Documenting the WONDERFULNESS.

THINGS ARE HAPPENING!!!

Would you PLEASE use your eyeballs and look at what we got TODAY??!!!!!
TWO new pictures and THREE videos.  I can't even.......

Moving through the steps of an international adoption can sometimes feel like you're walking through quicksand.  WAITING becomes your normal and it is NOT EASY.  But then, there are times when things move LIGHTNING FAST and you're trying hard to keep up!  I keep saying WAIT! I need to take a picture! or WAIT! I gotta write that date down!  or WAIT!  We gotta process what's happening here!  I remember during Mary's process that I forced myself to BE IN THE MOMENT and document each thing as it happened.... but things are moving so fast around here that I'm struggling to detail the moments!  WHAT A WONDERFUL STRUGGLE!

Here's a rundown of what's happened in just the last couple of weeks!

June 11:  We receive PA (pre-approval) for our precious Lottie and begin to work on the next round of paperwork for USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)

June 13:  Once you receive PA, you're allowed to request an update.  You can submit a few questions to the orphanage, but it is not guaranteed that they will be answered.  Updates are completely voluntary for the orphanage and many folks don't get one at all.  We decided on 12 questions (current measurements, illnesses/medications, soothing techniques, favorite toys, eating habits, etc.) and sent them to our agency for translation with fingers crossed that the orphanage would respond.

June 16:  Jack Powell turns 19.  He's still off doing Mission Serve stuff.  I miss him and thinking about where he is and what he's doing makes it hard to concentrate sometimes.

June 17:  Joe enjoys Father's Day thinking about the fact that he's got FOUR kids... ages 19, 16, 6, and 1.   Sometimes that makes us laugh.  Sometimes that makes us take a deep breath.  Sometimes we shake our heads and wonder what in the WORLD is the Lord thinking.  Sometimes we smile real big cause we realize how this is going to be SO GREAT.  Sometimes we have to go lay down.

June 18:  Max Powell turns 16 and gets his Driver's License.   This is not adoption related, but it adds to the status of my BRAIN during these days.

(16 presents for your 16th birthday..... mostly silly stuff...... his favorite coffee creamers, a few gift cards to keep in his car, beef jerky, pajamas, car wash stuff...... you know:  16 year old boy stuff.  Ha!)

June 19:  LOA (Letter of Acceptance) is received at our agency!  This sweet piece of paper is our official acceptance of Lottie's file..... WE WANT HER, China.  WHERE DO WE SIGN???

June 20:  Our paperwork for USCIS (now complete with the LOA) is sent to the "lockbox" in Texas.  This step usually takes about 2 weeks.

June 24:  Mary Powell's GOTCHA DAY!  She's been with us for FIVE YEARS. As always, we watched the videos from that day over and over, ate Chinese food at Mr. Chen's, and pulled a gift from China from the stash of gifts we bought while in country.  This year, it was a "province doll".... Shanghai, of course! It is absolutely CRAZY that Mary has been with us for five years!  I can remember EVERY DETAIL of the day I met her..... the sounds, the smells, what the room looked like and how hot it was.... I fell in love with her before we even met! Oh my goodness, what would we do without Mary Powell???

June 25-29:  Mary's swimming lessons.  I could sit and watch Coach Anne teach kids to swim ALL DAY.  It's like MAGIC.

June 25:  We send off our stuff to get our Chinese Visas in our passports

June 26:  Visa stuff is submitted to the Chicago consulate.  It'll be picked up in about two weeks.

June 27:  We sent a care package to Lottie! She'll get a sweet little photo album with all our pictures in it!  HOPEFULLY, someone will show that book to her during the next couple of months and when we meet her for the first time, she'll think, "Hey.  I know you.  You're in my book. My nanny read me that book.  You people are Mama, Baba, Sister, and Brother.  I like you!"  We also included some treats for the nannies and some things for the other kiddies in the foster care center.

