So two days before Christmas, at 1:02 pm, I called our agency to let them know that Yan Xin Chun is our little girl! It was quite an exciting and surreal phone conversation. Beth, the director of the China Program at Holt, had some more exciting news for us. Three weeks ago, when we first received Xin Chun’s file for review, we had the option of locking her file by submitting the LOI, while we waited for an update and video. (LOI is the Letter of Intent - which is basically us stating we want to adopt this specific child). We proceeded with that step and I am so thankful we did! Even though we sent the LOI, Xin Chun would not be ours until we signed the LOA (Letter of Acceptance - which is basically China’s letter to us allowing us to adopt this specific child). So when we accepted her file the week of Christmas, Beth told me that we had ALREADY received our LOA…which can be a 1-2 month wait. Our wait for LOA happened during the 2 weeks of waiting for an update about our precious little girl! So we got to sign it right away!
I don’t remember much else about that afternoon because I was in shock and giddy with excitement at the affirmation the Lord had given us through this process so far. That afternoon, Denny and I decided we would save the surprise for the kids until Christmas morning. We also decided about naming her Gracie (Grace) but her middle name is still under construction :) (more about that later). Emma had asked almost every day in December if we had heard anything from our agency and when we would get a referral of a child. I had Gracie’s picture developed and picked them up on Christmas Eve. I was bursting with excitement to tell friends and family while at the same time in shock that we had our girl…and oh yeah, that we are actually going to China to get her!!! We went to the Candlelight Service at our church on Christmas Eve and was able to tell a few friends that we are adopting a little girl and showed them her picture. After the kids went to bed, Denny and I wrapped their Christmas presents and put them under the tree. I wrapped the picture of Gracie and put it under the tree, near the back.
I don’t remember much else about that afternoon because I was in shock and giddy with excitement at the affirmation the Lord had given us through this process so far. That afternoon, Denny and I decided we would save the surprise for the kids until Christmas morning. We also decided about naming her Gracie (Grace) but her middle name is still under construction :) (more about that later). Emma had asked almost every day in December if we had heard anything from our agency and when we would get a referral of a child. I had Gracie’s picture developed and picked them up on Christmas Eve. I was bursting with excitement to tell friends and family while at the same time in shock that we had our girl…and oh yeah, that we are actually going to China to get her!!! We went to the Candlelight Service at our church on Christmas Eve and was able to tell a few friends that we are adopting a little girl and showed them her picture. After the kids went to bed, Denny and I wrapped their Christmas presents and put them under the tree. I wrapped the picture of Gracie and put it under the tree, near the back.
I was like a child giddy with excitement….I thought about getting the kids up at midnight to open their presents but then my mind came back to me and decided to wait until morning. I was even more thankful that morning that we only give our kids 3 gifts each on Christmas, because I don’t think I could have made it through opening a whole room of presents before we got to Gracie’s picture! They noticed the present hidden behind the tree and we had all three of them open it together. Oh how priceless their responses!
Emma - Gasp…”Is this our baby??”
William - with a smile, “Seriously?”
Jonathan (the youngest) as he throws the wrapping paper, “We don’t need no baby!”
Emma and William, “Is this our China baby? Yes!! Woo hoo!”
You can start praying for Jonathan and his transition from not being the baby anymore :) The rest of the morning was spent talking about her, watching the video of her walking and answering their questions. Not once that day did they ask what her special need is. Not once did they ask “what’s wrong with her”. What a gift God gave us that morning enjoying little Gracie and the excitement of having a new little one in our family. That’s how life should be. Enjoying the moment of what God has given us now and not focusing on the challenges. Not focusing on what is wrong. We were reminded there is only One who is perfect and we enjoyed celebrating His birth that day.
Emma - Gasp…”Is this our baby??”
William - with a smile, “Seriously?”
Jonathan (the youngest) as he throws the wrapping paper, “We don’t need no baby!”
Emma and William, “Is this our China baby? Yes!! Woo hoo!”
You can start praying for Jonathan and his transition from not being the baby anymore :) The rest of the morning was spent talking about her, watching the video of her walking and answering their questions. Not once that day did they ask what her special need is. Not once did they ask “what’s wrong with her”. What a gift God gave us that morning enjoying little Gracie and the excitement of having a new little one in our family. That’s how life should be. Enjoying the moment of what God has given us now and not focusing on the challenges. Not focusing on what is wrong. We were reminded there is only One who is perfect and we enjoyed celebrating His birth that day.