Happy 12th birthday Eva!!!

Eva Zhou Ying, our third daughter, fourth child and a most extraordinary addition to the family. Eva was born February 28, 1998, about the exact time we began all the paperwork for her adoption. We had requested a child "as young as possible", so when our referral came for an eighteen month old we were surprised but so pleased. Her referral came with a little 2x2 photo that was precious and she is precious.

Eva has changed our lives. She has a tough and stoic demeanor but a very sensitive heart. She sees and remembers everything and I ask her often to help Mom recall. She is our living journal. She has a love for God's word and really wants to dig deeper.

Eva has so many talents. We love watching her dance and act. She has gifts none of the other kids have been interested in pursuing. We all live vicariously through Eva and her successes. But no matter how successful, she is humble.

I am in awe of how God has orchestrated our family. I truly believe you, Eva, were ours from the beginning of time. I love how you are so similar to your brother and sisters, and yet so different. I am proud of you and so humbled we get to be your family!

May travel?!?

After discovering how expensive June tickets will be and how long we will be waiting for our little guy, I began checking into all scenarios. I'm thinking we could leave after Meggie's last A.P. exam and senior prom in May and be back for award ceremony in early June. I'm getting excited about the possibilities. Please lift our family up in prayer. We need wisdom, a faith covering, and God's hand in this process.

Help Eva and family get to China!

All bags are $15.00. They are canvas material with double, heavy-duty seams. Eva has worked so hard with a little help from Mom and sister Meggie. Whatever extra money she earns over her airfare she is willing to donate to Lydia whose can collecting has brought in a bit less, but still a huge help in finances. Shipping is about $5.00 whether it is 1,2,3, or more bags.

Contact us at batenhorst7@msn.com so we know which bag and where to send it.

Bags with complimentary colored handles

 

 

Bags with matching handles

Sadie Hawkins dance--girls ask guys

Meggie and her senior buddies

Roxy arranged for the Spanish teacher to pull down the overhead and showcase the "Simon, will you go to the dance with me?" poster she made... very sweet!!!!

Fingerprints and Fabrics

 

We traveled to Portland yesterday to get Meggie's fingerprints to finalize our adoption addendum. And, as long as we were already up there we took a quick trip to IKEA to pick some fabrics.

Eva has been laying low since before Christmas on bag making. Eva, with Meggie's assistance made a bunch of bags and has since sold most of them. She is doing an amazing job selling those bags and saving for her airfare.

So today we go to "The Sewing Room" and cut fabric to prepare for marathon bag making.

He knows he has a family

I am so happy to see this smiling, mischievous little guy, and with straight teeth! We have not received any photos with such an incredible smile. What a boy! And Look, I think he likes the school room. A scholar on top of it.

From our agency rep:  "The guys at the orphanage took Yu Lei to dinner outside the orphanage and he was told you are going to adopt him. He was happy and he asked when he can go to Meiguo (America)". 

Care Package

Yu Lei's birthday is February 18th during the Spring Festival celebration, when all of China takes a week off. We wanted Yu Lei to have something from us, so I found a business which delivers specified gifts to your waiting child. I asked for the softest blanket, a birthday cake, a photo album full of family photos and a camera to take lots of pictures of Yu Lei and friends. This agency tries to retrieve the photos and mail them to us. We want him to know his family loves him!

I know. Reading, writing and arithmetic are important. We'll get to them tomorrow.

 

Little House on the Prairie meets the dastardly adoption paperwork

Ma is plum stunned at what we received today in the mail. Hurray for Meggie receiving a formal fingerprint date from the USCIS(United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) for next Friday in Portland.

Background:

The USCIS has centralized all Hague (agreement between signatory countries which are working together to ensure protections in intercountry adoptions) processing and adjudication at the National Benefits Center (NBC) in Lee’s Summit, Mo.

When we received our Letter Seeking Confirmation last Monday we were told USCIS won't confirm and ask China for a Travel Approval for us until Meggie's fingerprints and homestudy addendum clears. Therefore I was to e-mail and ask for NBC to please expediate this fingerprint process because of our situation. I e-mailed "Kirk" twice, heard back once and received the appointment today. Did my e-mails help? Don't know.

Ma is plum stunned because she also received a formal fingerprint date from the USCIS. Now, these fingerprint appointments are $80.00 so I should be thrilled to get one and not have paid for it. But I've already passed inspection and don't need this appointment.  But, say I did need my fingerprints, the fingerprint dates for two members of the same household, received in the same envelope, a 120 miles drive to the office, were 5 days apart.

Two instant 12 year olds

We are a host family for a Chinese cultural exchange. We are the happy family of two twelve year old boys. They are young and full of life! It is a great program and we are all learning a little something.

No news means June travel

We were thinking there would be a slim chance of March travel if things moved this week. But, alas, no movement this week. Since Meggie just turned 18 we need to get her fingerprinted up in Portland to finish off an addendum to our homestudy before U.S. Immigration will send the approval for our travel to China. I contacted the Kirk, an Immigration Services Officer in Dallas, to try to speed up the process of receiving a fingerprint date for Meggie. We received a generic letter back to which I replied, and nothing. So we wait...

I asked our agency to please, please let Yu Lei know we are coming!!! He said he knew he had a family when Tiffanie saw him in October.  Does he still believe it? I can't even imagine what is going through his mind. I'm praying he is being loved and respected a bit more, and I am believing God is preparing his heart.