Madie on my mind!

I found this poem and thought I would share it because it is so sweet! I have been thinking all day about this journey we are on. It is sometimes so surreal. It's hard to believe that someday (hopefully soon) I will bring home our little girl from thousands of miles of way and she will become part of our lives forever. God is so good! I think about how 4 years ago he planted the seed in my heart and how that seed has grown so much and has brought us to where we are now. I thought that I was ready then, but he has other plans and has had a very special angel in mind for us all this time. And when I get discouraged and think that I just don't know if I can wait, he reminds me that I can do ALL things through him who gives me strength. I am so thankful that I serve such a loving, all knowing God! Hopefully I will be able to post that they have done many days of referrals for March soon. There has not been an update from CCAA since February.

Tammy



We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life.But those who make their journey home across time & miles,growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them,are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands.--- Kristi Larson

KISSES IN THE WIND (The Waiting Child's Lullabye)

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.

You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we are... what's taking us so long.But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night

GOOD NEWS!!!!!

What a great Christmas present I got today! I got an email from the NBA (us government) and they have approved our I-800! They mailed our approval today. It has been taking 90 days or more for people to get their approvals but it only took us 70 days! God is so good! All of our paperwork is complete and I will start copying, scanning and getting our state seals. It should be in the mail to go to the Bethany headquarters by the end of next week and then it will go on to the Chinese Consulate to be translated and then to CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) which is when we will get our Log-In date. It is then that we will officially be waiting for our Madison!

Thanks to everyone who has prayed! Keep praying that there are big changes in 09. Tammy

We are one step closer to bringing you home sweet baby girl!!!

Referral Update from CCAA

Bethany posted today that CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) only did 2 days of referrals this month, which put them through Feb. 17th, 2006. All applications through Feb. 28th 2007 are through the review room. I just hope that the rumors are true and something happens at the first of the year and there is a speed up! Still no I171 yet. I am just still in hopes of getting it this month.

That's all for now!

Tammy

Another restless night!

Well, another night of sleeplessness. I am just so anxiously waiting on our appointment letter to get fingerprinted. I am praying we get it this week. They are sooooo slow!!!!!! I have really had a tough week, it just seems as though I will never get our paperwork to China. If you read this please pray for this to happen soon! Goodnight for now!

USCIS

We got a letter in the mail Saturday from the USCIS saying they forwarded our application on, and now we wait for our fingerprinting letter. Progress is so nice!

Madison has been heavy on my heart and mind today. I wonder if her birth mother is pregnant with her yet? I really feel that she is. I just pray for hers and Madie's health. It is really strange to love Madie as much as I do my boys, which I gave birth to. The only explanation that I have to offer anyone, is that it is a love put there by God so strongly that you feel as if your heart is going to just explode sometimes. Just as child birth, adoption is a miraculous thing. Madie, mommy loves you so very much and we can't wait to bring you to your home and give you all the love that you can stand!

Everyone has asked if we have a picture, and of course we don't yet. But we do have an ultrasound!

The Beginning

Well, where do I start? This journey began about 4 years ago, when I had this un-explainable desire for a little girl, and because we cannot have anymore children, I knew that I wanted to adopt. Not only did I want to adopt, but I knew I wanted to adopt from China. Tommy was definately not at the place I was at. He was very adamant that it was not going to happen now or in the future. My desire continued to grow and grow until it totally consumed me. I prayed and prayed to understand all of this. Tommy continued to say "no" and my heart continued to break more and more. I thought ok, I will start to pray for God to take all of this away, the hurt, the desire, and every other emotion I had gone through with this. Well, guess what? That didn't happen either. The more I prayed the more I wanted to adopt. I thought this is so cruel, because Tommy was still no where close to feeling like I did. I then tried to take matters into my own hands by really putting the pressure on him and resorting to some not very nice tactics. But, then my mother said something to me that made me realize I had to stop. She said, "you cannot change his heart, only God can, and you do not want to do this if it is not God's will". So it was then that I just continued to pray and pray and pray some more that his will be done in our lives and turned my faith over to God. It was very hard, and I have never gone through anything like that in my whole life. I felt like my heart would never heal, because I already loved a child that I didn't even know if I would ever have. Well, little did I know, but God was busy at work on Tommy. We started going to FBC Smyrna about 2 years ago, and at that time our pastor, Pat Hood and his wife Amy, were waiting on their daughter, Jadyn from China. I truly believe, that God put us there and used them and their journey to change our lives and Tommy's heart. In May of this year, Tommy told me that he was ready, and felt that adopting is what he thought we should do and that God had revealed this to him over the last year. I absolutely could not believe it. Praise God! I thank him everyday for his perfect timing, and he has taught me so many things over the last 4 years (especially patience, which I know to never pray for). I know that he has a very special little girl picked out for us, and we had to wait until it was time to start "Our Journey to Madie". Thanks for going along and praying us through every step of the way.