Random Thoughts....

1. GOD IS SO GOOD!!! Ok, I just had to begin with that one. I know that so much of the crud around us is frustrating and miserable, but He is still faithful. He never leaves us to our own devices. He is good, even when we don't deserve it.

2. To fill you in on our little Miss Julia, we requested her file from the waiting child coordinator at our agency on Monday Feb 18th. Unfortunately, another family requested it 2 hours before me.... We had to wait. Then, on Thursday, I got a call that her file was available, so we reviewed it, and decided that she was the one for us. I just knew, every time I looked at her face, she looked like my child. Yes, I know, she is Chinese, but you know how you dream of your child for so long, and then as soon as she is born and you see her face, you know that is exactly how she should look, and you cannot imagine that she look any different? Well, that was the case here too.

So, that night, we were beginning our letter of intent and Family information sheet, and I saw an email that said her file was locked by another agency. WHAT?!?! How could that be? I knew it was a chance that we would take, but that was really fast. So, we emailed the China coordinator back and told her that we were proceeding with the paperwork and would submit it to her so she would have it just in case the other agency did not get a letter of intent within the 24 hour period required by the CCAA. We knew without a doubt that if this was our child, God would not allow her to be placed in another home. He places children exactly where He wants them to be.

The next afternoon, we got a call that she was available again, and Ann was having our letter and information translated into Chinese, we just need to submit our passport photos. An hour and a half later, she was locked by the other agency again. Dear Ann, promised to keep checking back. We were riding a roller coaster of emotion, but God was still in control.

Everyday we got an email that said "still locked." Then on Tuesday night we were sitting in our favorite Mexican restaurant after a night of student conferences, and Ann called us to say that she checked the CCAA site one more time and there she was. Since Ann had already had our paperwork translated, she was submitting our stuff right then. Within a few minutes, she called back to say everything was submitted!

Our little girl was locked in for us. We would have a daughter... a precious 5 year old little girl, one month younger than our Jenna... A little girl who was born on my parents' 32nd anniversary. We hope to travel this fall to bring her home. She is absolutely beautiful. Ann later told me that she was touched by our leap of faith to write a letter of intent for a child that seemed out of reach. God is good.

3. I was reminded by Jillienne's blog that I do have 4 other kiddos to talk about too (thanks Jillienne). All the kiddos had super reports from their teachers on their student conferences. I cannot believe that Jackson will be in MIDDLE SCHOOL this fall! And, Jenna will begin Kindergarten! Am I really that old? No, I didn't think so either, but my kiddos sure are growing up fast! Well, dinner is ready, gotta go feed the hungry masses!