June 28:  UPDATE ANSWERED!!!  The BEST EMAIL EVER comes through from our social worker saying that not only did the foster care center where Lottie is living respond to ALL of our questions, but they sent TWO new pictures and THREE new videos!  I hadn't even had time to get worked up about having to WAIT for the update!  They sent it before I could even worry about why they hadn't sent it yet!!!  And getting PICTURES and VIDEOS along with it..... I CANNOT EVEN TELL YOU.  In one of the videos, the nannies are trying to get her to take a few steps..... they're holding out a bottle to her and she's reaching for it.... but no steps...... and those women are just CACKLING around her..... she looks at them and grins and they just laugh and laugh..... We laugh a lot here in Powellville, so knowing that she's surrounded with laughter and joy means SO MUCH.  I do not know these women, but just hearing them laugh makes me know that we could be the best of friends.  I do so hope I get to hug their necks when I get to China.  They are loving my baby and teaching her to laugh.  The Lord knows us so well, doesn't he?  He totally knows that folks in this family LAUGH..... and Lottie is going to fit right in.

One BIG answer to prayer came with the update.  Lottie spent a bit of time in the hospital as an infant and left with a specific treatment regiment.  Her file indicated a particular medicine that she was put on as she left the hospital.  I had, of course, GOOGLED that medicine and learned that it's not necessarily something you want your baby on for an extended period of time.  I was WORRIED about it.  But the Lord constantly reminded me..... WORRY ABOUT NOTHING - instead, PRAY ABOUT IT.  So, boy oh boy... have I been lifting that one up.  I've prayed SO HARD that she would come home WITHOUT that medicine.  I prayed that her current treatment be minimal. In the update, one of the questions we asked was "Is she on any current medications?"...... Because we were at Mary's SWIMMING LESSONS when the update came through (great timing, right?), Joe was reading the answers to me while I sat there and watched Mary learn the freestyle.  When he got to the one about the medications, we were so thrilled to see "No" as the answer!  Praise you, Lord!  Now I'll move on to worry - I mean PRAY - about something else!  Ha!

I've started googling things about her home province, joined Facebook groups for her orphanage, looked up flights, started my packingforChina shopping, made a list of things to do to get my school plans in order, and STARED AT HER PICTURE a whole lot.  Lottie Gene Powell, I love you so much.  You don't know us yet.... and I know the days ahead will be filled with unknowns.  Things may be scary and confusing.  We won't smell right and definitely won't be speaking words that you'll understand.  But I'm praying so hard that the Lord prepares your heart to meet ours.  I'm praying that you'll have SO MUCH COURAGE and SO MUCH TRUST and feel SO MUCH LOVE.  You don't know it yet, but you have a mother who loves you SO MUCH.  I think about you constantly.  And although I haven't met you yet, I am SO VERY THANKFUL that I get to be your Mama.  My cup overflows, sweet girl.

Lottie Gene Powell

The Powell family has someone they'd like you to meet......

We are honored, blessed, and overcome with JOY to introduce you to our newest little one:

Lottie Gene Powell

I've been staring at this little nugget's face for over a week now and have been ABOUT TO POP to tell it to everyone I've known.  I've lied to exactly 912 people over these last few days as they've asked if we'd heard anything from China and I've told them, "No, still waiting...." while inside my head I was screaming, "YES!  WE HAVE HEARD FROM CHINA!  WE HAVE ANOTHER DAUGHTER AND I AM JUST BEYOND WITH EXCITEMENT!"  But we couldn't make the news public until we got PA - Pre-Approval from the Chiner..... AND WE GOT IT TODAY!  OH, I'm so relieved!  I'm so thankful!  I'm so ALL THE GOOD THINGS.

This adoption process has been a doozy.  It began last March with smooth sailing on the Home Study process.  We sped through that stuff and were DTC (that means our Dossier went To China) on September 22, 2017.  Then we received our LID (that means we had a Log In Date) on September 29, 2017.  THEN WE WAITED FOR A MATCH.  For a little over EIGHT months we waited for a match.  You'd think that with three other BUSY kids in the house, time would just fly right on by.... Mary was learning how to read, Max had football, Jack was doing his college thing, Joe was working and I was teaching.....being busy makes the wait easier, right? WELL NO.  IT DID NOT.  I made it through the holidays okay, but once January hit, I was a mess.  We BOTH were in a mess (Joe was worse off than I was!!!)  

I just KNEW we'd be matched by Spring Break and travel to get our girl before the end of the school year.  I just KNEW that I'd have all summer to bond and stuff.  I just KNEW that she'd be around 5 or 6 and just walk right into Rock Quarry with me in the fall.  

