LAST ONE!!!

Sweet Ashley, this is the VERY LAST month that will go by without your mama and daddy! By the end of December we will have you in our arms forever! Oh what a celebration that will be! We know that you are being taken very well care of where you are but you are about to be taken in like you could never imagine! We love you so much and look forward to spending your 18th month, and every month after...WITH YOU!!!!

She has our nose! And Avery's lips...

Earliest Picture

This is the earliest picture we have of Ashley...according to her documents, she was found in yellow/white clothing at the gate of the orphanage so we're thinking that this might actually have been taken the very day she was abandoned. We plan on taking this when we get her and asking the director if she remembers. She was not given up at birth, but at approximately a month old, and it's obvious she's not a newborn in this picture....that sad face breaks my heart!! I cannot imagine the pain of having your child for a month and then feeling like your only option was to abandon her to get her medical help. Her mother, I believe, must have loved her very much to put her baby's need for medical care above her love for her child. The Lord is sovereign and we know He had a plan for this child, even in her mother's womb. My feelings and love for her birth mother are for another post, but I wanted to share this pic....we're coming baby girl!!!!

A little info on our girl

Now that our little Hao Hao is "officially" ours...I can fill you in on some information!

Her given name is Lou Hao (pronounced low how) and she was born on July 1, 2007. She's currently in foster care in Loudi City, Hunan and a part of the SWI of Loudi. Her last measurements we have put her at just under 20 lbs (but probably weighed with all her clothes on...I'll believe this when we see her!), and 29 inches tall. She's been in foster care since September of 2007. She was born with a form of Spina bifida and had surgery at 1 month to repair the spot. All indications are that she is walking, praise the Lord! At her last update, at 13 months she could walk holding the nanny's hand and was cruising around furniture. We won't know for sure till we meet her but we are prepared to handle whatever needs she has!

So many of you have asked about travel. AWAA is saying late December. They send out groups on Thursdays so we are praying that we'll either leave December 11 ( this is a long shot but we can pray, right??) because that would put us home on Christmas Eve. OR we could leave on Christmas Day or the day after. If we leave on the 18th, we'll be in China the week before and after Christmas, which would be really hard to leave Ally and Annalyse (Avery is going with us), BUT we'll go whenever they say GO!!!! The little ones will be in good hands :0)

Now we wait for Travel Approval....usually takes about 2-3 weeks, so I'm guessing the week after Thanksgiving sometime. That will give us concrete dates.

In the mean time, my list making skills are in high gear! On top of this being the busiest time of year (hubby is a minister at a large church...December is so full!) for us, we're adding a trip to China!! Don't read that as complaining, just saying that we're taking things a day at a time from here on out! After we get home from Thanksgiving in MS, we'll kick it in high gear!

Please continue to pray for us!! We still have some financial needs as far as travel is concerned, and just the logistics of having half our family in China and half in the US for two weeks...it's going to take lots of organization and I can get overwhelmed in that area pretty quick.

Thanks so much....how about another picture!!????

It finally arrived!!

Well the man was 4.5 hours late but that's been pretty much the MO for this paperchase right?! At any rate, he came and we got to sign the beautiful LOA!! It basically said we agreed to adopt this child, and we signed it and sent it off!! yeah!!!!!!! I thought it would have her picture on it but it didn't. Here's Jay with our "stork" delivering the goods!

CHINA HERE WE COME!!! LLLLOOOOOAAAA!!!!

We are overwhelmed to announce that after 125 days of waiting....CHINA SAID YES!!!!!!!!!!!
Here she is.....is she precious or what!!!???????
We got the call at 12:20 this afternoon...i'll write more later, gotta make calls!!!!!!!
WE ARE GOING TO CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Update and a Prayer Request

First off, please take a moment to pray for Naomi and Jeff....you can read their situation that is going on in China and they need prayer warriors on their behalf. They are an amazing example of Christ's strength through low times, and are giving God all the glory, despite their heartbreaking situation.



1. We heard from our agency this afternoon...the CCAA is still processing our LOA and there are no problems...it should arrive "soon." I'm very grateful that at least we know our dossier isn't sitting under someones coffee mug! How soon is "soon?" The Lord only knows!! We pray that it's VERY soon!!!

2. The golf tournament was a great success! Beautiful weather and lots of golfers! I'm not sure the exact total yet, but we did raise about 1,000!! Thanks so much to those that played and gave!!

3. I've been so busy this week, no new cell phone. yet. I know ya'll were all wondering :)

Thanks for the prayers!

November 11

Just wanted to make a quick post to update everyone on a few things. For some reason, Nov.11 has been coming up a lot with us lately so I'm asking for prayer over the day tomorrow. Here's a list of all the things going on tomorrow:

1. Someone we have contact with will be IN CHINA and seeing Ashley. Please pray our baby girl is doing well and she'll be able to see our picture!

2. Our golf tournament to raise money for our travel is this day! Pray for wonderful weather and
a great turnout! it's not to late to sign up....email me or call Jay.

3. It marks exactly 4 months to the day that we sent our Letter of Intent to China, requesting to adopt Ashley. For some reason, it has taken this long, and this is not the norm. Our agency has repeatedly told us there is no problem, but as of tomorrow they will be calling China (at least they better be:) to check on it for us. Please pray for good news and a quick response.

4. I am in desperate need of a new cell phone and I called Alltel and they told me I could upgrade on Nov. 11. Ok, totally nothing at all to do with the adoption, but here was that date again...Nov.11. I know, random.

So as you can see, lots going on tomorrow! Thanks for the prayers, and we'll update at the end of the week...or before if we get GOOD NEWS!!!!

AWAA families this week...

I've been slack on updating the list to the left...

But here are two families (there are a bunch more, but all I could remember...) that are getting their girls MONDAY!! By the time we wake up, they will already have them! I'm especially THRILLED to see ms. Lydia Hope!!!! Naomi has been such a cheerleader for me and we have been prayer warriors on behalf of each other for many months. Also, Shannon has been a great encourager of mine and a fellow RQ buddy! Then Sarah and her sweet family...Sarah has left some really encouraging prayers for us and for Ashley. Her heart for orphans and for others shines through every comment she leaves!!Enjoy!!!

Lydia Hope

The Walker Family

The Strand Family

From Ashley's Daddy

Dear Friends and Family,



I am posting a blog for prayer for our Ashley Mei Hao. These 100 plus days have been tough. We know that God is in control of when we get the RA that is needed to move forward in this process to get our baby girl. We know his timing is never late but our hearts are ready.



Beyond Ready.



I am asking as Ashley's father to interced on her behalf to pray for her everyday. We need prayer warriors who will pray these needs:



1. Pray continually- I Thess 5:17

2. Pray for specific needs. Her health

For patience and understanding for Emily and I



When do you pray. Ashley was born July 1 2007.... so Emily and I are starting a new thing tomorrow and we are asking you to join us. Everyday we are asking you to pray at 1:07 pm. This time symbolizes the day she was born and the month and the year as well.

We know that prayer, hope,, love, and faith is all we've got and need, but we need you to answer the call and help us because lately it's been hard. I need those of you who read this to take the 1:07 challenge for Ashley Mei and let's continue to be amazed at the Great God we serve. Please only post your prayers as your comments as it will encourage us to read them.



1:07 ........... are you in?



Jay

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby Girl!!!

Your WHOLE family loves you and we are

coming just as soon as they say to come!

We know you are doing so well, and

we know that the Lord is holding you and

holding us through this together!!