~ Reflections Of A Year Gone By ~

It's hard to believe that it is already 2010... but I am SO looking forward to what the Lord has in store for our family! As I've sat here thinking about this post, I realize that it would be easy to write a book, so I will do my best to recap a summarized review!! ;)

2009 began fairly quiet and 'normal' if you will. The kids kept us busy attending their many sporting events and activities. Martin did some traveling for work. Meanwhile, I was praying fervantly for a little girl that I had grown to love in Ch*na ~ unaware at the time that this precious little child would one day be my daughter!

This was the year of 'blogging' for me! I was already a faithful follower of many adoption blogs and websites, but would finally begin my own when our family began a journey that would change our lives forever....thus "Acorns & Cherry Blossoms" came to be. In March we officially began our adoption process. The Lord had been whispering to my heart for nearly a year and now it was TIME! We prayerfully chose our agency, attended an orientation meeting and began our application process.

In May we completed our agency's manditory 2-day PAC (Pre-Adoption Classes.) We met some great people and took in an overload of information. It was a 'heavy' couple of days, but we are so grateful for how well our agency looks to educate prospective adoptive parents and know we will be better parents because of it.

Then came June!! Breanna and Dawson were now home on summer break from school. Life would continue to stay busy with a new 'normal' for the next few months. Martin and I were in the process of completing our final documents and preparing for our home study. Once this was complete, our agency said they would then be comfortable making a request for 'her' papers. But it didn't turn out quite as planned. On June 9th, I received an email that would kick things into high gear... including my emotions! We learned that the precious little girl who had stolen our hearts, was already on the shared list. This happened faster than any of us were prepared for, but our agency was amazing and stepped up to the plate to do all they could on our behalf!

The next week would turn out to be the most stressful, highly emotional AND the most joyful week of our year! We turned in our final documents, had our 'emergency' homestudy done and approved, all while our agency worked hard to locate 'her' file. It had already been locked once, and we were informed she would be back on the shared list. But it was not showing up and this put our hearts on high alert. Prayers were going up like never before and our faith was put to the test. As it turned out 'her' papers were sitting back at the CC*A for a second review, just as our agency suspected. It would take them a few days to be sure of this though; but finally it was confirmed that 'her' file was there and a request was made that it be sent directly to our agency this time. They agreed provided we could have our translated LOI back to them w/in 48 hours. It was no small feet, but the staff at our agency worked SO hard on our behalf and had everything completed with just hours to spare. Words cannot adequately express how grateful we are for their teamwork and dedication to helping us through this 'non-typical' process. They held our hands every step of the way as we 'ran' through those legs of our journey. Literally, one week to the day after receiving that email that 'she' was going back on the shared list, we had our translated LOI sitting in Ch*na. And one more week after that our PA would arrive! A rollercoaster would best describe the emotions of those 2 weeks... but all ended with the best possible outcome, and we know more than anyone Who's hand made it all possible! <>< One of our caseworkers commented that it was nothing short of a miracle that everything worked out as it did ...don't we KNOW it!?!?! :) God is GOOD!!! On June 26th we announced that our daughter's new name would be "Khloe Mei" ~ meaning "Blooming and Beautiful" ...exactly as we see her!!

The next several months were filled with paperchasing, filling out many documents, more fingerprints, FBI checks, etc, etc... Our life was an open book. But she is worth every bit of it, so we faithfully pressed on through it all. I have continued blogging and following may newfound friends through their own adoption journeys and what a blessing that has been. The friendships I have gained through the adoption community are every bit as priceless as the physical friendships that I have. I cannot thank you all enough for your love, prayers and support ...and I hope to meet many of you in person in the years to come!

Amidst it all, we have kept busy following the kids into another school year of sports and activities. From summer baseball league, to football and now basketball for Dawson. He also enjoyed his first-ever deer hunting experience with Martin in November; and on his first try, shot a 7 pt. buck... let me tell you, he was one VERY proud and beaming boy!! ...and according to Martin, shaking like a leaf, too!! ;) Dawson also has a newfound love for fishing (and now ice-fishing in the winter months) ~ a sport he never had much interest in, in the past... that was always Breanna's thing to do with Martin. But our little boy is growing up and Dawson has turned into quite the young sportsman this past year...and his dad couldn't be happier!! ;)

Breanna plays softball in the spring/summer months and recently took part in her high school's musical "Okahoma" ...they did such a great job and it was a delight to see! She is also very artistic and enjoys all things creative! It is fun for me to enjoy this stage of her life. My little girl has grown up so fast, and she is now a young lady with a heart of gold and a whitty sense of humor. Like most girls her age, she enjoys make-up and fashion, loves hanging out with her friends and is growing up way too fast! I know she is going to be an amazing big sister to Khloe, and both kids are excited to travel with us when we finally get to bring our little girl home!

We are getting ready for more holiday activities as we celebrate another 'belated' Christmas gathering with family this weekend. But through everything we do, we constantly find ourselves saying, "the next time we do ______, Khloe will be here." And while the wait is by far the hardest part, we know that once she is home this will all be a blurr. As of Jan.1st, we are officially on day 44 since our LID and I know in the days to come I will be stalking our caller ID for word from our agency about our LOA. Of course we were hoping things would have gone faster, as they did in the beginning of our process, and we would have loved to have her home already. Our little Sweetie will turn two in Feb, so our hopes of having her home by her birthday are no longer in reach. But we are praying that LOA comes SOON so that we can travel ASAP to bring her home ...while at the same time, we are still trusting that God will bring us to her in HIS perfect timing. He already knows the exact day and hour; and we know that when we are there in that moment, it will be perfect to us, as well! We are so ready to be in the New Year and look forward to what 2010 has in store for our family! Please do continue to keep us in your prayers though, as the wait is still hard.

Wishing you and yours and BLESSED 2010!!

~~~ HAPPY * NEW * YEAR!!! ~~~

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." ~Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

* (more family photos will be added to this post ~ coming soon ~ so be sure to check back!)