It's a PROCESS.

I have a pink bag.  In the pink bag is a pink binder.  In the pink binder that's in the pink bag is a BIG bunch of papers that detail the step by step process involved in an international adoption.  It's a PROCESS that, if you let it, will consume your thoughts and make you CRAZY.  

I decided when we were in process with Mary, that I needed to at least FEEL like I have a bit of control, or at least some organization, to the process.  

Enter, sticky notes and checklists.

I feel that if I rewrite everything that Lifeline has so neatly typed onto a sticky note and put little blanks out in front so I can check them off, that I have a bit of control over this very overwhelming set of steps.  

Here's the quick version of how an international adoption works:

1.  You apply with your agency.  You're accepted.

2.  Home Study

3.  I800A to USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)

4.  DTC (Dossier to China)

5.  LID (Log-in Date)

6.  MATCH  ( repeat:  MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) (This is where it gets GOOD.)

7.  LOI (Letter of Intent)

8.  PA (Pre-Approval)

9.  LOA  (Letter of Acceptance)

10.  I800 to USCIS

11.  Visa info to NVC  (National Visa Center)

12.  NVS cabled to US Embassy in GZ

13.  Article 5 dropoff at CCCWA  ( China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption)

14.  Article 5 pickup from CCCWA

15.  TA  (Travel Approval)

16.  CA (Consulate Appointment)

17.  Travel to China

Um.  We are on #3.

No, I take that back.  YAY!!!!!  WE ARE ON #3!!!!!  Woooooo hoooooo!

(It's all about the attitude during these long steps!!!!)

So, if you haven't had HOURS to spend researching and analyzing what all that mess means, I'm here to help.  You all are the village for my people.... ALL my people.... cause I KNOW you're praying for us, RIGHT???  So, I want you to understand where we are so you can specifically pray for that point in the process. 

Here's what's happened so far.

1.  We applied with our agency, Lifeline Children's Services in Birmingham, in early March.  We think those people are rockstars and angels on earth..... SO thankful for them.

2.  We started our Home Study on March 22.  

 The Home Study involves:  birth certificates, marriage certificate, a home tour with social worker, individual interview both in the home and at the agency, interviews with your spouse, interviews with other children in the home, medical exams and letters, certificates of income and property, letters of profession, pictures of the inside and outside of your home, certificate of vaccination for pets, research on insurance offerings for special needs child, research on available local resources for special needs child, tax returns, pay stubs, autobiographies written by each spouse, six reference letters, fingerprint clearances, child-abuse neglect clearances, questionnaires about your marriage, tests about your spouse, counseling on international adoption, certificate for proof of Hague training, local agency training, research on China from US government website, proof of insurance, guardian forms, various checklists, and a couple of notarized things here and there.

Yes.  All of that.  And prolly more.

During the Home Study, there are lots and lots of lists made by yours truly.... and lots and lots of texts telling Joe what his lists have on them..... We count it as a BONDING time in our marriage.  (Again, it's all in how you LOOK at something, yes?)

During the Home Study you get to know your agency and social worker.... and you learn a lot about yourself.  I, both times now, have learned that I love a list and, early in the process, tend to think more about the PROCESS than I do the CHILD BEHIND THE PROCESS.  The Lord has had to remind me AGAIN (just like He did with Mary's adoption) that it's NOT about the paperwork.... it's about the CHILD.  

So, and you might find this to be a bit ridiculous.... during the HS process, I bought a purple hippo.  With Mary it was a little pink puppy.  But for Lottie, it's a darling purple hippo that Mary and I picked out together. Whenever I'm working on paperwork or get caught up in the process, I pull out the hippo. This little thing reminds me of Lottie, so that when my mind thinks it's all about the next thing on my checklist, I'm reminded that, no, it's about Lottie.  Since I don't have a face to go with her name just yet, this helps me.  And we sleep with it, too..... cause when we DO have a face and know where Lottie is.... we'll send her a little care package.....and that purple hippo will go to China.  It'll smell like us... so hopefully, she'll know that smell when we finally meet her.  Is that weird?  I dunno.  It helps me.

K.  So that's the Home Study.  Takes 2-3 months.

And OURS IS DONE!!

Happy Home Study Mail!!!

3.  When your Home Study goes under review at the agency, it's time to start collecting what you need for immigration.  

This is the I800A.  THIS IS THE STEP WE ARE ON!

