Happy Christmas Day!

What a wonderful day as we celebrated Jesus' birthday. Gracee marked her second Christmas at home! And this year she was much more engaged in the affairs of the day than her Christmas 2005. She might not want to get any where near Santa-in-person at the mall, but she was very pleased with her gifts--particularly her Elmo shirt, Elmo outfit, and ride-on Zebra toy. We are so grateful to be a family. God has truly blessed us. We stayed up way too late Christmas Eve watching old videos when the kids were little (or not even born.) So late that Santa was very delayed in completing his rounds at our house. Yet he persevered and everything was thrilled to be up the next morning to hear the Gospel story of Jesus' birth and then await Dad's "Ho, Ho, Ho. Merry Christmas" as the signal to head down the hall to the tree. [Grace was not at all pleased to hear Dad's traditional "Ho, Ho." holler and went back down the hall to Mom's arms.] Convinced that 'Santa' really wasn't in the den waiting for her, Gracee joined her brothers and sister to see what Santa had brought. She was very pleased to discover candy in her stocking. By the end of the day, most of her candy was gone and Gracee had resorted to checking out the contents of everyone else's stockings. Watching the videos reminded us both how quickly time moves on and how special it is to be a Mom and Dad. As we look forward to bringing our newest son or daughter home in the future, we are already praying for that child who may well already be in an orphanage in China. While we are praying for the day to be sooner than later and for the finances to be in place, we are confident that God is well aware of this situation. We take comfort in the fact that He is in control. He who gave the gift of His own Son to atone for our failures and to rebuild our broken relationship, is more than able to meet our every need. To God be the glory!

Gracee meets Santa...

...and it brings her to tears. We've been talking about it for weeks, but when the time came to get her picture taken with 'Claus, the tears began flowing. She had even stood a few feet away and calmly talked to him. Within a few moments, with Santa out of view (behind her), she turned off the tears and stayed strong for the photo session. Merry Christmas!!!

WE HAVE OUR LID!

The CHI office (our adoption agency) in Beijing passed along word (through our local office) today that our dossier (official packet of adoption papers) was officially received (logged in) by the Chinese government agency responsible for international and domestic adoptions on November 17, 2006. [Our log-in date for Gracee's adoption was November 5, 2004.]

Our paperwork left our agency's office here in the states on October 13. In the meantime it was translated into Chinese and waited to be formally registered with the government there. There is no denying that this process of bringing a little boy or girl home has been in God's hands since His Spirit first put the thought to adopt again into our heart last fall. Yet with that thick stack of special papers on the other side of the world in a foreign government's hands, there is ABSOLUTELY no question that it is completely in His hands--for that we are thankful and confident.

While the wait promises to be long, we are grateful that we have a home full of wonderful children that will keep us busy enough to not be overly consumed with the thought of that child who needs a family and who is waiting in an orphanage. We are thankful that the government of the People's Republic of China has a method by which many children are allowed the opportunity to have a "forever family." And we appreciate deeply our friends and family who are dedicated to praying and supporting us in this Big Adventure II.

The Princess on a Hunt for Candy

While somewhat overwhelmed by the number of people and the odd dress of many attending the fall festival at her church, Gracee was not distracted from the all-too-plentiful candy. I'm sure she wondered why she had to complete a task (a game) before she was allowed to dig through the candy bowl, but she complied nonetheless. In the picture below Gracee waits--impatiently--as our dear family friend Melinda explains the need to drop a wooden clothes pin into the jar below. Gracee finally agreed to drop the pins into the container and was rewarded with -- more candy! The church did a wonderful job, keeping the games and events for the preschool set separate from the rest of the activities. In the picture on the right, Gracee--who looks more like a pink statue of liberty than the princess she really was (and is)--poses with her very special friend, Jenna.

WE ARE DTC!

Our adoption agency has told us our dossier for Gracee's little brother or sister is on its way to Beijing! That's what it means to be DTC--Dossier to China. We are excited, but we know we have a long wait ahead. Our prayers are focused on the little one that needs a family and that God intends to join our family.

