Baotou SWI Picture

I was finally able to find a picture of the building where Shiloh lives. This is the outside of the Social Welfare Institute Baotou City. I am following the blogs of several families who are in Hohhot and Baotou right now getting their children and they comment about how cold it is, and they are not able to venture out so much...so maybe it is a blessing we will travel when it is warmer-actually it will be very hot in June. I sure wish I could peek in the windows and get a glimpse of Shiloh! I have used Google Earth to locate the building but just cannot see inside....oh but I can dream!

FINALLY.........TRANSFER!!!!

We finally got transfer (from the old agency to the new one official in China now) on Friday 1-22-10. We didn't know for sure until late last night. This is a good thing. One more step is complete! Now we can add up the days until LOA (Letter of Acceptance) from China! (This is currently taking some families 60 days or more.) From there we will wait for TA (Travel Approval), which can take another 8 to 10 weeks. While we were hoping to travel as early as April or May, it now appears that it will more than likely be in June. That seems so far away, but it has already been 2 months that we have known who Shiloh is, and there has been so much to do, that the days have passed quickly. Please keep us and Shiloh in your prayers as we'll now begin working on the tasks that will bring her home to her "forever family."

A visit to the Georgia Aquarium-Atlanta

The never ending power of the Ocean....right in our backyard! It is really incredible to see Whale Sharks live and these are probably juveniles. And what a great day with the Octopus that usually hides...a sea turtle with personality and a Manatee that likes to show off. Dakota really enjoyed the day and so did we!

Still Awaiting Official Transfer....

"...for I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

So we are hoping for official transfer this week or next. Our letter from the previous agency and the new agency arrived to China on Dec. 11th and the process for official transfer takes 4 to 5 weeks. Once we have this we will get a New LID and begin our countdown to the next step which is LOA. (Letter of Acceptance which the countdown for this step can take 60 or more days.) One step at a time and we are closer and closer to bringing Shiloh home..

Snow Day Dance....

SNOW DAY!!!

The wind chill is only 2 degrees so Dakota wasn't interested in staying outside too long, as the ice didn't pack like snow either. We did enjoy our day home and time together.....candyland, easy bake oven and barbies!

Bao Tou, Inner Mongolia

Randomly looking for pictures of Baotou, I ran across this one. It is suppose to be mountainous desert....kind of looks that way huh?

For This Child I Prayed...

"and whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes me." Matthew 18:5\


It is so hard to wait....knowing a little living breathing person is on the other end of this journey....so close but yet so far. I jump right on all the paperwork required, Chuck and I endlessly check emails to make sure about any news on anything. We hang out on the china adoption chat group for any news of a speed up on processes, we go to bed at night praying our little girl is loved, warm and fed. It was hard having Dakota, but I could at least feel her kicking, had her with me and knew she was well. I can't feel a kick from China but I sure do feel a heart tug most every day.

Sleeping Beauty....

Dakota gets to bed early...good thing as school begins again tomorrow!

Happy New Year!!!

We had a great time watching Chuck light some fireworks and then run! Dakota was not afraid this year so she had a few sparklers to hold and have a little fun with. We counted down with New York but the most fun was seeing Hong Kong get to New Years before we did and know that while Shiloh was probably deep asleep dreaming the new year away, she has no idea that this year holds so much for her and for us. Happy New Year Shiloh! We will come to get you as soon as we can little girl!!!

"Do not be afraid for I am with you. I will bring your children from the East and gather you from the West." Isaiah 43:5