I knew in my heart God had a child predestined for our family.
September 10th- We sent our Letter of Intent - LOI- to China. We asked China to please let us have this beautiful child, we would promise to love her and take care of her as if she was born to us. I was in instantly in love with our little girl. I was so happy and I knew she was our baby in every way.
September 13th- China sent us a letter saying "yes" we will consider your request for this little one. PA- Pre-Approval
September and October- We waited for final approval from China. (Our LOA) It was so hard! I was not patient at all. I hoped everyday it would come. I checked my email 1,000 times a day and jumped when the phone rang. Especially on Monday and Tuesday, because they usually come on those days.
October 26th- I woke up and thought it won't come today. I have got to calm down. It will be Monday, surely it will be Monday. (Let me interject here- it was still early in the process and China sometimes China takes 5 months to send LOA) Around 10:00 am I got an email that said "Congratulations on your LOA" I was overjoyed I ran to my husband’s office and to spread news. (we work together) It was a wonderful feeling to know that "yes" that baby is yours and you are on your way to China.
October 29th- I mailed all paperwork to the US immigration offices. Now we go back to waiting. I hope to travel in about 6 weeks. That is on the quick side it could take 12 weeks, but I am believing for fast. I want to get my baby.
