Flights Booked

We have dates!  Mom and I will be leaving PDX March 8th in the morning and will arrive in Taiyuan, Shanxi on the 9th at 10:55 pm.  We will have Sunday there to recover and will be picking Craig up on Monday, March 11th!!!!!! 

On the 22nd we will be able to come home and introduce Craig to his Daddy and Big Sisters.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

The good news; we only have one step left before we get to go pick up Craig! On Thursday our Article 5 was picked up so we are now waiting for Travel Approval, which usually comes in about two weeks. Once Travel Approval is issued by the CCWA our adoption agency will make consulate appointments in China and the travel agency will make all of our in country arrangements.

The bad news; we were hoping to leave Feb. 15th to pick up Craig, but the province he lives in is especially particular.  They don't want to have us finalize the adoption then, as it will be the week after Chinese New Year. The next date that our agency has on the books is March 1st but that is impossible because there is another family going to our province the following week, and the official doesn't like to have adoptive parents come two weeks in a row.  At this point we are expecting to be leaving March 8th.  We are disappointed, but not discouraged.  We know that God is powerful and He loves us and we look forward to seeing what the next steps will be.

Meanwhile, Jason started painting Craig's furniture, and it is absolutely gorgeous!!!  I can't wait to see his room put back together!

If, by some miracle, we were to get our Travel Approval in the next few days, and there were still consulate appointments available, and the agent could find guides and tickets, we'd be out of here the following week! If I suddenly disappear, you will know what happened ;)

We got an update!

We were thrilled to get an email updating us on Craig's progress and health today!  He's in 9 month clothes, on formula, and had a palate surgery since our last update.

Here are the pics!

Thank you!

Thanks to many generous gifts, we were able to meet the matching amount from Hand in Hand. We are so blessed by your support of us, and can't wait for Craig to meet the many people who are loving on him from a distance.

Progress Since Last Post :)

-US Immigration Approval
-National Visa Center did whatever they do
-All our approvals and paperwork were sent back to China
-Craig's room is now painted
-Nicole and I sorted through clothes that my nephew used to wear, I can't wait to put Craig in his new outfits!!

We now have only two steps left before we buy our tickets.  At this point I am hoping for a Feb. 15th departure date.

Also, we have had a couple of people ask about giving.  Hand in Hand only accepted donations until the 21st for us, but here is the info for Lifesong for Orphans, which also has an account set up for Craig.

You can send by check or online, and as long as it is postmarked by the 31st it will be tax deductible for 2012.  The check needs to be made out to Lifesong, but our id # and last name should be in the memo line, which is  3041Wood.
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

LOA :)

We got the call today!  It's official, China has accepted us :)  China sent a letter of acceptance and we now get to send in our application for US immigration.  We are so excited!!!!!

Traveling in Feb. looks very likely right now, which means we are only a couple of short months from being able to hold Craig!!!

Out of translation!!!

As of 10/26 our Dossier (paperwork) made it out of translation and into processing.  This is wonderful news as the wait for China's Approval is notorious for slowing everything down to a snail's pace.  I have heard of family's spending months in the translation room.  At the earliest, we are still a couple of weeks from getting our approval (and of course it could still be a couple of months), but at this point I am just thankful that we are moving :)

Right now I am in the middle of creating a photo book to send Craig of our family.  I have very few pictures of me, so it might be time for a photo shoot!  We're hoping that the photo book will familiarize Craig with us, but we also want the orphanage staff to know that he is cherished and that there is a family somewhere that is counting down the days until Craig is home.

Matching Grant

About a year ago our family began the process of adoption.  Although we desired to have more children, we were not able to have more at that time.  Instead, we felt that God was leading us towards becoming a forever family to a child through adoption. 

We are continually in awe of God’s faithfulness!  We began this journey with a giant leap of faith and have seen one miracle after another.  We felt that God was calling us in this direction but knew that there was no way we would be able to finance it ourselves.  All along the way God has brought surprise money into our lives to help with the next step (we actually had a check catch up to us eight years late, just in time for one of the deadlines).  It has been fun to see Him work!

This isn’t a high pressure post, because we believe that God has a plan for how this will work out. But, if you are feeling God’s leading in this direction, or have wanted to make a tax deductible donation before the end of the year, here’s some information about a grant we just received.

We were recently awarded a matching funds grant to help with the expenses of our adoption through Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc. a non-profit private operating foundation.  Hand in Hand will match any funds that are donated through our friends and family for the expenses of our adoption.  All funds received through our friends and family will be matched dollar for dollar by Hand in Hand up to our awarded grant amount.   All donations are tax-deductible.

You may contact Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc. with any questions you may have.  They can be reached at 913-248-5015 or by e-mail at handinhandadopt@gmail.com.

Please send all donations made payable to “Hand in Hand Christian Adoption” postmarked by December 21st to: (for tax purposes please include our name on the outside of the envelope only…do not put our name on the check itself)

Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc.  

Wood Family

18318 Mimosa Court                                                                                                       

Gardner, KS  66030   

Thank you for the support you have given our family!  More than anything, we appreciate your willingness to listen to the latest developments, your prayers, and your offers of help for when Jason is manning the home front while Leya goes to China.  We are very thankful that we will be bringing Craig home to the support of so many.