Another picture of Savannah

We just received this picture for another adoptive mom. It was in an FCC article and there was a paragraph next to her name and we were truly hoping it would be information talking about her personality, maybe speech impairment but I have to say it shocked me what they choose to write. I know it might of been to shock and to get others to help with surgery expenses to fix her cleft lip and palate. I was in tears. I made the decision as her mom to shelter her from what was written because I KNOW that Shriners will repair the cleft palate to allow her mouth to completely close and to allow the world to see the wonderful smile she has. Most of all for the world to see the beautiful eyes that God has given her but because of our limitations we look below that. I love you Savannah and I know know now even more than yesterday that this journey you have been on and we have been on took the road it did to bring us together. I truly feel that once again as the world sees is not how God sees and one thing for sure is God sees Savannah as a radiant light of love!!!

Receipt from Immigration/care package

We received our receipt from Immigration stating that they have us in their system and we should hear from them on a date to be finger printed. We are thinking the date for that will be in February. We are very excited to know another step down and another step closer to bring Savannah home.

We sent another care package today. Very simple care package from the advice of many adoptive moms. It included an outfit, coloring pages, coloring book, stickers. We sent a note with a self address envelope in hopes to hear from her. We told her that she can color us a picture or send us a note with any questions she might have. Our next package will include a beautiful book that her brother Corey gave to us for Christmas to send over to her. We can record ourselves reading it and then Miley can translate it for us so Savannah can understand what I read. The book is called "Guess How Much I Love You" This way she can hear our voice and become familiar with it. We will also be sending over with the book letters that we all wrote to her and have translated. We are so excited and we hope we get to hear from her soon!!

Christmas care package

Our Christmas package that we sent to Savannah was confirmed that it did make it to China. We are not sure if it made it to the orphanage but we are truly hopeful. Through adoption, that is what you hold on to....HOPE. That is so exciting to know. It actually made it to China on the 23rd so there is a slight chance she received it by Christmas. Now we are preparing a smaller package but a more personal one that includes some of her favorite things. We hope she enjoys it too! We hope to travel in May and wow....that is only 5 months away and so very exciting!!!

Letter of Confirmation!!!

Our agency Heartsent received from CCAA in China, Letter of Confirmation which is a letter that we sign saying we want to adopt Savannah and also states that China is giving us permission!!!!!!! We are so excited to know that we are getting so close to bringing her home and NOW we can emotionally, physically, and spiritually know that she is our daughter!!!!! We have to get our finger prints done and receive complete approval from immigration before we make another step with China but as Karen said to me on the phone she is your daughter now because China is giving complete permission to adopt her. We are completely over filled with joy and what a way to celebrate the birth of Christ but to completely celebrate the joining of another child into our family. God is so good!!!

Christmas presents on their way to you sweetie

Today Mike and I went and found a couple last things to put into Savannah's package. She asked for a bigger doll which was one of the gifts and I went through the girls department and found her a cute outfit that was in red (her favorite color) that said "Dream" on it. I thought perfect because I am dreaming of meeting her and we are hoping she is doing the same. I have to admit that I can feel her in my soul at time just as I did with Sierra. I can feel her sadness, hope and joys. I look at her and Sierra's room and think I cannot wait until it is filled with all their stuff surrounding them as they play, fight, and laugh and all those things sister do together. I wonder of how she is going to feel to have three big brothers. How she will react to each of them and their unique personalities and gifts. Christmas is a wonderful time of year and my soul cannot wait to share that in person with all my children on Christmas Eve 2011.

Scentsy Fundraiser to bring Savannah home!!

We have awesome people in our lives!!! Christy has offered to hold a fundraiser with selling Scentsy and at this point we are needing funds to help bring Savannah home. Our last two wonderful fundraisers helped with the immigration fees. I am so thankful for all the support we have gotten. It is wonderful.

So if you are needing some nice smells or you need last minute Christmas gifts or birthday gifts or wedding gifts, or shopping early for Mother or Father's day please look and know anything your purchase will not only light up and smell positively up someones day but it will also help us bring Savannah home!!!

Just visit Christy's website at: http://christyhines.scentsy.us/

The party name is Scentsy for Savannah.

And thank you so much for your support to help bring Savannah home!!

DCFS Clearance!!!!!!

We received DCFS clearance to adopt Savannah. We are very excited to be able to go the next step which is sending it off to immigration to get our clearance to be able to bring Savannah home from China. We are continue to be able to use our old Dossier to adopt Savannah. We just needed an updated Homestudy with updated Immigration Clearance which is what we are in process doing.

We are also preparing a gift package for Savannah. We are sending it directly to her orphanage. Something new for us to do. We are hoping it travels ok and is delivered in time for Christmas. I am very excited about her getting the book we purchase All About Me. It is a young girls type of scrape book that we had translated so she can understand what we wrote and what to write in it. It includes pictures of her family, her home, and also her friends and family from the orphanage. We truly hope that she likes it. We also sent a few other items which include candy canes for her to share with all her friends and family at the orphanage.

I have to say being at this point of the adoption and being Christmas season brings great joy, peace, and excitement for our family at this time............the part of being separated from her brings us sadness but to know we with God's Grace that we are preparing to bring her home in 2011 gives us a true meaning of Christmas.....Love.

Savannah I am holding you in my heart and soul this Christmas but I will be holding you in my arms next..........

Thinking of you our sweet Savannah....

Home-study update

We heard from our home study agency that our home study is at DCFS and they needed one more paper from out adoption agency before they could clear us to adopt Savannah. I pray that this comes soon. Our adoption agency believes it will be in the next week or two.

In the mean time we are packing gift box for Savannah for Christmas. We will be sending them hopefully by next week. Even her Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Dawn are excited and are involved with filling her gift box. I have to say.........my wish for Christmas is that she is in my arms by June!

Wii Bowling Tournament to bring Savannah home from China

Our wonderful friends Dawn and Jim Dotson put together a fundraiser to help us with the funds to bring Savannah home. It was a Wii bowling tournament. It was wonderful. Everyone had a wonderful time and it was a great turn out!! Sierra got second place and Dominik was our champion!! Such a wonderful winner that he donated his prize back to us. We are so fully blessed to have such wonderful friends and family in our lives! Thank you thank you thank you for all those who donated, helped with set up, during the tournament, who played, who helped with clean up and all those who were praying!! We pray that your blessings that you have given us are also given back to you a hundred fold.