Scared to practice "freedom of speech"!

I fear that certain individuals inside our government will do just about anything to find a way to make our lives miserable and that is incredibly sad that I feel this way! I know it sounds horrible and I never in a million years thought I would have to fear our "allys" but in the adoption, I am afraid I do! Please continue to pray as we have no idea what is going to happen and what type of LETTER we will be receiving from the USCIS/DOS in the next 10 days(?). Here is the bottom line....the USCIS/DOS feels there is NO way there were 40+ babies abandoned in Halle Grace's province/orphanage. With over 800,000 people in a province, that number seems incredibly LOW to me...again, no one asked for my opinion.

God is testing me and I want to pass, so I NEED your prayers more than ever! So, now we must prove that a child who has lived in an orphanage her entire life is in fact, an orphan!

Just to give you the setting of her province...it's extremely poor and out-of-wedlock pregnancies are greatly despised by northern Vietnamese society leading to abandonment. Life is extremely difficult and dangerous for these people. Imagine life for extremely rural Europeans roughly 400-500 years ago and you'll have some idea of what life is like there. Most people, especially from the minority groups, have no electricity or running water. For many birth parents, the orphanage is used as a "feeding center" and the only way a child will get food. Most of the abandoned children from the rural areas were not born in a hospital, more than likely in the bedroom at home therefore producing NO birth records. Finding the birth parents of abandoned children is almost impossible because child abandonment in Vietnam is illegal. Why would they want to admit that they abandoned their child in front of authorities? This "real-life" description was provided by someone who knows what life is like in the TQ province. This is not a description taken from a "google search". This is life in TQ, Halle-Grace's birth place!

We are scared to death. If they make us find Halle Grace's birth parent(s)...based on what you read in bold above, how in the world are we going to be successful AND we are in the United States...across the world!

Thank you for your continued prayers.

JUST PRAY!

MANY families who's children (including Halle Grace) continue to be stuck in the orphanage, had a conference call. We are all waiting to find out the status of our individual cases. In the near future we should be receiving a letter. PLEASE let it be an approval! It could be a request for evidence (RFE). In the RFE case, we, the adoptive parents must find a way to PROVE that Halle Grace is an orphan(???) We don't know what is going to happen! Please pray we all get approvals!!! We look at our daughter's photos as we have watched her grow over the past months and not bringing her home is just not an option! There are so many amazing families who are also fighting for their children, so please just pray that we all receive approvals and are able to bring our children home soon! These children need loving homes! Pray that our Government will help us bring our children home.

On a positive note, Congressman McHenry's Washinton, DC office called us last week to inform us that he signed the Child's Right Act! He is an amazing person and outstanding representative! His staff (especially David McCrary) is incredibly supportive and truly cares about our family. They want to see our baby girl come home. Thank you Congressman McHenry!

"Do you want to do something beautiful for God? There is a person who needs you. This is your chance." Mother Teresa

I wanted to take this time to THANK everyone who reached out to your elected officials in support of the CHILD'S RIGHT CAMPAIGN! I sent many of you emails, made phone calls and spoke to you in person and the amount of response I received was humbling and overwhelming! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Thank you for being a voice for those who can't speak, the orphans around the world!

We are hoping and praying for Aug. travel dates to bring Halle-Grace home to be with her FOREVER FAMILY! We are so blessed and lucky!!!

Baby Tye & Michaela are in our thoughts and prayers!

Please pray for my friend Michaela and her baby boy Tye! Words cannot describe the pain I have felt for my friend, yet, words cannot heal in times like these...so I go to the Lord in prayer! Only He knows exactly how she is feeling. Baby Tye is so tiny as you can see. I know he is a fighter for his mommy. His daddy was taken from them just a week ago. NC Trooper David Shawn Blanton was killed in the line of duty! This horrific and senseless crime has touched so many people across our nation.

I know many adoptive parents read my blog. I know we are experiencing our hardships but nothing compares to the pain Michaela has endured! Please say a special prayer for both of them.