What happens after our dossier arrives in China?
1. Our agency's office in China translates our dossier from English to Chinese.
2. The translated dossier is taken to the Chinese government's adoption offices (CCAA).
3. The dossier waits to be officially "logged-in" to the system.
4. The dossier waits to begin the review process.
5. The CCAA takes our dossier to another group in Beijing to verify the accuracy of the translation.
6. The dossier goes back to the CCAA and is passed to Department I for review.
7. Moving from there, the paperwork goes to Department II for matching. This is where a child that is waiting for a "forever family" is matched with us.
8. The much-anticipated referral is approved by CCAA executives and sent to the U.S. through our agency.

Currently that process is taking 14 months. We are praying that God will supernaturally accelerate that process.

We definitely value your prayers in this most special adventure--for God's will to be done, for the protection of the child, that God would place hope in his or her heart, and that the financial obligations of adoption would be addressed.

We are trusting God in all things.
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)

The NEW Big Adventure Starts Up Again!

All of our important adoption documents--notarized and authenticated at the county and state level--are on their way tonight to Washington, D.C. to be--you guessed it--authenticated at the U.S. Department of State and the Chinese Embassy. These special papers--mom and dad's birth certificates, employment statements, police reports, financial statement, and much more--are in the trustworthy hands of FedEx and form the core of the complete packet of papers (the dossier) that will eventually and literally make its way to the Chinese government (in China.) Once the papers are authenticated in D.C. this week, our courier will FedEx them back to us. We will pull everything together and take them to our adoption agency office locally. They will overnight them to St. Louis (CHI headquarters) and then on they go to China. Wow! God is good!

OUR I-171H HAS ARRIVED!!!

After weeks of waiting--sometimes not so patiently--God was faithful. The postman delivered our long-awaited form I-171H Saturday, Sept. 30. We were fingerprinted on July 6 and were hopeful we would see the form within 2-3 weeks, but that was not to be. After inquiries by our adoption agency (www.childrenshope.com) and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander's office on our behalf, the Memphis office of the Citizenship and Immigration Service said two weeks ago that we should receive our 171H within 2-3 weeks. And we did!

What does this mean? It means our efforts to give a little boy or girl in China who needs a future and a forever family can resume. I will have the form certified at the county and state level tomorrow morning. I intend to send all of our paperwork to Washington, D.C., later in the day to be certified by the U.S. State Department and the Chinese embassy. We use a courier for that.Once that paperwork is returned to us (probably by next week), we will then gather everything together into an official packet (our dossier) and sent it to our adoption agency's home office in St. Louis, from which it will be sent to Beijing for translation and to be logged in by the China government agency responsible for referral of children who need a a family (CCAA).

The wait time until referral is running much longer than when Gracee came home last year. Yet we are confident the whole process is in God's hands. We ask you to continue to pray for us--in the paperwork and financial needs--and for that little boy or girl who may even now be waiting for us in an orphanage somewhere in China. We are grateful to the Chinese government who allows these little ones to be adopted. We are most grateful to God for His watchcare over the those waiting for their family. We can surely testify to God's care and protection for these children. God preserved Gracee as she waited for us to come for her. She is such a wonderful and special blessing. Her big adventure continues...

Fall in Tennessee...

In the pumpkin patch, Gracee claps to the live bluegrass music being played at the local farmers' market this weekend. Gracee was rather tenative about foraging around in the patch for a "pun-tin." The pumpkin patch was actually a garden--complete with flowers and vegetables--in which little pumpkins were placed and that was adjacent to the farmers' market. The family tries to visit the market every Saturday morning for farm-fresh produce and home-grown music. Led by her Mom and big brother Niles, Gracee 'discovered' her "pun-tin." Mom has suggested that later this fall Gracee's pumpkin will be cooked and made into a pie and bread. Gracee wasn't so sure about that. After locating her pumpkin, Gracee took a few moments to enjoy the zinnas in the garden.

