This has been one of the most difficult tasks I have ever done! I am so glad we are in the home stretch. If I would have know all the stress this last year would hold would I have taken this on...absolutely! I'm exhausted and not thinking straight but I am so eager to enlarge our family and bring Yu Lei into our arms. What an adventure not a lot of people can say they've experienced. I am so happy though, to share the experience with anyone who wants to live vicariously through us*^_^*
I have a separate China journal because blogspot is not accessible in China. Your prayers are though so please cover us with them!
http://journeytoyulei.shutterfly.com/
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Passionately seeking change in Consulate Appoinment
I am floating this morning and only three hours of sleep. I had contacted my agency and asked them to try and change our CA, no luck. I contacted our Congressmen and discussed the possibilities and they tried, no luck. Last ditch effort I contacted a couple of the China adoption yahoo groups and asked if anyone ever walked in to the Consulate and requested an earlier appointment on the day of.
I had talked to Jennifer, my personal travel agent and an awesome one at that if you should ever need one, jennifer@watvl.com. and it was going to cost a quite a bit to change my ticket and Yu Lei's. Plus I was envisioning my family waving to us from the terminal as we stayed behind. It was all too much. I knew I wasn't finished with this fight.
One of the e-mails I received was from a woman who said in 2006 she had to call the consulate and they were fantastic. I had the Consulate number, given to me from the U.S. Immigration, somewhere in my paperwork from a problem we had months before. At 10:00 PM our time and 1:00 PM China time I tried all our cell phones and our house phone to discover we have no long distance. I texted our friend Rashed, who I know has long distance, but no response.
I saw our new neighbor's light was on and her door open, so I went over to ask if she had long distance. She didn't, we talked and then she asked if I was a Christian and if she could pray over me. Absolutely! Her prayers were so pointed and so right on. God directed her every word to cover all emotions and situations we have gone through. She ended her prayer asking God for a peace and an answer. Finishing the prayer my phone beeped a text message.
It was Rashed saying, Come on over!
Deborah said, Well, there it is!
And I said, Oh, the answer!
Rashed helped me with the phone call. It took many tries but persistence got us a real human on the line from the adoption unit. She heard me out and then asked me to write it all down in an e-mail and she said it would be dealt with directly. I was so afraid to hang up from her and so I had her repeat and hear me repeat the e-mail address about a dozen times.
So I wrote it out with Rashed's assistance. I wanted to use words like humble; he insisted I use words like optimistic. He was so helpful. It was our $2500 letter. That would be about the price to stay another 4 days and change airfare, not to mention stress.
I went home and waited and some hours later received a beautiful, short message..'We will be able to accomodate you on June 2.'
I had talked to Jennifer, my personal travel agent and an awesome one at that if you should ever need one, jennifer@watvl.com. and it was going to cost a quite a bit to change my ticket and Yu Lei's. Plus I was envisioning my family waving to us from the terminal as we stayed behind. It was all too much. I knew I wasn't finished with this fight.
One of the e-mails I received was from a woman who said in 2006 she had to call the consulate and they were fantastic. I had the Consulate number, given to me from the U.S. Immigration, somewhere in my paperwork from a problem we had months before. At 10:00 PM our time and 1:00 PM China time I tried all our cell phones and our house phone to discover we have no long distance. I texted our friend Rashed, who I know has long distance, but no response.
I saw our new neighbor's light was on and her door open, so I went over to ask if she had long distance. She didn't, we talked and then she asked if I was a Christian and if she could pray over me. Absolutely! Her prayers were so pointed and so right on. God directed her every word to cover all emotions and situations we have gone through. She ended her prayer asking God for a peace and an answer. Finishing the prayer my phone beeped a text message.
It was Rashed saying, Come on over!
Deborah said, Well, there it is!
And I said, Oh, the answer!
Rashed helped me with the phone call. It took many tries but persistence got us a real human on the line from the adoption unit. She heard me out and then asked me to write it all down in an e-mail and she said it would be dealt with directly. I was so afraid to hang up from her and so I had her repeat and hear me repeat the e-mail address about a dozen times.
So I wrote it out with Rashed's assistance. I wanted to use words like humble; he insisted I use words like optimistic. He was so helpful. It was our $2500 letter. That would be about the price to stay another 4 days and change airfare, not to mention stress.
I went home and waited and some hours later received a beautiful, short message..'We will be able to accomodate you on June 2.'
