2-22-12
New pictures!! This is our final update on Bella before travel.
2-21-12
Bella’s Chinese name, Long Luoyue is pronounced “Lo yia zhang.” To help her adjust to her American name we will probably use Bella-Luoyue for a while. If you are one wanting to get to know her when she arrives, then join us in practicing until “Bella Lo yia” rolls off your tongue. It’s not real easy to say with all the L’s right there together. :D
2-20-12
Today, we learned that we are in a tight window to get one last update on Bella. We haven’t received any medical information since November 2010, no growth or photo updates since October 2011. By order of the CCCWA, beginning March 1, adoption agencies will no longer be allowed to make direct contact with the orphanages. This is how they obtain updates. Our China Consultant, Sabrina, is hoping she can get us an update before March 1. Future waiting families will go through Bridge of Love in China for updates. We certainly hope this process is affordable and efficient. We purchased updates four times through this process and would have much more frequently if we had known the given timelines were not going to hold true. With the exception of the one we attempted to get last October during National Day preparation/celebration, all came within 48 hours. Pictures and growth and development information is so encouraging and it helps to continually build up your hope throughout the journey.
We may have new pictures and information in a day or two!!
2-17-12
After receiving the Article 5 letter, we also learned that China is not going to expedite any portion of the travel phase for Bella. They don’t consider her a case one to merit moving quickly. The reason is because the life-threatening issues relating to her condition do not occur until her second or third decade of life. So why rush now I guess is their philosophy. Of course, knowing that she needs medicine China doesn’t have available that can eliminate any life-threatening concerns, we see it totally differently. We really can’t fathom the reasoning behind such a decision, but we are trusting God for deliverance and for continued protection for Bella’s health.
With every fiber of our faith, we do believe God’s timing is perfect. We know that she will be with us soon and that it is exactly when He wants it to happen. We are so grateful He has grown our faith so that we can have patience and peace with this process. We would all be broken and hopeless if it weren’t for our faith and trust that God is in control ALWAYS, and that nothing comes as a surprise to him…EVER!
Seven to 10 more weeks until Gotcha Day!
2-15-12
Dear Adoptive Parent,
The Adopted Children's Immigrant Visa Unit (ACIVU) at U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou has finished processing your child's Article 5, and your file is ready to be returned to your adoption agency's facilitator.
Next, your agency will deliver the Article 5 and Letter of Seeking Confirmation to the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA), which will issue the Travel Approval (TA). The TA allows you to come to China to finalize the adoption, so once the CCCWA issues the TA, your agency can email us to request an immigrant visa appointment at the Consulate. When your agency requests an appointment, they are required to submit your five choices in rank order. The ACIVU strives to schedule every family for their top appointment choice on which we still have available visa appointments. We do not reserve certain days for children of certain ages. All appointments are open to adopted children of any age and medical condition, and they are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. We then notify your agency of the scheduled date and time.
We understand that plans change and occasionally an agency must request to change an appointment, but we ask them to minimize such requests and only make them in the case of true emergencies because frequent appointment changes impede our ability to give other families their top choices. In order to avoid the need to reschedule, please coordinate closely with your agency in formulating your list of five preferred appointment dates.
Please visit our website at http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/adoption.html and the Department of State's official resource for adoptions http://adoption.state.gov to learn more.
We look forward to meeting you and your new family member when you come to the Consulate for your visa appointment!
Best regards,
Adopted Children's Immigrant Visa Unit (ACIVU)U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou
Phone: (86)(20) 8518 7653
Fax: (86)(20) 3884 4420
Email: GuangzhouA@state.gov
http://adoption.state.gov
Phone: (86)(20) 8518 7653
Fax: (86)(20) 3884 4420
Email: GuangzhouA@state.gov
http://adoption.state.gov
2-9-12
As we wait, I keep looking at our paperwork. It’s a relatively small stack now in comparison to the books and folders and stacks of forms, documents and other relevant information we had in the beginning. In that stack I held on to an envelope on which I scribbled notes during our very first Lifeline Children’s Services meeting (February 2010) with Dave Woods. We told him about our interests in adoption and he shared information about Lifeline and their different country programs.
Before Dave talked about those unique programs he talked in general about adoption. The first thing I wrote down was “Expect difficulty, this is an Egypt to the Promised Land journey.” He also went on to tell us how adoption mirrors salvation and discussed the sacrifices God made for us and how we will have to make sacrifices for this child we don’t yet know. Those sacrifices be it financial, mental, physical, emotional all draw a picture of salvation. He said to remember that God knows our child even though we don’t and He will work it all out. Our challenge is to choose to enjoy the journey. Looking back now with experience in this journey, I can see how those words are filled with wisdom. It has been an extraordinarily, long and difficult journey but one in which my trust in God has grown more than ever before. We’ve had to rely solely on Him and His love and favor so many times in this journey.
In all honesty I can look back and know that I’ve been no different than the children of Egypt. I’ve complained in the desert many times in this journey. The biggest challenge of the journey is the wait and the long delays. We don’t talk about it much, but knowing Bella needs a medicine unavailable in China that secures her a normal life expectancy is a helpless feeling. We tried to get the medicine prescribed and send it to her but were denied. There have been so many prayers daily that God will keep her strong and protect her from iron toxicity. Often times the facts have become too heavy and my faith has been weak. Defeat has set in. But I’m certain that through the prayers of intercessors, I’ve soon remembered truth. Truth that, “God knows our child” and that He has already worked it all out. My faith is renewed and my courage restored. “Truth always trumps facts”…thank you Bill!
Thank you also to those who continue to pray for us in this journey.
2-4-12
Ten more days until our Article 5 is approved, picked up and sent for travel approval!
Posted on Facebook: Ten days until Article 5 letter is issued by US Embassy. They have to assure Bella’s visa application meets qualifications and all is in order. Then we get Travel Approval (TA). Happy Valentine’s Day to the Pearson’s!
2-1-12
Today is Bella's 4th Birthday! We had prayed we would have her here with us by now. But obviously that was not God's plan. We are, however, claiming all of her future birthdays as ours together!
Posted on Facebook: Happy Birthday Bella! We wish we were in China with you. Better yet, we wish you were home with us. We will be together very, very soon sweet girl! Hope you have a SUPER 4th birthday. Love you forever!