No New News?

After our big announcement that we were in the process of adopting again from China, you may wonder why you've heard no new news. The reason is that we in a holding pattern, waiting for the Memphis office of the Citizenship and Immigration Service to release our I-171H. That is a form that is necessary for the paperwork that will be sent to China. Every other piece of paper is in hand and ready to be sent to Washington, D.C., to be authenticated for transmittal to Beijing. The first step in securing that piece of paper from CIS is fingerprinting of every person over 18-years-old in the household. We completed that step on July 6. It typically takes 3-5 weeks for the I-171H to be received. We have sent the same piece of paperwork the Memphis office requested on three different occasions. While we know this is all in God's hand, we appreciate your prayers for this piece of paper to soon be in our hands. Thank you for praying for us in this journey of love--we have many prayer needs, not the least of which is the matter of the expenses for this Big Adventure II. We trust God! We only have to consider the wonder of Gracee and all our children to be reminded of His love for us.

Return to China

It's been twelve months since we arrived home with Gracee in our arms and what a wonderful year it has been. Not that it hasn't had its moments after several years of not having a toddler around the house, but we are thankful for our new daughter and the joy she has brought into our home.

After much time spent in prayer and listening, we feel God calling us to return to China and adopt another youngster who needs a "forever family"! All of our paperwork is done--except our I-171H (necessary paperwork from the Immigration and Customs Service). It has been over six weeks since we began the process to secure the I-171H (fingerprinting). All the other documents have been authenticated at the state level and will be couriered to Washington, D.C., once that final piece of paper arrives.

We started our paperchase in June of this year. We'll post more soon to give you a little more background on our exciting decision to adopt again. We anticipate that we will not travel for at least a year to bring Gracee's little 'brother' or 'sister' home. Thank you for prayers! We stand in awe of what God has done and what we believe He will do as Gracee's Big Adventure takes a new and very big turn.

By the way, you might be wondering what Gracee thinks of all of this. We don't think she has a clue, although we pray with her about her new brother or sister who is China and ask God to protect him or her. Actually, as smart as she appears to be, she may well understand that Mom and Dad are working with God on something very special!

In His own image...

Gracee loves to go to church. As we come to the intersection nearest the church campus, Anna says, "Yeah! Church!". We are grateful for loving teachers and caregivers at our church who invest their time with Gracee and her little friends.

But most of all we are grateful for a loving God who cared for us so very much that He made a Way that our relationship with Him--broken by sin--can be restored. That Way is Jesus! Every night, Gracee asks, "Pray Jesus?" [Translated, "Let's pray."] I often ask her, "Gracee. Who made you special?" And she responds convincingly, "God make me special." I really think she knows what she is saying. With all kindness, Gracee and I ask you: Do you know this Jesus?

School Time

Gracee is all-smiles as Anna and Niles head off for their first day of high school.

Stay tuned for a big announcement...

Gracee thanks everyone who prays for her and her family and all the little girls and boys who are still in China and need a "forever family." She encourages you to check back often to her blog for an exciting announcement.

Gracee's Big Adventure is about to get even bigger!!!

(Gracee and biggest brother, Drew, in awe in the Primate House at the zoo.)

Ladies...Start Your Strollers!

Gracee and her friends from Anhui take a break from racing around the St. Louis zoo July 8. The six families, who were all together in China last summer adopting, all met in St. Louis for a reunion of sorts. While two families lived in St. Louis, others came from Arizona, North Dakota, and Tennessee. Gracee is in the third stoller from the left--waving as Daddy takes her picture. What a girl!!! 

