Good Week!

This week was great! Wednesday I went with a friend to a meeting with a great group of women to raise adoption awareness and to talk about Amazima ministries in Uganda. It really made me realize that I know that there is much more for me to do and how much I love the orphans of this world! The CCAA sent out referrals finally! They matched Dossiers through March 14th, 2006. That is still far away, but it was 6 days of progress, which is great. They also completed one of the two largest days in March. Praise God! I will just keep praying for a miracle! There are people out there who have faithfully waited for 3 years and it is so great that they will be bringing their little girls home. Someone said to me, "Faithful" is the word she thought of, because if we give up what will happen to OUR daughter that has been ordained to be with always!

Please keep praying with us!

Tammy

No News......

There has not been a whole lot going on. They have not posted referrals for May yet. It has been 39 days since the last referrals were sent. I am really praying that the H1N1 flu does not slow things down even more. This is truly going to be the hard part. Just waiting, wondering, praying, crying. I know that God will use this time to prepare us and to give us strength for whatever is ahead. I read something on Amy Hood's blog today. She said that she believed God had chosen their daughter for them since before the world was created. In the grand scheme of things we have to realize that our timing and God's timing is so different and our day will come in it's appointed time. It is the hardest thing that I have ever experienced and it is difficult and full of crazy emotions. So for now I am going to try and keep myself busy working on our house and her room. Hopefully I will start having pictures to post. As soon as we get Corey moved down stairs I can get started with the girly stuff!

Madie,
I hope that you realize just how much we love you. I absolutely cannot wait to see your face and to hold you for the very first time. I cannot wait for what's in store for our family!

Love always, mommy

CCAA Update

Look at all of the Dossiers! This is a picture of the "Review Room" at CCAA. I am sure there are many, many more where these came from!

CCAA updated the portal last week. They have now placed referrals for applications through March 9, 2006 and Dossiers received through March 31, 2007 are through the review room. Against my better judgment, I have been reading rumors on the internet. One on the rumor queen's site is that the mood is different right now at the CCAA and that there could be something going on.. I hope that they are going to take steps to push through the dossiers received in 06/07. After May 07 the applications dropped off dramatically. I don't have actual numbers, but I would say at least in half. In 2008/2009 they probably have received very few because of the increased wait time. Right now the wait time is at about 36 months. I don't think we will wait that long, at least that is my prayer! I really do think that we are going in at a good time. Only time will tell.

It has been a very long day so I will go for now. I cannot say "PLEASE KEEP PRAYING" enough!

Tammy

More Exciting News

We received our LID (log in date) today! It is March 26th. That means we are officially on the waiting list. We are very excited. Keep praying for a miracle!

We have been so very busy with the boys. Corey is playing baseball at Smyrna and we have games almost every night. It is so much fun and I am so proud of him. He is growing up so fast. I can't believe that he will be a sophmore this coming year. He is such a blessing to us and I am so proud of the young man he is turning out to be. Justin is bowling and is loving it! I am so glad that he has finally found something he enjoys doing. He is also growing up so much and has a heart of gold. Even though our lives are completely crazy, I wouldn't want to be doing anything else right now. I love being their mom and I love both of my boys with all of my heart!!!!

Off to get some sleep!
Tammy

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!! DTC

I didn't think the day would ever come. It has been a long time since the last post, but it has been crazy. Last month we got word that something was notarized wrong and the Chinese Embassy sent it back. We had to fix it and return it. I was so depressed about that. Well today we got the email we have been waiting on! Our paperwork left for China today, which is our DTC date. Now we just wait on our LID (log in date). That is saying that the CCAA has our paperwork and we are in line (so to speak). I am so happy, this has been a very long 7 months. I know that we could possibly have a 24-28 month wait from here, but I feel in my heart that it will be sooner. Please pray that it is.

Madie,
We are so happy that we are again one step even closer to bringing you home! I am about to start getting your room ready and I just can't wait to have you here to enjoy it. My prayer is that you can feel our love all the way in China!

I love you so much!
Mommy

YouTube - sam and esther

YouTube - sam and esther

I watched this video on a friends blog. It is a hard video to watch. After I watched it, I cried for a couple of hours. This video has been on my mind all week. It took me a few days to be able to really put to words how I felt about the video. There is so much going on in the world around us. We are so blessed and I know that God wants us to do so much more. I realize that I may not be able to adopt every orphan out there, but I know there is more I can do. My heart is for the orphans of this world, and it hurts because I wish I could save them all. I will continue to pray for God to show me everyday what he wants me to do with this video and the wait for our little girl.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for a glimpse of your heart. I pray for these children, their health, safety and that people may open their hearts and do all that we can for these children. Whether it be just praying for them, or spreading the word about them. Please bring our Madie home soon to us. We continue to pray for her health and Lord just help her to not feel alone. I love you so much, continue to use me to further your kingdom and to reach out to these children in whatever way you want me to. In your precious name, Amen.

I love you Madie!