Earlier this year, Cherish's piano teacher, Ms. Shirley, had wanted to give us a gift to help towards our adoption, so she had decided to give Cherish free lessons for the spring semester. On the last day of lessons for the school year, she extended her gracious gift of free lessons to include the summer as well! What a huge kindness!! We never expected such a sacrificial gift from her piano teacher. God bless her!!!!
Then, on June 9th our agency notified us that China had chosen to begin working on our adoption. They approved all of our adoption paperwork, and said "yes!" to joining Daniel's paperwork to ours. They sent out an official document (LOA) to have us sign in order to "seal the deal". In doing so, when they receive the document back, they will begin preparing Daniel to leave the country. In the meantime, we are petitioning the USCIS to bring Daniel into the USA.
LOA is a big deal in the adoption world, because until it is sent, we sit and wait for China's decision to begin Daniel's adoption. Now that we have received it--and have begun the immigration paperwork specifically for Daniel--we will travel in 9-12 weeks!
Therefore, Derek pulled the crib out of the attic. We had agreed not to pull it down until we received LOA, because we were unsure of how old Daniel would be when China decided to begin his paperwork. I actually cried when Derek began bringing the crib down.
On Saturday, Cherish and Hope were blessed with gorgeous dresses from a gracious lady, Susan, and her precious daughter, Amanda. In addition, they gave Cherish a bike that had hardly been used, plus a helmet and chain!! They did not know that Cherish had been quietly praying for a bike--as she had out-grown hers earlier this year. The bike is gorgeous and in beautiful condition! It's beyond anything Cherish even thought possible. What.a.blessing!
On Sunday evening, our online auction ended. My sweet friend Mandy had wanted to help with our adoption/van/travel expenses, so she planned an online auction for us. She rounded up items to donate, invited donors to help, and launched the auction.
Through the very generous giving of family and friends--through donations and bids--the auction raised $782.00!! What a huge blessing!! We were blown away by such generous donors!
AND, on top of that, the donors also gifted us with covering shipping costs for the items they donated! My eyes kept "overflowing their liquid" as donor after donor gave us the news.
Then, today, I went to see my ear surgeon to schedule surgery for my upcoming international flight. It always happens this way: get LOA, see my surgeon to schedule surgery to have the tubes in my ears replaced, have surgery, recover, and fly out. But, as it turned out, I do not need to have surgery! To my surprise (and the surgeon's), not only did both my "permanent" tubes fall out, the inner tubes stayed open while the outer holes healed up! Both my ears were tested and both have proven that they have healed completely! No more tubes needed! Healed! As the surgeon exclaimed: "Your ears healed themselves!" But, really, God healed my ears! I am so thankful not to have surgery and a two-week-recovery time thrown into the mix while getting LOADS of paperwork and obligations done! Thank You, L
ORD!!
The blessings are pouring out undeservingly, and we just stand in awe! Thank you for each and every prayer! To God be the Glory!