The Red Couch Revisited

It's been nearly a year since Gracee came into our lives and we came into her life. If you've been following Gracee's Big Adventure for the past year, you may recall that six families from Children's Hope International traveled to Hefei, Anhui to meet our new daughters. What a glorious year it has been. Mom and I have realized how much we forgot about being the parents of a toddler but we have been pleasantly surprised that most of what we knew before has come back to us. This past weekend all six families met in St. Louis (where two families reside) for an annual reunion. It was a very special time as we all were able to see how all the 'China sisters' have changed and to hear about some of the wonderful things that happened during the intervening months. In our final days last August in Guangzhou, China (where the American consultate is located), our group took the traditional China adoption photo on the red couch in the White Swan hotel there. To mark this memorable occasion again, the girls gathered again--on a red couch in the home of one St. Louis family who adopted from Anhui with us--for a photograph. this will give you the opportunity to see for yourself how these special little girls have changed. By the way, they are in the same order on the couch. (Gracee is on the far right.) While the girls weren't all that cooperative in their original sitting in China, they are far wiser and much more independent now. Those that weren't scrambling off the couch were crying. It took some ice cream (push-ups) to keep them in place for a few minutes. (That is what you see them all focusing on.)

Photo taken in St. Louis on July 8, 2006:

Photo taken in Guangzhou, China in August 2005:

American Beauty

Gracee celebrated her first Fourth of July as an American citizen. While she did not care much for the fireworks (she called them "pops-pops"), she did enjoy the fresh corn on the cob and grilled ribeye steak. While she cannot appreciate the preciousness of the freedom she enjoys in the U.S., we are so pleased that she will have unlimited opportunities to excel in our great nation. Gracee continues to grow in every way. Her language skills are rapidly advancing. She usually uses a minimum of three words to convey a thought. She is a sweet little girl but is understanding she has 'rights,' too. In fact, she is often convinced her rights and her will trumps Mom's and Dad's. Thank you God for the blessings we have in this great country and for the grand joy to be Mom and Dad to little Gracee.

Our little bathing beauty...

It's pooltime in Tennessee. Gracee has her kick board and is ready to jump in and begin her swimming lessons. She loves the pool. (She knows mom goes to the pool to work.) She is learning to blow out of her nose (basic breathing exercise). She likes to kick and splash in the water, but does not like to lie on her back in the water. Coach Mom expects her to be a little fish in the water by the end of the summer. As you can see from her natural pose, Gracee has a wonderful personality--especially for a 2-year-old.  

Showing her teeth

Gracee and her family went to a local rendition of a Chinese Dragon Boat Festival that also featured traditional Chinese dancing. As Gracee views a paper mache model of a Dragon boat, Gracee shows her teeth as well.for more information on this Chinese holiday, click here.

Another graduation...

Just two weeks after one big brother graduated from college, another of Gracee's big brothers officially completed his high school education. We celebrated Samuel's graduation today. We are proud of him! His next step ... some classes at the local community college as he determines his future interests.

Peeking through the sea of mortar boards, Samuel is clearly enjoying his graduation ceremonies. Actually the graduating "class" was posing for a group picture and we zoomed in on our favorite honoree. 

Two peas in a pod and two new graduates! Big brother Drew made a special visit home to see Samuel graduate.  

Graduation Time

Gracee's big brother, Drew, graduated May 6 from the University of Indianapolis with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology (chemistry minor). He lettered in swimming in each of his four years in college and was co-captain of the team in his junior and senior year. He was on the conference's All-Academic team. In his freshman year, he was named the conference's male freshman swimmer of the year. In his senior year, he was selected by collegeswimming.com as the NCAA Division II swimmer of the week twice. As I understand it, he was also a fierce competitor on the intramural fields as well.

His athletic accomplishments were equaled by his successes in the classroom. Oft-named to the Dean's list, Drew is a natural in his academic pursuits in the sciences.

Drew will reside in Indianapolis, living with several of his buddies who are going on to medical school and dental school. He intends to work for a year in lab research and then will pursue his Ph.D. in molecular biology. Here is the house they are renting. The house, which is reportedly on the national registry of historic homes, is in downtown Indianapolis.

Words cannot describe how proud we are of Drew. During his four years at the university, he brought only honor to his family and to his Lord. During our visit to campus for graduation last weekend, we met several of his professors. All of them spoke glowingly of Drew--not only for his academic work but for his personality and kindness.