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The good and the bad
Well, we did not get the Consulate Appointment we requested. The American Consulate is closed on the 31st and since they only do adoption swearing-ins on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday they are down to two days that week and won't fit us in. Gabriel called and e-mailed but he was told the earliest we could get in would be the 7th of June. I was prepared for this but not without a fight.
I called our Congressmen. Ron Wyden's office took up the fight for me and was going to make contact with the Consulate on our behalf. I talked with them noon yesterday and am waiting to hear a response. It is a bit of a challenge, because of the time difference, they have to call after working hours. I would be thrilled to see them pull this off and not feel so bad come tax time.
Regardless, we are off to China Sunday morning. And hopefully we will all be returning On the 7th of June!
I called our Congressmen. Ron Wyden's office took up the fight for me and was going to make contact with the Consulate on our behalf. I talked with them noon yesterday and am waiting to hear a response. It is a bit of a challenge, because of the time difference, they have to call after working hours. I would be thrilled to see them pull this off and not feel so bad come tax time.
Regardless, we are off to China Sunday morning. And hopefully we will all be returning On the 7th of June!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Serious packing
Spent the afternoon packing the girls and the boy. Eva and Lydia's clothes are in the bags and Yu Lei's clothes are laid out ready to bag; a mix of new and Simon hand-me-downs. We are all going carry on only.
No Consulate appt. today. They are putting up a protocol stink saying we can't get in for our swearing in until the 7th or 9th of June. Oops, our plane comes home on the morning of the 7th!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Bags, anyone??
Some of you have been asking about Eva's bags. She has done an amazing job making and selling bags. Our sweet 12 year old has sold nearly 100 bags. Here are the last of them:
Her early bags she sold for $10.00 because we found sale fabric at Ikea. These are the last two of her early bags~$10.00
These bags are all $15.oo per bag; heavy material and French-seamed.
This is the last of her Ikea material which she can make into bags for anyone interested. These will be $15.00.
Previous bags she has done:
1. birdcage on one side, rabbit, turtles, flowers and cabin on the other side
2.She does have two panels of the birdcage so she can do both sides same.
3. Blue and white on one side, colorful flowers on the other.
4. She can do both sides blue and white flowers.
5. Both sides this same blue and black
Please contact Eva by sending your choice to batenhorst7@msn.com
Friday, May 7, 2010
TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA
TA TA TA TA TA or in the adoption world known as Travel Approval Travel Approval Travel Approval Travel Approval
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
I just got a call from Gabriel that after 14 calls to CCAA he received Travel Approval. Reminds me of a story from a few days earlier, huh! Go Gabriel. He's stepping up. He knows he's dealing with a mighty force.
Only one more foreseen problem. The American Consulate says they have no appointments until June 7, the morning we leave. But, never fear, God is on our side!
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
I just got a call from Gabriel that after 14 calls to CCAA he received Travel Approval. Reminds me of a story from a few days earlier, huh! Go Gabriel. He's stepping up. He knows he's dealing with a mighty force.
Only one more foreseen problem. The American Consulate says they have no appointments until June 7, the morning we leave. But, never fear, God is on our side!
Thursday's Issue
The signed document was apparently found, but now that's not the issue being addressed. That was Tuesday's issue.
Now this is the newest problem.
Apparently they are saying CCAA received our file early but they received the Central Letter late. So, per their verbage, "this case will be in the last process. there are more 100 case to wait be approved by the Diretor. I will follow the case everyday, But I don't know when the case will be approved."
These issues have plagued our adoption from the beginning. It's like we get on top of one thing and they say, oh yah, but here's this.
We will be leaving on the 16th and I am such a believer that God is the pilot.
Please pray for our family and our newest member! Our adversary wants this little boy's life so please lift up our family to push through in unimaginable ways.
Now this is the newest problem.
Apparently they are saying CCAA received our file early but they received the Central Letter late. So, per their verbage, "this case will be in the last process. there are more 100 case to wait be approved by the Diretor. I will follow the case everyday, But I don't know when the case will be approved."
These issues have plagued our adoption from the beginning. It's like we get on top of one thing and they say, oh yah, but here's this.
We will be leaving on the 16th and I am such a believer that God is the pilot.