  

Our stuff was overnighted to the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) on June 27.  We are waiting on word from them that they received it, then they will send us dates to come have biometric fingerprints done in Birmingham.  THEN, we wait on them AGAIN, to approve our I800A (Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country)... Yes.  That's the title of that form.  I know.

Once we receive the nod from USCIS, our stuff will head to the China!  (DTC.....Step 4)

But let's not get ahead of ourselves..... cause we on step 3.

For the I800A, we had to fill out some paperwork on all the adults in our household (that would be THREE of us now..... Jack turned 18, so he's had to complete all the adult parts of the process.... didn't have to do that last time.... poor thing had to have the full medical, interview with social worker, and now I800A paperwork..... that's what he gets for growing up!)  Paperwork with the I800A was copies of birth and marriage certificates and the completed Home Study!  Plus a check for a whole bunch of money made out to US Dept. of Homeland Security!  Ha!

Today's status:  we wait for our letter that they received our stuff.

But while we wait, the Lord continues to work in our journey to Lottie.  He continues to show us what a blessing adoption is and how faithful He is to provide.

This past week, we had a Loving on Lottie Bake Sale to raise some funds for our process and we had SUCH a GREAT RESPONSE.  International Adoption is not free and many families, though willing to open their arms to a child, struggle with the financial requirements.  I've had SO many families share with me that they'd love to adopt, if they could just find the money.  We felt the same way. Enter the Loving on Lottie Bake Sale.

Thanks to our Nana (Joe's Mom) and her helpers at Snap Decisions Catering, we took orders for two weeks for pecan pies, tomato pies, and large and small pound cakes.  As Joe and I talked about the possibility of doing this months ago, we, of course, had an amount in mind that "if we could just make this much" it would be such a help.  Well, God prolly just shook his head laughing at that.  Cause we brought in FOUR TIMES MORE THAN THAT.  Y'all.  God provided FOUR TIMES MORE than we imagined.  

That.  Is.  A.  Lot.

And we are so thankful.

We are thankful for a Nana who knows how to cook good food and was willing to bake for four days to make this happen.  We are thankful for friends and family, far and near, who placed orders.  We are thankful for folks who helped us deliver the goods.  We are thankful for kind friends who picked up their goods in the POURING RAIN.  We are thankful for patient children who have eaten sandwiches and leftovers and entertained themselves/babysat their sister while we ran all around Tuscaloosa County delivering orders.  We are thankful to people who sent donations.  And we are thankful to a loving God who already knows who Lottie is and used a whole lotta pecans and flour to bring us closer to bringing her home.

Joe designed the stickers!  Way to go, Dad!!

It smelled so very heavenly in that kitchen!

That's Nana in the green.  Woman can COOK.

And thanks to Debbie (in the pink) and others who made this happen!

Deliveries, deliveries, and more deliveries! 

SO GREAT!

Boxes full of LOVE.

You can't see them, but there are BIG RAIN DROPS gushing down at this pickup day!

Of course, there were lists upon lists for the bake sale!

What is a word that means WAY MORE THAN THANKFUL?  Cause that's what we are.  That word.

And so.... the million dollar question..... WHEN WILL YOU KNOW WHO SHE IS?

Well, not for a while yet. 

But I'm trying SO HARD to not be anxious or frustrated or try too hard to control the journey.  God knows who she is.  He knows where she is.  And His timing is PERFECT.  We learned that one last time.  

So, I'll sit here with a purple hippo in my lap and pray for this little girl that I already love.

Would you join me in praying for her?

1.  Pray for her to be healthy and strong.

2.  Pray for her safety.

3.  Pray for those who care for her.  Pray that they'll be full of compassion and love.

4.  Pray that someone holds her and hugs her EVERY DAY until I can get to her.

5.  Pray for her China Mama's heart and salvation.

We love you and thank you, dear village to our people.  

Our cup overfloweth.....

Dear Mikki.....