Thank you & God Bless!

~Praying for an approval~

This week has been pretty tough. We really expected to hear, "make plans, it's time to travel to meet your baby girl". Waiting is incredibly hard. This is the point where our faith is put to the test. I know that God has placed this little baby in our lives! I also know that He will make this plan complete! When? At this point I guess I am on a "need to know basis", He will let me know when He thinks I need to! LOL

As I type this I am sitting in her nursery. I have started praying here at night because I will pray with her each night like my mom did with me (and tell her 100 times, no there are no monsters in the closet, well at least I asked that 100 times)... so now seems like a perfect time to get started. It is quiet in here and very peaceful. I have her precious photo and I read books to her. I know you are reading this thinking, "this woman is a loon"! It is all that I have at this point...her photos, God's comfort, hope for tomorrow and endless praying for patience and peace and our approval!

The books are great by the way. Tonight I read "The Lord is My Shepherd" by Hans Wilhelm. It is so sweet. It was a gift from my sister and it brought me a lot of comfort tonight. It follows the Psalm but in terms that a child can understand. "The Lord is my Shepherd, He gives me everything I need. He lets me rest in green pastures. He leads me to quiet pools of water. He gives me new strength when I am tired...." and the illustrations are precious. The lamb is so tiny! I love it! Thank you Suzie!

Once I make it through the books, I'll read them again or maybe start watching Baby Einstein? LOL

Please continue to pray for this process. Adoption is another word for love...and the little one I love is across the globe! I can't wait to hold her in my arms, rock her to sleep, teach her the funny songs my daddy taught me "The Animal Fair" and begin making memories together as a family!

Thank you for your prayers!

Only God could love you more

Please continue to pray for Halle-Grace, her nannies, all of the children in her orphanage...ALL children and ALL orphanages around the world!

Pray that we will be notified soon about when we can bring our tiny miracle home!

God Bless!

Prayers needed

Please pray that our I-600 approval arrives SOON! We are anxiously waiting!

Thanks for your prayers in advance!

Fellowship Of Love

Last night after the shower, my best friend from pre-school, Lori surprised us with a visit and MORE gifts. Below is one of the adorable items for Halle-Grace. Is this not the cutest swimsuit you have seen? It has a tu-tu!! She is going to be set when she finally gets home. Praying it is soon!!! Thank you Lori, Mary Claire, Emma & Kelly! I can't wait for you to meet Halle-Grace.


Today my church family showered us with love, prayers and gifts galore for Halle-Grace! Thank you Krista, Danyel, Cathy, Jean & Amy for everything you ladies did to make the day so special! We are incredibly blessed! She has EVERYTHING she could ever need and more love than one can imagine! We are so excited and ready to meet our daughter! Please continue to pray for our journey to our tiny miracle! We are SO READY!!!

The Princess' Realm

Here are a few pictures of Halle-Grace's nursery! I started working on her nursery in September of 2006!!! I have tried to accomplish something each month. As you can tell she has her own little princess pad. I pray it will not be empty much longer! This month I need to begin organizing her closet...it is beginning to look a lot like her mommy's closet (messy)! She is so loved and we are so incredibly blessed.

What's in a name?

Waiting for God to place a child in your care in definitely in His timing.
The day we received our tiny miracles photos I yelled HALLELUJAH...only by God's Grace what a Divine miracle. So, now you know the meaning behind HALLElujah-GRACE DEVINE. Her full name is Halle-Grace Khanh Devine. You know she will just love mommy when she has to learn to write her name! The nannies named her Khanh...which means precious stone or gem. When I found out that one of the meanings for Halle is "rock" I knew the name was perfect for Halle-Grace! My niece is Hannah and one of the meanings for the name Hannah is "grace" so that is very fitting! Her name has meaning but her life story is enough to just call her MIRACLE! We think she has the most beautiful and special name!
She is our gift from God! I want her to always know how loved she is and how HE selected us to be a family. I have heard the saying "regardless of how motherhood comes to you, it is a miracle". When I saw her face in a photo, God revealed His plan and she stole my heart! I have carried her in the MOST special way...in my heart and trusting 100% on God to provide for her needs through the amazing caretakers at her orphanage.
The lyrics to a song, "I've got all I've waited for and I could not ask for more" pretty much sums up the feeling.
Please continue to pray for Halle-Grace and our journey to one another. We are ready!

