7-12 Weeks!

We got the excited call from Holt yesterday - prepare to travel in 7-12 weeks! The federal Ministry of Justice approved Hung's file on 2/27 - with in a day of receiving it!! This is REALLY happening!

This has been such an emotional week. After waiting for so long, it seems like it isn't true. We received new photos last week and new medical information this week that makes us realize we really need to revisit all the books on older child adoption and attachment. Its one thing to hope and dream for 2 years that a new child will join the family. It is another thing to have the family and the child ready to successfully make the transition.

The night before we adopted Lily, all the "What ifs" ran wild - "What if we can't comfort her? What if she and Marshall don't get along? What if we can't communicate? What if she won't bond with us? What if... what if.. what if...? I hate to admit it but I got a wild case of the what if's this week too. And, I think rightly so..the "what ifs" of this adoption seem much larger. For almost 2 years, Hung has been told we are coming. What if he he resents the heck out of the fact that it took so very long? What if the delay will make it very difficult for him to transition to English? What if Marshall and Lily don't readily accept him and they fight and don't share? What if he longs for the comfort of the familiar and his foster family and hates us for taking him away? What if..what if..what if...

I know - a lttile late to be thinking about this now! Yes, I've thought about these questions since the beginning but now they are at the forefront. Thankfully, God blessed me with the rock of a husband. He calmly looked at the new medical information I freaked out about and said "So what? We've known from the beginning there will be challenges. We have the resources, we have the love. We can do this. We WILL do this. God chose us to be his parents. Let's get ready. Calm down."

My dear friend Brenda, the mom to two handsome young men and two beautiful daughters from China gently reminded me - "this is you! Remember how you called me in a panic from Beijing the night before you received Lily? You need to ask these questions, you need to prepare, but you need to trust in yourselves, in God and that love can do all things." How many times over the last few years have I given this same advice to friends who are adopting? How many times over and over and over have I seen these children blossom in the love of their forever families?

So now, we no longer need to pray that this adoption will happen. It will! We are praying that God prepares Hung's heart for a new family, that he gives us and our children the ability and courage to meet the challenges ahead with grace, strength and a sense of humor. We also continue to pray that the other waiting families for Dong Nai hear similar good news about pending travel SOON!

At Last!! DOJ Approval

Ladies and Gentlemen - drum roll please!! At long last, after 16 months, Hunter's province has officially approved his dossier clearing the way for his adoption! We are thrilled and stunned, not believing that it finally happened as promised today.

The file next goes to the federal level for approval which we are told may take up to two weeks. Then the file comes back to the province to send to the People's Committee to set the Giving and Receiving Ceremony - when we are invited to Vietnam to complete the adoption. These next steps have taken other families for this province anywhere from 54-94 days so we are anticipating travel mid April to perhaps mid-June. Did I really just type those words?

For so long it was up in the air whether this adoption was going to be completed so we kind of stopped in our tracks with regard to preparation. Didn't complete his room, didn't shop for the requisite gifts for local officials, didn't buy any little boy clothes or toys, didn't read all the attachment books or learn adequate Vietnamese. Let the mad scramble begin!! :) We welcome all insights into older child adoption and adjustment. We know we will need them!

A special thank you to Holt who has really been a zealous advocate on Hung's behalf for the last few months. Abbie in the waiting child program is beyond amazing and we have no doubt that Thoa, the VN coordinator, was instrumental in getting us over the provincial hurdle. Now we anxiously wait for our friends to hear the same news for their children too.

Thank you for propping us up on the days when our faith was weak and we doubted this day would come. It is here! Rejoice with us!
Love, Mary Li, Jim, Marshall and Lily

New Photos of our Growing Boy!

We received new photos today! They make us long for him even more but we are so glad to see him happy and healthy. He had some dental work done shortly before these pictures were taken which explains his puffy cheeks. We think he looks terrific and we can't wait to have our arms around him! The best blessing in this set of photos is to see him clowning with sweet An and Dannette whose Moms, Wendi and Annette, have been such a support and good friends during this long wait. Thank you, Holt for thinking of this for us.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Ladybug News?

