Great news! Our travel approval (TA for short) has come in. This is a formal approval from China to travel over and adopt our daughter, and it is the event we have been waiting for since the referral came in last month. Now that we have it, we can make the appointment with the US Consulate in Guangzhou, and then start to nail down dates for travel and the other appointments we will have to make as part of the adoption process in China.
TA's were starting to become a worry among our agency's families, as other agencies had received theirs a week or so ago. If we did not get the TA's before Chinese New Year (February 9th to 16th), we would not be able to make any arrangements until after the holiday was over, which would set us back several weeks. However, they arrived this morning, much to everyone's relief. We are hoping and praying for a departure date somewhere around February 24th, but that is still a rough guess until we get the Consulate appointment. More detatils to follow as we get them...
On a side note, I want to say "Thank you" to everyone. Amy and I are, to say the least, overwhelmed by the responses we have gotten from our friends, family, and even complete strangers regarding our upcoming adoption! As I have told some of you in person, Amy and I were prepared for very different reactions. When we were in the early stages of the paperwork, we read from a number of sources about a wide variety of possible reactions that are seen during the process, many of which are uncomfortable and/or disapproving. We had tried to prepare ourselves accordingly, but I can honestly say that I have not talked to anyone about this whose reaction was not excited and completely supportive. We are humbled and blessed by the love and excitement poured out to us, and we thank God for all of you.
Friday, February 4, 2005
Travel Approval and Thank you
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6 comments:
Dear Rollin and Amy, re your note above, I know that people who know you are certain that you are seeking and following the Lord which makes it easy to support you, as there is such confidence among your family and friends that you are not launching off on your own in this venture. We are just excited to see how much you honor God in your lives and how humble you are as He gifts you with many blessings. I know He picked this precious little one from the beginning to be in your home (what a great gift to you), and that is to say, He planned this as a wonderful gift to her as well...to provide His kind of love through parents that would love and nurture her and bring her up knowing Him. And what a gift to our family...another precious child into whom we will all pour love and from whom we will receive joy. I love you, Mom
Wonderful! I couldn't be happier for you both! Sidney Grace is such a lucky little girl to be coming into your family, where she will be enveloped in love. I just hope that your return from China is after my trip to Florida(March 11th-17th) so that I can meet you at the airport. I'm really looking forward to taking lots of pictures. Much love-Joan
Oh I'm so excited for you and also for Sidney. God is giving her wonderful parents and she is a blessed little girl already. I'm praying that the appointment comes in his perfect timing.
love, liz
Disapproval? If anyone disapproved they should be slapped upside the head with a fish. If anyone says anything, let me know, I think I've got some Mahi Mahi in the freezer.
Amanda
In the event that you DO run into a disapprover, leave the fish frozen.
Dawn
You have been an inspiration to all who have come in contact with you and your family. Especially. I want to thank Debbi and Bill for their introduction to this process; and to tell them how many times I think of them and pray for them. You and your family have been a blessing to all of us. Until "Judgment Day", you may never know how God has blessed us by your dedication to Him and the reward He has bestowed upon you. Unfortunately , I have not been as out spoken as I could have been on many issues in the Church. I want to say as a cauviat, I miss your parents.
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