Sweet Andi

Sharing

I told my sister in law for the first time tonight about Andi.  She guessed that I was pregnant.  I told her no but we are having a girl... she jumped right to the correct answer:  adoption!!  But I could hardly understand her because she was bawling/crying/sobbing... So I excitedly went on with some of the ways God has blessed this road to our daughter... She is still sobbing.  Finally, I stop my selfish rambling to ask are you happy or sad? tears of joy or sadness?  She could barely answer:  JOY..  I think she muttered that she was so happy for us...   she so warmed my heart.... she is a "keeper"!!  gotta love her..

The LOA

What an exciting day.  My dearest friend shared with me that her mother in law made a pink baby blanket for our sweet Andi.  I walked on a cloud all day thinking of how Andi is already loved by people near and far:)  Her first baby blanket..  handmade..  made with love.. made for her.. others are anticipating when Andi is officially ours.. but they already recognize and acknowledge that she is ours now..  God knew before time that she would be ours..
By the end of the day, I knew I wasn't going to get the long awaiting phone call that China has approved us.  Most people with our timeline got theirs about 2 weeks ago.  So we wait.  we wonder is something wrong with our paperwork.  with the wait brings the fact that it will be longer until we can travel. BUT
this is in God's perfect timing.  He doesn't make mistakes.
So I spent the afternoon with our little guys watching our oldest play in his basketball game.  Gotta love when the boys pull so hard for their Bub..  Family.
The little guys and the big man went off to baseball practice.  I stayed to watch a non-eventful jv basketball game.  The score was about 30 to 4 at half-time and we spotted them 2 points for each quarter!!
I wasn't really watching but catching up with another dear friend.  The ole chitty-chatt that girls do per my boys.. "chitty-chatt, chitty-chatt, chitty-chatt"
My phone was in the car for charging purposes but I don't have coverage at the school anyway.  I went to the car to check to see if the phone was charged when my friend left the game.  Oh--I am responsible for bringing home her boy after the varsity game.  I had already forgotten that I was responsible for him by the time I reached the door to go outside.  And yes, for some reason my friend trusted her son to me!!??  I have crazy friends.. just crazy.  BTW, her kid is 15 so thank goodness I wasn't forgetting about a toddler..
I checked my email first.  an email from another "boardie friend" saying she had gotten their LOA!! Bummer another day to go by without ours.. Chinese New Year is coming up -- the whole country shuts down for a week to celebrate.  It will be terrible if we don't get the letter prior to CNY...
So I checked my next email.  It was from FedEx.  Oh dear--I have forgotten I had ordered something! Geez -- the things I forget... and I wasn't even excited that I was getting the tracking number for my package.  BUT then when I opened the email it was from our agency:) yippie, yippie, yippie That means we got our LOA, too.
I then checked my phone calls ---9 phone calls missed.  One being our agency.. They left a voice message!!  Yes, I even listened to it.. (sorry friends when I don't listen to yours.  but remember to just call me back then I know I need to call you back)  It was confirmed on the voicemail---we have a LOA.
Oh dear, I need to call their office to find out the details and expected travel time frames.. Oh, no, the office is closed already--and they are even on the West Coast!!  so I have to wait all weekend to get the "goodie" on travel but that is ok because we have the LOA!!  China likes us; they approved us...
oh---the email from the boardie friend might have more info in it.  Sure enough, the rest of her email read: the agency said travel was likely in May..  That means travel is likely in May for us too.  Praying for April..
Our little one wants to get his sister on his birthday-- the 15th.  Then they can be twins:)
So excited with the news---can't call the big guy because he is at baseball practice---I will call my friend that just patiently and excitedly listened to the latest of the adoption news while watching the basketball game...  She screamed and cheered... she sounded so excited... she was so pleased to be the first person that I told... She told me to go celebrate and get a chicken sandwich from Chick fil a...  Big time celebration in order...
But wait, I have no cell coverage from the school to Chickfila ..  my phone is breaking up and dropping the call attempts... my dearest friend can't hear me...  I finally get her---excitement galore at her house now with the news..
bump----big bump in the excitement--but that is for another time and place to discuss..
Call a family meeting... oh, yeah, I forgot my friend's kid again...thankfully she called me... that has more to the story too...
Family meeting.... kids are guessing---do we have her?  now?   Yes, she is ours... really?  today?  we can go tomorrow?  ahhh, mom, i love her (while giving me a hug)... are u sure no one else can get her?  are you sure?  yippie....