Please pray for our family and our newest member! Our adversary wants this little boy's life so please lift up our family to push through in unimaginable ways.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Nothing
No news on our Travel Approval. But we continue to prepare for our journey East. I am a little discouraged this didn't resolve itself in a day like Gabriel suggested; but I am not surprised.
I am sound in the decision to travel to China in a little over a week and visit the girls' homeland. This was intended as an adoption/homeland trip, and I know it will be what God has intended it to be.
I was listening to Joel Osteen, a Christian speaker, and he told a story of a man who was appealing for a permit which typically takes two years to receive. The man asked the clerk if there was any way to speed up the process and the clerk stated only through him and he wasn't about to do that for the man. So the man settled down to wait two years.
Six months later the man gets a call to come in and get his permit. He asks the clerk how this was possible. The clerk said he couldn't get the man off his mind. He went to bed thinking about him, woke up thinking about him and throughout the day he was drawn to thinking about him. He was so tired of this man he granted his permit ahead of others and told him to get out of his office and please not come back!
That is my prayer. That the powers that be in China, who have complete physical control over our documents, will either get so tired of thinking of us, or the documents will enter the hands of just the right person to stamp and grant them through! Amen!!!
I am sound in the decision to travel to China in a little over a week and visit the girls' homeland. This was intended as an adoption/homeland trip, and I know it will be what God has intended it to be.
I was listening to Joel Osteen, a Christian speaker, and he told a story of a man who was appealing for a permit which typically takes two years to receive. The man asked the clerk if there was any way to speed up the process and the clerk stated only through him and he wasn't about to do that for the man. So the man settled down to wait two years.
Six months later the man gets a call to come in and get his permit. He asks the clerk how this was possible. The clerk said he couldn't get the man off his mind. He went to bed thinking about him, woke up thinking about him and throughout the day he was drawn to thinking about him. He was so tired of this man he granted his permit ahead of others and told him to get out of his office and please not come back!
That is my prayer. That the powers that be in China, who have complete physical control over our documents, will either get so tired of thinking of us, or the documents will enter the hands of just the right person to stamp and grant them through! Amen!!!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
"Problems at CCAA level"
This was one of my morning e-mails greeting me. Below is the message I received from Gabriel, our agency facilitator. And, of course, after talking with him discovered like our earlier "uh ohs" which put us back four months(our dossier sitting in China from August to January without moving due to an oversight and Meggie turning 18 and needing an immigration review) this problem at CCAA has never happened in the history of our adoption agency.
Diane,
I received an email this morning from the liason to CCAA, they apparently don’t have the LOC that was signed by you. We sent the letter on February 2nd, and I know it arrived there because CCAA issued the TA for another family whose LOC was in the same mail with yours. I emailed this morning the scanned LOC that you sent us, and asked him to tell CCAA this is everything we have, and to issue the TA. I hope they will send it tomorrow.
I’ll keep you updated.
Gabriel
For your Information:
CCAA- Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs
LOC- Letter of Confirmation
TA- Travel Approval
But thanks to our mighty God who is working behind the scenes and our dear friends who are praying for our TA and for this adoption, I am at peace with this.
I know God has laid the ground work for this adoption.
I know he loves Yu Lei more than all of us together.
I know God has orchestrated our lives and this entire process.
I know God will bless our journey!!!
When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him. ~Proverb 16:7
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us ~Ephesians 3:20
Diane,
I received an email this morning from the liason to CCAA, they apparently don’t have the LOC that was signed by you. We sent the letter on February 2nd, and I know it arrived there because CCAA issued the TA for another family whose LOC was in the same mail with yours. I emailed this morning the scanned LOC that you sent us, and asked him to tell CCAA this is everything we have, and to issue the TA. I hope they will send it tomorrow.
I’ll keep you updated.
Gabriel
For your Information:
CCAA- Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs
LOC- Letter of Confirmation
TA- Travel Approval
But thanks to our mighty God who is working behind the scenes and our dear friends who are praying for our TA and for this adoption, I am at peace with this.
I know God has laid the ground work for this adoption.
I know he loves Yu Lei more than all of us together.
I know God has orchestrated our lives and this entire process.
I know God will bless our journey!!!
When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him. ~Proverb 16:7
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us ~Ephesians 3:20
Monday, May 3, 2010
News from Xinyu SWI
Our little boy in pink.
Note: The little pink shoulder
An adoptive mom found some old news from Xinyu Social Welfare Institute and there is our boy. Can't believe it will be a few short weeks before he is with his family!
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