September Matches

35 Days

China has matched to Nov. 25, '05

We're counting down 'til Dec. 30, '05

We were very disappointed to see that Sept. only brought 4 days of matches. After the initial shock, we took a deep breath and just said, "OK God, what's next?" He seems to let us know just the next thing to do. As difficult as this is, we can rest assured that His timing for our family to be complete is just perfect. We spent some time last weekend shopping for a care package we may be able to send to our baby after our match. It was so fun to look at baby things again! Even though things are slow right now, we can truly say that we will soon have our daughter. It's been fun to watch our friends from Columbus as they travel to China this week (see the link on right). Watching them, reminds us this is actually going to happen! Please pray along with us that our precious little one will have enough to eat, a blanket to stay warm, and someone to love her and respond to her when she cries. God bless!

CCAI Midwest Reunion

Last weekend was a wonderful time for our family as we met in Columbus, Ohio with adoptive families from 12 surrounding states. Nearly 500 people were registered for the CCAI Midwest Reunion held at the Columbus Zoo. We were thrilled to see so many well-adjusted families, some who have been together over 12 years and others less than 4 months. We also had an opportunity to rejoice with 2 families who had just received their information pack and first baby pictures. Our girls made friends with several NE Ohio children during the fun-filled weekend. The highlight for us was an hour long session with CCAI's founders, Josh & Lily. They met with waiting families to encourage us and answer as many questions as they could concerning the long wait. One explanation was that several countries, including Russia and Korea, had closed their doors to international adoptions for a period of time around the last quarter of 2005, just before our paperwork arrived in China. Many families moved their adoption files from these closed countries to China creating a log jam in the system and significantly increasing the wait. Although the wait is still long and we cannot predict with any certainty when we'll be traveling, the weekend was a great encouragement to us, like a "drink of cold water." We know that God has chosen a very special little girl for our family and we look forward to seeing that first picture in the coming months. Thank you for sharing this journey with us.

Chinese Dance Team from Ohio State

Lily & Josh addressing the attendees

Lily, Josh and our Family

August Matches

39 Days

China has matched to Nov. 21, '05

We're counting down 'til Dec. 30, '05

(average matching is 7 days/mon.)

On Aug. 3rd child matches were received for paperwork registered in China from Nov 15-21. We are just waiting until all the other families who had paperwork registered before us have been matched with child. We had a wonderful opportunity to sit down and talk with Josh & Lily, the founders of our agency this past weekend. They were really helped to understand and encouraged us. (I'll post more about the Midwest Reunion and some pictures soon) China is still matching approx. the same number of children each year (around 8000), but the number of families who are waiting to adopt has increased dramatically. Nov. '05 was a particularly large month for people to register paperwork, so hopefully timelines will speed up a little once they reach Dec. At any rate, God is showing us in little bits and pieces, just why the wait has been good for us. He continues to prepare us to be the parents we need to be for this new little girl. Thank goodness, we don't have to be the ones to decide, He is the one who knows all. Ps 50:10,11 says, "For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine." Thank you for patiently waiting through this journey with us.

There is a link to our new friends, the Woolevers, who were just matched with a child on Friday. I thought you might like to follow their journey.

46 days

China has matched to Nov 14, '05

We're counting down 'til Dec 30, '05

(average matching is 7 days/mon.)

July Matches/Home Study Update

A new group of matches came through the end of last week, so there are many new families enjoying the first pictures of their new baby girls. China has matched about a week for both June and July. This takes them up to Nov 14, 2005. Our registration date is Dec. 30, 2005. I spoke with our agency today and they are predicting we'll have to wait until at least Dec. and possibly into early 2008. Once we're matched with a child, it will be about 5 weeks before we travel to China. As a family, we've had a great time of making memories already this summer. Even though we're terribly disappointed with the wait, we have managed to make the most of our last summer of 3 girls. Maybe it's time for me to learn to eat with chopsticks? We'll update you again as things change.

Home Study Update
We just found out this week that we're going to have to update our Home Study. It expires in Sept. '07 and since we won't have our baby by then, we will have to do an update. For those of you unfamiliar with the process, there is an extensive paper trail we must once again retrace, not to mention an additional $500 in expenses. Our home will have to be fire and safety inspected and the well water tested. We must be re fingerprinted and medical updates must be submitted for each member of our family. Although inconvenient, this wouldn't be that big a deal, except we're in process of remodeling our 2 bedrooms upstairs. All 3 of our girls are sleeping in the basement and their rooms are completely gutted. Needless to say, it will be a busy couple of weeks to get this all done under the wire. I guess we'll hurry up and then wait again.

Thanks for your prayers,
Elaine

May Update

Thanks for hanging in there with us. China (CCAA) matched 6 log-in days at the beginning of May. It was a great improvement from the 2 day matches of April, but still not back to "normal" numbers in the teens. Our agency has explained that there were an unusually high number of application logged in the end of Oct 2005 (nearly a month worth in the last week), so the CCAA has not really slowed down the matching. It just has to do with the high numbers logged in during that time. They matched through Nov. 1st this last time, so hopefully they will get back to average numbers again for June. At any rate, this puts our wait time out until at least Oct. Now we're just hoping to travel by the end of the year. We love your comments and we'll let you know if we hear anything else.

Time Line Update

It's with a sad hearts that we report another slow down in the China adoption time line. This past month the CCAA only matched 1/5 of normal amount of children to families and there doesn't seem to be any explanation for it. Recent estimates for our match were June or July. Unfortunately, this seems to now be out of the question. We will continue to keep you updated. Please pray for our patience as we wait on God's timing and join us in praying that our baby is safe, warm, well fed, and loved.