Good News..."Be Still My Heart"

Time really gets away from me these days! I haven't posted since Monday, October 19th. On that very day, or night rather, we received a call from Xiaoqing, at BAAS (Bay Area Adoption Service). We were just getting ready to walk out the door to go out to eat, and I stopped and answered the phone! Boy, am I glad I did! Xiaoqing was calling with a referral of a 20 month old little boy. She told me his medical history and asked if we would like to take a look at his picture and file. She thought he would be great for our family. I think she didn't know for sure what we would say because originally, Joy had leaned towards a girl, although we all decided we would leave that in God's hands and see what he had for our family.

Let me back up a minute to events before this night. Two weeks previously, I had a dream. In this dream, I was sent a picture of a little boy. I looked at his picture and said, "There's nothing wrong with him." Basically, that's how it happened, except I received a phone call, in which Xiaoqing described his condition, explaining that he already had his surgery and that he was just like all other children....very healthy and developmentally physically, emotionally, and mentally as other children. He had passed many developmental milestones which showed significant progress in his surgical procedure. In fact, he is quite bright, I'm told, and very well liked by everyone, including the neighbors. He is an extrovert and very lively (I knew we would get another lively child...we never get any other kind). I think Xiaoqing even said something like, "so basically now there's nothing wrong with him." I remember that it was almost the words in my dream exactly.

I might add Joy was jumping up and down, and never mentioned a girl again. In fact, Xiaoqing was a little worried that she would be disappointed, and I reassured her that Joy was beaming, jumping up and down. This was her little brother. No doubt.

We locked his file, which holds it for 48 hours, so no one else can claim him, and we looked into the diagnosis he has (waist spinal meningocele - surgically repaired), conferred with our pediatrician and other specialists on what the future "could" hold. This diagnosis is one of many forms of spina bifida...one of the mildest. We called her back in less than 12 hours, and told her, he was our son...no more time needed! We actually knew it the minute we saw his picture. Those eyes.....looking into ours.....he was ours!




So...meet the newest member of our family (waiting for us in China)....Luke Tai (pronounced Ty).
He is 20 months old now, which is a bit older than we also wrote down that we were willing to accept, but again, it didn't matter. We hope to be travelling to get him early summer, which would make him about 2 years and 4 months, if all goes well.



So now the wait is on...the hard part. To this point, things have moved very quickly. Within two weeks after contacting BAAS, we had our referral, then one week after our letter of intent to adopt, we received our PA (pre-adoption approval) from the Chinese Centre of Adoption Affairs. I know God is opening doors, to have our son already waiting for us. There's the homestudy completion to be done, and the big paperchase involved. I can already tell we're in for an emotional ride here, but I know it will all be worth it when we travel to China and see our little Luke for the first time in person and then bring him home with us!

He is living with a foster family, which is very good. They adore him and take care of him with lots of love. I know this is probably even better than his being in an orphanage because he has plenty of care and attention. I'm so thankful for that. I'm so very grateful and amazed with these wonderful foster families that do such an unselfish thing. I know it takes a special person to be able to care for a child for that long, and then say goodbye to them when they go to their families.

As it is with the female gender, Joy and I are VERY EXCITED. We are constantly looking at the clock, thinking about what time it is in China (13 hours ahead of us), and what Luke is probably doing now, since we know somewhat of his routine. The guys in the family, Jason and Colt, are excited, but are saving the real enthusiasm for when it's closer to time to bring him home.

I appreciate your prayers and covet additional prayers that we have a smooth process all the way with no delays,including the completion of a speedy homestudy, so we can bring Luke home at the very earliest time possible. And for all the encouragement, and the emails from adoptive parents that have helped out by answering my many questions, I'm thankful for it all! I'm so very grateful to find BAAS and Xiaoqing is such a blessing! Thank you to all of you!

God is good! :)