Dear Mikki in the Future,
     I'm writing to you today because I worry that you won't remember.  Life there in your future is FULL and BUSY cause you've got FOUR KIDS AND ALL and I'm afraid that you'll forget the details of these last couple of months. I'm afraid that you'll gloss over the big events.... but mostly, I'm afraid that you'll miss the little stuff.... you know.... the stuff that happens BETWEEN.  Those moments that just fill in the gaps between the big stuff.  Those little things that go unnoticed because you're prepping for the big thing or taking pictures of the big thing or cause you're exhausted from having lived through the big thing.  Those were the moments you actually liked the best.  You'd smile and get all teary eyed and tell Joe that y'all are SO BLESSED.  You'd make a mental note to NOT FORGET THIS MOMENT because it was so quiet or so sweet, but then you'd go ahead and forget it because LIFE. So, I'm writing to remind you.  Cause OH MY WORD...Stuff has been happening!  May and June of 2017 have gone down in Powell History as months where THERE WAS STUFF HAPPENING.  And not just little stuff..... BIG, PUT ON YOUR LIFE'S TIMELINE kinda stuff.  THE LORD HAS HIS HAND ALL OVER YOU kinda stuff.  WRITE THIS STUFF DOWN AND TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES kinda stuff.

So, here's a glimpse at what you've been doing lately - some big stuff and some little stuff.  And just so you know, you enjoyed EVERY second of it.


Jack's stuff:

Remember that time Jack Powell finished his high school career?  There were MANY final orchestra performances. I think there were SIX performances in ONE week.  That was fun.  And remember that time Jack told you it started at 6 but it really started at 5:30 and he realized it at about 5:20 and there was a lot of fussing and crazy driving?  Yep. Good times.  Oh!  And there was his Senior Recital!  Jack did a tremendous job! You were smiling because you realized that this would be the last time Jack would stand in front of a large auditorium of people wearing the coat with the IRON MARK from that time you tried to iron it.  You were glad you'd be finally retiring that darn tux! BUT, no one noticed the ironed coat because the hit of the event were those cookies shaped like VIOLINS! Remember those?  Those were awesome! (Leah, I'm looking at you!)

The week after was Senior Sunday.  Jack and his long-time friends wore their cap and gowns to church and had a lovely day together.  Remember that day's senior table? (remember sweating on top of that ladder?) and the luncheon? (remember when you were supposed to bring Jack's favorite dessert so you signed up to bring Jim N Nick's chocolate pie because that's his favorite only they were OUT of chocolate pies when Joe went to get it on Saturday night and he called and said what do I do and you told him to not come home without a dessert and he came home with a huge caramel cake from Heritage House and y'all proudly displayed that thing next to the card that said it was Jack's favorite dessert even though he'd never had a bite of caramel cake in his life?) Y'all have laughed so hard about that.  And Jack thought that whole day was just great.  So, WIN.

Then there were awards ceremonies (remember when Jack got Most Outstanding Library Assistant? He also got one of his school's Most Outstanding Senior honors, but it's that Most Outstanding Library Assistant one that y'all enjoyed the most.... or maybe it's the "Party Animal" award that his fellow seniors gave him at the Senior Banquet..... FUN. NY.")

  And then there was GRADUATION. Jack Powell graduated from high school. It was a fine day. The  whole entire family gathered for a big lunch and graduation was just perfect.  But do you remember your favorite part of that day?  Your favorite part was later that evening....remember?  It was just y'all - the Powell 5.  It was STORMING outside, but your little family was cozy, all piled up in the living room, eating leftover caramel cake (!) and watching a movie.  And then Jack mentioned something about this being a PERFECT day and then he THANKED you and dad for everything.  Well, THAT.  THAT was good.

Soon after graduation, Jack set out for BamaBound and got all oriented at the University of Alabama.  He registered for classes, figured out about the meal plan, heard stuff about where to park, and started getting himself a plan.  He already has a job on campus (Stacy - we love you) and is gearing up for COLLEGE LIFE.  You've mentioned MORE THAN ONCE that this totally cannot be real.

Then, on top of all that, the boy who is LITTLE in your mind's eye turned 18.  He registered to vote.  He got mail from Selective Service.  That's all there is to say about that.

Good memories.  Big and Little.  You still smiling?

Cause Max had stuff, too:

Max Powell blazed into the end of his Freshman year of high school MIFFED that Jack was exempt from his finals and got out of school three weeks earlier than the rest of us.  You were miffed, too, as I recall.  We all decided we hated Jack for those three weeks.  Max got so worked up that he got diagnosed with STREP THROAT.  Poor boy.  But he pushed on.  He finished essays and powerpoints (remember that time you did that project "with" him because he was sickie?) and he studied for his finals.  He even survived Spring football stuff including a game in Demopolis the weekend before the last week of school.  (Remember that place with the onion rings y'all found before the game?) Max also had awards ceremonies.  Thanks to your constant "encouragement" (nagging?  I think not.), Max Powell finished Freshman year with a perfect record.  Good on ya, Maxer.

