Ready, Set, Go........

Wow, it's finally here, the day we leave our home for China. We have to hit several different stops before we get there but it seems as if we have waiting for this day forever.

Some of you have been with us E V E R Y step of the way, others of you don't have any idea what I mean by a long wait.

In the Spring of 2005 we began the paperwork for our second daughter from China. At that time people were only waiting about 6 months. Joylin was not even 2 yet and she had been home only a year. I thought by the time we got home with Mei Mei (little sister in Chinese) she would be about 3 and home for 2 years. We had a summer paperwork set back and I started in earnest in August. Three hurricanes came through South Florida in the Fall and retarded our progress because of power outages (our social worker worked from the public library for several weeks) and evacuations.

Our paperwork finally found it's way to China in Feb, Feb 15, 2006 to be exact. This is the date that would be one of the most important dates in our family's history. This is the date by which all things are decided in China adoptions. This is the date you tell everyone who asks when you are going, this is the date that your agency asks to look at your status, this is the date you use when deciding to join a Yahoo group to share your wait experience with other families. I was hoping to have a LID in December of 2005, oh well what would 2 months make? The wait time was slowing down a little but 6 months was so fast I didn't mind waiting a little longer. We waited for Joylin for 9 months.

While we were waiting, we decided to name our baby Faith. Faith is such an important element in our lives....faith in the Lord who sustains us each day, faith to have the ability to adequately parent a 4h child, faith that the Lord will place the perfect child for our family. We didn't realize it at the time but we would really need faith to wait, and wait, and wait. We don't know exactly why but the wait time came to a screeching halt. We ended up waiting almost 3 years to see our daughter's precious face.

The timing turned out to be perfect (was there any doubt?... well yes there was). We have moved twice, the first 100s of miles away from our home in the Keys, the second just down the street. We built a house and have been in it for several months now. We have friends, a great church and a good support system. What we only had faith for a few years ago has now become a reality. We are bringing our little Faith to a home that we love and a family that will love her.

I hope you can follow along and take this trip with us. We plan to post pictures often. Sometimes people experience techno issues while in China; therefore, I have changed the settings so I can read your comments through my email. If you don't see your comment it is because I have it set up to screen it, as soon as I read my email your comment will show up.

Take care everyone!

And away we go.......

Janet