Drew's gentle spirit is evidence of His willingness to allow God to work through and in him. We have valued your prayers and expressions of support for him as he pursued his degree. It seemed like only weeks earlier that we were unpacking our cars and setting up his dorm room for his freshman year. We are grateful to God for Drew and each of our wonderful children--from the oldest to the youngest to those we may not even know about yet. To God be the glory!



On this very special day, the family gathers for a photo in the commons area of the UIndy campus.

One of Gracee's brothers, Samuel, performed in his annual school play recently. Samuel, second actor from the left, played a British chap seeking after a treasure in the drama, set in a former British colony in Africa. The play, which ran April 27-28, was staged in the Leiper's Fork community center. As might be expected, Samuel did a great job with his character. We are very proud of him! 

A new sport for the family...

One of Gracee's sisters, Anna, takes a break on the sidelines during a her school team's lacrosse game recently. New to the sport this year, she is doing a tremendous job with the game. By the way, the thing on her forehead is her protective eye gear. 

A Very Special Weekend

As for many families, Easter weekend is very special to our family. We are eternally grateful for what a loving God did through His Son--secure the future of those who by faith trust in Jesus as the one and only way to the Father. Because of God's grace and Christ's atoning work on the cross and His victory over death (the empty tomb), any man, woman, boy, or girl can secure their future in Jesus' presence for all of eternity. He loves us that much. Wow!



While Gracee doesn't understand the spiritual significance of this weekend, she did enjoy the special trappings of the day. The local Children's Hope International (www.childrenshope.org) office held an Easter egg hunt for children adopted through their office. While it's been a while since we've participated in an 'colored' egg hunt (the rest of our children are of course older and we have a hard time reconciling such an event with the resurrection of Jesus Christ), we thought Gracee would enjoy the experience and we enjoy the activities CHI sponsors. Gracee got into the hang of it right away, rushing across the field in search of the eggs. It had to be somewhat confusing for her though, given the fact that we have chickens and she sees us collect the real 'colored' eggs every day!



Gracee marked her first Easter at church wearing her Easter bonnet (bought after Easter last year before she even came home) and a new dress (with jacket) with a new pink purse to match (all at clearance at Marshalls this week!). Sure wish Mom-Mom could have been here in town to go to church with her. We know they both would have been sporting their beautiful Easter finery. Gracee found the hat to be an annoyance fairly soon after this picture was taken. And she found her new purse to be the perfect size to swing around and throw. She is so beautiful. God has blessed us in so many ways--all of our children make us the most blessed Mom and Dad in town.

Part of the family gathers for an Easter photo--after church because there was no way we would have made it to church on time if we had tried to get this picture before we left. As you can see, Gracee is working at sliding off Mom's lap. What you can't see it that the family slaps Gracee's hat on her head just before Dad snaps the picture (because within seconds Little G pulls the hat off her head). That's why Mom is holding both of Gracee's arms. Awww...the fun of family photos! 

Gracee really likes that shiny egg. She seemed to enjoy herself. She was very pleased to discover that most of the eggs had candy (melted that it was) inside. 

More from the 'egg' hunt this Easter weekend. Gracee learns to blow bubbles.  

No, we're not caging our children. Guess who climbs into the dog kennel and pulls the door shut all by herself? Fortunately the dog is not in the cage right now, but one of our cats, Star, happens to be. When Gracee climbs back out, the cat is still there--none the worse for the wear. This cat is used to Gracee layiing on her and sitting on her like one would a horse--even outside the kennel. Ahhh...the life (and limberness) of toddler. 

Sporting her new hair-do (and Dad's dime store reading glasses), Gracee checks out the morning papers. From the look of it, she's checking the paper's gossip column (or maybe she is checking the status of her portfolio in the stock market listings.) Bt the way, you may have noticed her mouth is full. She just finished off her big brother Niles' cereal. 

Our littlest sweetheart tries to suppress a giggle as everyone laughs at her early morning antics. She is a charmer!