In the Chinese adoption community, ladybugs are said to bring good news. When we were close to getting Lily's referral, I got a box of 1000 ladybugs and sprinkled them in my garden (where they were promptly eaten by the lizards!).

Tomorrow our program director for Holt will be back in the office. So many families are waiting to hear good news that minor issues have been cleared, that their children's dossiers are ready for approval or that they have been scheduled to travel to finalize their adoptions. We are waiting for confirmation that approval is expected for Hunter next week and also to learn how he is doing. Holt saw him last week and was to explain that we are doing everything to come for him.

Look who showed up on my 29th floor office window this afternoon! I am hoping this ladybug is foretelling good news for all of us. Below is also a photo of my fellas from 2/12 and our night of celebrating that we are on the verge of approval. We might actually meet Hunter within 100 days!

Praise God! One Step Closer

A long awaited to answer to prayer arrived today - Dong Nai province has committed in writing today to approve our son's dossier and move it to the federal level for approval by February 25!!!! We believe the federal level will approve the file very quickly. Then the only thing we wait for is the local People's Committee to invite us to Vietnam for the "Giving and Receiving" ceremony where we will formally adopt Hung. This means travel could happen in 14-16 weeks or sooner!!! We are laughing and sobbing with joy.

We are so very grateful to you all for your words of encouragement, your shoulders to cry on, your offers to contact politicians and friends in Vietnam on our behalf, and your many prayers for our strength, grace and Hung's health and happiness. It has been 20 months since we first saw our son's beautiful face and we can't believe we will finally be able to bring him home. Miracles do happen and we are in awe of the power of faith, prayer and friendship.

Time for us to learn some more Vietnamese! This adoption is happening. WE ARE GOING TO BRING HOME OUR SON!!!!!

Much love, Mary Li and Jim

Prayers and Good thoughts needed tonight

Dear family and friends - we ask that at 9 pm EST tonight you pray fervently and think good thoughts on behalf of Hung and our family. We think that at about this time, Holt representatives will be meeting with the province officials in Dong Nai to push for approval of his dossier or at least an explanation of what is the delay and how much longer we will have to wait. We know you have been praying for us. Tonight we really ask that God makes these local officials understand that our son is not a number or a file but a real boy that needs his forever family. We also ask that you pray for the other remaining children in the province, An, Dannette, Nathan and the other orphans whose Holt families have also been waiting way too long and for those who may never know a forever family.

We may not hear anything until next week. We are gathering our courage and resources to make another push if we still get no answers. As soon as we know anything definite, we will let you know. Thank you for your love and friendship. Mary Li and Jim

Year of the Ox

January 26 marks the Year of the Ox. To celebrate and teach Lily abut her heritage, we went to her preschool class with a dragon we made, did the dragon dance, talked about the traditions and superstitions and let the kids jump on bubble wrap to pretend it was firecrackers. Lily was thrilled to show off her Chinese dress and jade bracelet and to explain red envelopes to her class. Last weekend we had the great pleasure of celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year with our local FCC group. Grandma Donna, friends Jim and Vicki, Aunt Kristi and Uncle Joey joined us as did Andrea - Marshall's best buddy's older sister who was born in Hong Kong and who Lily adores. We had a huge turn out with about 70 adults and 40 children. What fun when all the children shrieked when the lion dancers entered our banquet room! My mom got teary eyed thinking abut all these kids so far from their homeland. We struggle with wondering if we are doing enough to hep Lily understand and value her heritage. But it was a joyous event and humbling to think about the privilege these families all have with these amazingly resilient kids in their forever families. Every beautiful face there was one less facing a future growing up in an orphanage or foster care. We have made so many wonderful friends through Lily's adoption and now through Hung's as well. Next year we will have fun combining Tet (Vietnamese New Year) traditions and our Chinese ones!