Max entered into Summer ready to REST.  NOT!

We zipped out on Jack's Senior trip where the boys fulfilled a plan they'd had for ages:  all four Disney parks in ONE day.  They ventured out all on their own (with a few family members strategically placed in parks so they could use their fastpasses!) and, after 14 hours, had achieved their goal.  ALL their favorite rides in EVERY park in ONE day.  Super fun.  That's one they're probably still talking about!  Your favorite part of that?  Watching your two boys enjoying their time together and PLANNING IT THAT WAY.  They really do like being together.  You start crying every time you think about that.

Max was also old enough to graduate to the ROOFING team at Mission Serve this year.  He's been eager to get on a roof and he finally made it!  Sweet thing spent a week (and his birthday!!!) in Illinois carrying shingles, nailing stuff, toting trash, and ministering to the homeowner.  Remember how you texted him a MILLION times that week and you'd get back one word?  Remember how you resorted to sending him AWESOME gifs and still no real response?  Remember how you went three days with no word from him and texted Jack to see if Max was still alive?  Yep.  Good memories.

Max's BIG event of the summer was turning 15 and getting his PERMIT!  He'd asked for just a few things for his birthday - crocs, a wallet, some new shorts, a case of Grape Propel (he asks for that EVERY year.) Remember how proud he was? He's so precious. Remember that first time he drove you somewhere and he smiled the WHOLE TIME cause he was so excited?  Remember how you looked over at that cute smiling thing and smiled too?  Remember how then you actually pulled out of the driveway and you saw your life flash in front of your eyeballs MULTIPLE TIMES? Remember how your hands literally ACHED the whole next day because you'd clutched the door so hard? Remember how I told you earlier that you'd enjoyed EVERY SECOND of these events in your life?  I lied.  You did NOT enjoy this.

You loving these memories, Mikki of the Future?

Cause the Mary had stuff going on, too!
I told you May and June were BIG!!

Mary Powell graduated from PreK!!!  Yep - there were TWO graduations in ONE WEEKEND!!  That sweet thing put on that white cap and gown and joined her class in singing songs and doing motions.  And what is it about an end-of-the-year video that makes you cry EVERY TIME??  Her graduation was precious and just perfect.  Remember how you made Jack put his cap and gown back on just so you could get this picture? Remember how right after this picture, you had to take Jack to the doctor's office where he, too, was diagnosed with STREP THROAT? Ah.  Sweet memories.

Later, Mary attended her Kindergarten Breakfast at Rock Quarry Elementary.... aka "Mama's School!"  That's gonna be F.U.N.  

Then, she got herself a big-girl haircut!  We'd been needing this for quite some time, but the BOYS in the house all kept telling you NO, that they LOVED her long hair. Well, too bad.  For summer, lil bit needed shorter hair!  AND SHE LOVED IT.  Four inches off and she felt like a new woman.

..... just in time for GOTCHA DAY!  Mary Powell has been home for FOUR YEARS.  Crazy. Remember letting her pick out anything she wanted at Toys R Us on Gotcha Day and she chose that Rainbow Fish full-body, slip- into- it blanket?  Remember how she then wore that blanket around the house TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN???  Remember giving her the set of silk POUCHES from China?  She quickly put her "monies" into the purple pouch.  Cause a girl can never have too many pouches.

Remember going to Mr. Chen's? Remember that conversation?   Mary asked her daddy when HIS Gotcha Day was and y'all started to explain simply and gently WHY she had a Gotcha Day and the rest of us didn't? Later in the car, randomly and out of the blue, she exclaimed SO I HAVE TWO MOMS?  You told her YES... cause she was just that special!  And then you explained about her China Mom and how you get to be her Forever Mom.  She sat there with a smile on her face and nodded.  There will be more questions to come, but for now, that was enough.  She's learning about her story.  And for now at least, it's making her smile.  Prayers that it always does!!!


So, Mikki of the Future, THAT's what life's been all about these last couple of months.  That, and CONTINUING THE ADOPTION PROCESS TO BRING OUR LOTTIE HOME.  But I'll let you tell that story yourself.  Maybe you should sit down and write a blog post about it or something?

Your life is full, Mikki of the Future.  But, as I recall, you said you wouldn't trade it for anything.  It's not perfect and it's not easy, but, just in case you forget, you KNOW that you're right where the Lord wants you.  And THAT is good stuff.

So, there you have it, Mikki of the Future.  So you can never ever forget.

Love,
the Mikki in the NOW