Out of Translation!!!

Finally, we have an update! We got an email from our agency this morning telling us our dossier was "out of translation". All our paperwork has to be translated into Ch*nese before it can be reviewed. Once it's reviewed, we will be issued our Letter of Acceptance (LOA). This is the official letter that states sweet Baby Shawn is ours. LOA's typically arrive 2-4 weeks once you are out of translation. We are hoping to get our letter very, very soon.

We are starting to prep for a little boy. We did a little shopping yesterday and picked these things up:


Quite different from the normal princess attire we pick up. Since Brian had to tell me who some of the people on the shirts were, looks like this mommy has a lot to learn!

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Christmas Thoughts

Every year Brian and I pick out a new ornament for our Christmas tree. I wanted to share this year's ornament:


In the adoption community, the phrase "Forever Family" is very special. It refers to adults and children coming together to become a family...forever. This phrase is very appropriate this year! There's four stockings hanging on our mantle, but only three people living in our home; however, there's a little boy out there who is part of our family...forever.

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Signs

When we received "the call" from CCAI, I immediately prayed that God's plan would become clear to us. We did not expect a referral so soon and I was really needing guidance, and yes, signs. We received the call on a Friday afternoon. On Saturday, following a conversation which ended with us not knowing what we were doing, I decided to take a break and nap with Bella. Within minutes of this conversation, my phone "dinged" to let me know I had been tagged in a picture on Facebook. I clicked on my Facebook app and I was tagged in a picture of this painting:


This painting is now hanging in my living room and I love it; adoption truly is a miracle.

Yesterday, Bella and I were outside playing on her swing set. (As of now its "her" swing set; soon it'll be "their" swing set.) On the cover of the swing set I found about a dozen ladybugs. In the Chinese adoption community, ladybugs are considered good luck. It gave me a little sense of peace that Baby Shawn's sweet spirit was with us as his big sister and I played on their swing set.



Unfortunately, we do not have any adoption updates. We are still waiting on our Letter of Acceptance to arrive. Our agency has warned us this could take anywhere from 3-4 months. As of today, its been 31 days since we were pre-approved to adopt Baby Shawn and 35 days since our dossier was logged in, in Ch*na. Who's counting though? :) God speed for a speedy LOA!

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Made For Each Other

I've often said Bella was "made" for us. I'm very aware that adoption stems from grief and loss; however, it is a miracle how families come together out of this grief and loss. I feel the same about Shawn too. He's not here yet, but he was "made" for us...and his big sister.

Several people have commented that they resemble each other, we agree too. (And NO, we do not think all Asian look alike.). Could this be a "sign" that they were made to be sister and brother? I don't know, but the resemblence is there.

I present exhibit A:


Isabella Ziyu Smith, 6 months

I present exhibit B:


Shawn Xinyu Smith, 6-8 months

Chubby cheeks, rosebud lips, big brown eyes and hair challenged. :) Made for each other? Maybe so. I do know we have been greatly set up for the inevitable question, "Are they real brother and sister?".

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Ready for Christmas

The tree has been decorated,


(There's a reason there's a lot of ornaments in one spot on the front of the tree)

Elmo is with us for the holidays again,


(Bella named Elmo when she was two)

Mine and Bella's first craft we made together to display,



and since Bella and I are both bookworms, she gets to open a Christmas book a day to help countdown to Christmas.





This time next year there's going to a sweet little boy here to celebrate the season with. God speed until he is home.

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