Well, what do I know?  NOTHING.  I know NOTHING.  But, thankfully, I love and trust a God that knows EVERYTHING.  And He is teaching me to GET OUT OF THE WAY and LET HIM.  I stink at this.  I am a planner.  I MIGHT be happy when I'm in control of things.  WELL.... NO.  That's not the Lord's way.  So, we WAITED.....

The school year ended and I was SO SAD..... no Lottie.... and no real hope on the horizon that she was close.  You see, China's been going through A LOT of changes recently with their adoption program.  Some of it is VERY GOOD..... with the lifting of the one child policy and more acceptance of children with medical special needs, there has been a HUGE increase in DOMESTIC adoptions in China.  THIS IS GREAT!  But also, in December, China ended ALL partnerships between adoption agencies and orphanages.  This has been the MAJOR way that agencies matched families for the last 5-6 years.... and it ended on December 31, 2017.  China has also implemented a lot of other rules and policies that I don't quite understand, but that have caused some slow-down in the process.  I say all that to say.... I WAS SAD and THERE WAS NO LOTTIE.  I'd even come to the point where I kinda growled at people who said, "Well, it's all in the Lord's timing....."  In my brain, I was 15 months pregnant and people were telling me to be patient.  Ugh on THAT.

Anyhoo...... we sent Jack off to work at Mission Serve and then, a few days later, left for the beach for Joe's office seminar thingie that we go to every year.  I just kept thinking about how I just KNEW Lottie would be with us on that trip.  (Again - I know nothing.)  After a day at the beach and pool on Friday, we'd settled into our room for a little nap before dinner.  Joe had gone down to greet some of his agents that were coming in for the conference, and Max, Mary, and I were snoozing.  UNTIL THE PHONE RANG.  I texted Joe to GET UP TO THE ROOM cause LIFELINE WAS ON THE PHONE!  When you've waited for a while to be matched and your social worker calls you late in the afternoon on a Friday, it usually means SOMETHING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.  

We didn't want to wake Mary up, so Joe and I ran into the tiny little bathroom and put our social worker on speaker phone.  She said they'd just received a file of a NINETEEN MONTH old little girl.  I repeat:  NINETEEN MONTHS OLD.  She said some words about her medical need, told us where she was, and some other stuff.... I really have no idea..... I was SHOCKED.  We told her that we'd LOVE to see the file!  Several agonizing minutes later, THIS FACE popped up on our screens:

Please note:  She is playing with duct tape.  Girl already likes school supplies like her Mama and sister. I cannot even.

THERE WERE EVEN VIDEOS WHERE SHE SAYS MAMA!  I've only stared at these pictures now for every second of a solid week and have watched the videos a gozillion times.  She is precious.  And beautiful.  And smart.  And perfect.  And awesome.  AND SHE IS OURS.

We spent the next few days researching her special need, hooking up with other adoptive moms and talking through the need, getting medical reviews done, and submitting paperwork to say she's OURS! Mary and I came back to VBS.  Joe went to work everyday.  Max had football.  Jack was doing whatever he's doing with Mission Serve..... AND WE WERE KEEPING A SECRET THAT WAS AMAZING!!  Before we could officially tell China that we are her family, we had to do an official "referral" call with our social worker.  So, in the chaos of the Friday of VBS, I huddled up in a room at the church and talked with our social worker about this sweet thing and the next steps in the process.  That afternoon, we submitted our Letter Of Intent - LOI - to China!  Joe stepped back into his role as the Master of All the Paperwork and filled everything out perfectly!  And then we waited AGAIN.  

Until TODAY!  We just got a call from our social worker that we officially have PA for our Lottie and that our next step, LOA, should come very quickly.  Because we've been logged in and waiting for so long (!!!!!), these couple of steps happen very quickly.  HOORAY!!!

We still aren't sure when we'll travel, but I've got a handful of pictures, three videos, and a mess of China packing lists to keep me busy.  

Thank you all SO MUCH for your prayers and encouragement.  We have laughed A LOT these last few days in knowing that the Lord has brought us another ONE YEAR OLD..... cause we're not getting any younger.  But we are growing more and more thankful and blessed, that's for sure!  

