BTW - So far the names options are as follows:
Sophie Lei
Ana Lei (Olivia has picked this one and yes it is pronounced "Ana" like the little sister on frozen) - gee, wonder where she came up with this name :)
Danny's middle name is Lee and Lei is already part of our sweet girl's Chinese name so we want that to be her middle name for sure.
Since our hearts have been stirred to adopt this sweet girl - we have worried about it all! Worried how we will manage with 3 children versus 2. Worried how we will get her the medical attention she needs while meeting the emotional needs of her AND our other 2 precious angels. Where will we have her treated? Traveling to CHOP will get crazy expensive so not sure that is an option, while we must consider them because of their incredible cardiac standing in the nation. Many think we are crazy and maybe we are. If we allow ourselves to think to hard about what is happening - we are overcome with fear. So, we try to just rest in His goodness and the knowledge that He has put this path before us and He will be faithful to see us through. He is a God of details and I am oh so thankful for that.
Our newest daughter's advocacy name is "Ella" and we think about her ALL THE TIME! We pray for her every single night and pray God is preparing her for us. Olivia was much younger when we adopted her so I am nervous how much our sweet girl will grieve given she will have just turned 3 when we finally get to wrap our arms around her sweet body.
We are prayerfully considering how to fundraise for a portion of this adoption. Now that I am staying at home - we want to ensure I am home with her to get her through her medical milestones like Danny was with Olivia. We have applied with Lifesong For Orphans and are waiting to see if we are approved for tax deductible donations. More to come on that if we are!! We know many don't understand what we are doing and not all are called to go, but many may be called to help others go and that is our prayer with this adoption. We know He has called us to go so we are praying He has called some to give :)
We covet your prayers during this time. We should have a complete homestudy this coming week and then we wait for our biometric fingerprint appts with the USCIS. We are working for every step to be expedited because she needs to be HOME!!
Here are some photos from our trip to Alabama :)
I get it. The fears, the "crazy" comments, the "what ifs". My family is living proof that if you just put one foot in front of the other, you will gloriously walk an incredible path with your new child. We had two children when we adopted our first child with heart disease. We then adopted three more over the next three years, each with increasingly complex and severe disease, culminating in the adoption of our youngest who was at end stage disease upon arrival home and underwent transplant 2.5 months later. We did it, and we are the better for it. Stay strong and focus on the JOY and HOPE! Blessings to you! -Andrea (one of Ella's advocates)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Julie! Thank you for sharing your heart! My oldest daughter (5 1/2) from China and I just finished praying for your darling "Ella" as I was putting her to bed and right before reading your most recent post. The Lord put her on my heart when she was first being advocated for. My heart is near to yours as you go on this journey. We will continue to pray for favor as the Lord leads you down every step...He has gone before you :) We will continue to lift you and your family up along the way!
ReplyDeleteLove and Blessings,
Robin