Thank you for the prayers!

Care Package sealed with love followed by BLESSINGS in "jpeg" format

PHOTOS FROM THE CARE PACKAGE WE SENT TO HALLE-GRACE. The letter was translated, I have mastered the language yet!!
Yesterday I received a phone call from Nancy, our coordinator. Her voice had a tone of excitement...well, an extra bit of excitement! She has been an answer to our prayers throughout our journey to our daughter. She always knows the right thing to say and just how to calm my nerves when "mommy mode" kicks in. I can't describe my feelings... being on the other side of the world from my child. I know without a doubt that she is receiving the best care and she is loved, however, there is the "mom" in me that desires to provide for her every need.

Nancy's great news was NEW PHOTOS! When your child is in another country (12 hour time difference, a different language, different culture...the saying pictures are worth a thousand words is VERY TRUE!!! I cried on the phone as I was driving down the road in excitement to see how she had changed since the last photos. Now that is triple fear for on-coming traffic #1: talking on cell phone while driving, #2: crying, emotional "ELEPHANT MOM" (you know elephants carry their young for almost 2 years...the time of our adoption journey and counting) #3:trying to drive a little faster to make it to a place to get a wireless internet connection!!!

The photos are BEAUTIFUL, PRECIOUS, ADORABLE, simply the most ANGELIC vision I have ever laid eyes on (all of her photos have brought a huge CRY of joy...tears streaming, the whole nine yards). If someone is watching they probably think "oh, that poor woman is having such a bad day" and I am thinking "THANK YOU LORD"!!!

Thanks to the nannies and a very special someone on the west coast! "Thank you" cannot begin to describe my gratitude! Thuy, you are an angel!

First Shower to celebrate "our tiny miracle"

Family & friends blessed us with an amazing baby shower. We were humbled by the outpour of love for our tiny miracle! Steven Curtis Chapman said it best "Adoption is a perfect picture of what God's has done for each of us in making us His children through Christ." Her nursery is packed with anything she could ever need...monogrammed bibs, burp cloths, blankets, a prayer blanket, a baby bible, bottles (BPA free), two strollers, two car seats, a pack & play, a jumparoo, bouncy, a precious rocking chair that was Papa Gene's when he was a little boy (many, many years ago), clothes, clothes and more clothes. Thank you to everyone who made the day so very special!

We love her so much and cannot wait to hold her! It will not be long until our "tiny miracle" is home! Please continue to pray for her and all of the children.

First Mother's Day (written on May 12, 2008)

Today seems like the perfect day to start a "blog" as means of communication with our family and friends as we get closer to meeting our tiny miracle, Halle-Grace!

God has blessed us beyond what I ever envisioned! There were many times along this "journey" that I questioned WHY, WHY, WHY? Now, I know why! You see, God has the master plan! The best way for me to describe my understanding is this...He holds the completed piece of art in His hands (our lives) and He also has all of the colors a crayon box can possibly have...we, on the other hand, have a piece of one of the crayons in His box of 64! It may seem like a weird analogy, but it is the best I can do. The bottom line...the last two years have been extremely hard, heart-breaking many times, lots of tears, tons of fears and NOW, this amazing, most beautiful tiny miracle He has chosen. WOW! Now I say, WHY again--What did I do to deserve this most adorable, most precious girl?

Good things come to those who wait! So, as we prepare to meet our daughter, we hope that you will celebrate with us, follow our journey and PRAY each and everyday for her homecoming!
God Bless! We look forward to sharing our "journey" with you!