I may not be the youngest mom in the playgroup, but I'm definitely one of the most grateful!  The Lord has done GREAT things for us, and we are FILLED WITH JOY!!!!

LIFE. And an APPROVAL!

With Mary's adoption journey, I kept a little notebook with ALL the important dates and happenings throughout the process.  I jotted down when we told who, milestones we hit in the process, when I bought her first pink blanket or her first dress, when we moved things around in the house, what I was thinking and feeling, etc.  Someday, when she REALLY understands what her life journey has been like, I'll share that little notebook with her so she can see what things were like leading up to her arrival.

So, of course, Lottie has a little notebook, too!  It's already filling up with dates and thoughts and such.

It's fun to look back at Mary's timeline and compare it to Lottie's..... and we're running ALMOST right on track so far.  I know that no two timelines are the same and I TOTALLY TRUST IN THE LORD'S TIMING - learned that one last time - but it's fun to put them side by side.  Two little lives so far apart, but, in a few months, THEY'LL MERGE.  Those two little notebooks represent how these two little girls became SISTERS.  I can't get over it.  SO GREAT.

Lottie's notebook!

This week, I got to put a BIG ONE in Lottie's little notebook.  After 62 days of waiting (I THINK it was 62.....I got a little miffed at Homeland Security after counting to 60 and kinda quit counting)..... we FINALLY got approval from the folks at Immigration and Citizenship Services in the Department of Homeland Security!  (In the past, this approval has taken around 30-40 days, thus my being MIFFED at them for taking so bloody long.... )  Anyway, WE GOT IT.  We are approved by the US to adopt a little girl from the China!  HOORAY!

**** For anyone interested in the DETAILS of this particular step, here's the gist:
   6/27..... our I800A application overnighted to USCIS
   6/28..... I800A received at "lockbox"
   6/30..... we received notice that our stuff had hit the lockbox
   7/15..... we receive a letter with our fingerprint appointments
   7/25..... Joe, Mikki, and Jack head to Birmingham at 6:30 AM for an 8:00 fingerprint appt
   8/24..... Mikki calls USCIS to check on things..... we've been assigned an officer
   8/25.... Mikki emails that officer to check on things - AGAIN; receive email that we've been approved and letter is in the mail
   8/31..... receive approval notice in the mail
    9/1..... approval notice scanned to Lifeline and sent out for authentication

*** And if you're wondering, the answer is YEEESSSSS.... that's a lot of parts to just one step!

While we've been waiting for this approval (FOREVER....looking at YOU, USCIS), we've been gathering the first 12 of 13 documents for our dossier.  That's the pile of paperwork that will go to China.  Each of these documents must be authenticated by the local, state, national, and international level.  We gathered original birth certificates, marriage license, medicals, certificates of income and property, references, and other stuff and Lifeline sent them out into the world of notaries and authentication.  This process works its way through the local courthouse, Alabama's Secretary of State's office, the US consulate, and China's embassy in Houston.  Or something like that.... THANKFULLY, our adoption agency does all this business for us!  Just another reason why Lifeline is THE ABSOLUTE MOST AWESOME THING EVER.  Document #13 is that approval from USCIS.... so Joe scanned it to Lifeline last Friday fresh out of the mailbox and it's making its way through an expedited authentication process!  As soon as it comes back, our stuff HEADS TO CHINA!

This is a HUGE part.... cause that means all the things we need to do for now over here on this side of the ocean have been done.  Then, we wait on China to do their part!  GOOOOO CHINAAAAA!

Magical words:  Approval Notice

So, while we've been waiting on that piece of paper to hit the mailbox for Lottie, the rest of the Powell youngins have been busy with their own milestones.

Jack started COLLEGE.  He's beginning in his studies in the University of Alabama's College of Communication and Information Sciences while minoring in violin at the School of Music.  He busy.  He's got a job on campus and leaves every day before the rest of us.  He's learning that he can get somewhere in 10 minutes if he walks pretty fast, that if you get there early you get a good parking spot, that taxes taken out of paychecks are A LOT, and that he should probably just sell textbooks for a living cause those folks are making a KILLING.  He knows folks in almost every one of his classes, didn't get LAST chair in the University's student orchestra (second to last is NOT last, thank you very much), and still sits in the same chair at our kitchen table to study and do his homework.  He lives at home, but I NEVER see him.... he runs into the house most afternoons, changes clothes, and heads out again to..... well..... I don't know.... band practices, life group, college meet-ups, Bible study, dinner with such and such..... He's definitely a college boy now.  My prayers for this one focus on WISDOM and that God will continue to reveal to him HIS plans for the future.

Jack Powell's first day of college!  ROLL TIDE!

Max Powell has entered into Sophomore year with his Mama ENCOURAGING him to work hard at it.... all the "its" he's involved in..... work hard at Algebra, work hard at Chemistry, work hard at learning to drive, work hard at football, work hard on that ACT, work hard at orchestra, work hard at friendships, work hard at church, work HARD.  He truly is QUITE busy.  Max has always had things come pretty easy to him, and, as you get older and things get harder and busier, that can cause a bit of frustration.  THANK GOODNESS Max Powell has a mother who knows the value of a good NAGGING session, constant reminders, and text messages that say things like "Do not come home today if you do not have that INow password".... and such.  YOU ARE SO WELCOME, my precious one.  My prayers for this one are WISDOM and perseverance.

Go gettum, Maxer!

Fine cello-playing fella.

Mary Powell has busted into Kindergarten and is LOVING IT.  It took her about a week, but she knows EVERYONE in our building.  She now walks herself to class in the morning and shows back up at Mama's room on the 5th grade hall all by herself.  She's only had to sit on the stairs at PE once for talking instead of listening (sorry, Coach)... and she's only been stopped for running in the hall once (sorry, Mrs. Jockisch).  She LOVES her teacher, Mrs. Snow, and now ALL her drawings at home have people with red hair LIKE MRS. SNOW.  She falls asleep in the car EVERY afternoon and gets her BINDER out as soon as we walk in the door to see what's in there.  She didn't ace the DIBELS assessment cause she kept wanting to have a conversation with the assessor during the ONE MINUTE that she gets to name those letters and such, so now she's got a lot of folks (her mother included) telling her to KEEP NAMING THOSE LETTERS until you HEAR THE BEEP.  She just thinks that's funny.  She can read sentences like "I am the little dog" so naturally she thinks that she's now an awesome reader.  Confidence is not lacking with this one.  The whole "I can do this by myself" has reached a whole new level, but she still has to eat what Daddy packs in her lunch and wear whatever Mama picks out.

the backpack

Max Powell:  10th grade; Mary Powell:  Kindergarten

First day of Kindergarten!  Mrs. Snow's class!

And THIS is what she looks like every afternoon after school.....

While Mom does carpool, she waits just inside the door.  Like this.

AND SHE LOST HER FIRST TOOTH.  It had been wiggling for a day or so and wasn't really ready to come out, but she was determined that she was putting a tooth under her pillow THAT NIGHT.  She told her Daddy that she needed the remote so she could put the TV on Masha and the Bear TO DISTRACT HER.  Then, she brought me a kleenex, crawled into my lap, and told me to PULL IT.  We did a lot of wiggling, distracting, talking, wiggling, laughing, distracting.... and then OUT IT CAME!  She was SO BRAVE.  No tears, no fear..... but LOTS of excitement!  The Tooth Fairy came and when Mary saw the $5 under her pillow the next morning, she raised both hands in the air and declared "I AM RICH!"  Then, she spent the entire $5 on CANDY at Max's football game that night!  My prayers for this one are that she will LOVE TO LEARN and begin to understand who JESUS is and what He did for us! And maybe that her teeth won't all rot out of her head from all the CANDY that the TOOTH FAIRY bought her.

First lost tooth!

So, here we are.  Labor Day weekend.  I just lit the first Pumpkin Spice candle of the season and have the front door open to air out the house.  I made ribs in my Instant Pot for Alabama's first football game. And in the midst of all the busy and fun and work and stuff.... I think constantly about our Lottie.  And we wait.  My prayer for THAT ONE is that the Lord will SURROUND her with angels, wash over her with HIS peace, help her sleep well at night and give her reasons to laugh during the day, and that she will stay SAFE and HEALTHY until we can get our hands on her.  I CANNOT WAIT.  

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