SARAH MARTIN UPDATE!

Our package was delivered to Jiangyong SWI earlier than I expected, because we received these photos of Sarah Martin this morning! Look at my sweet baby! She is 28 inches long and weighs almost 19 lbs! Her lip has been repaired and we think she is BEAUTIFUL!
It's amazing how much we love this child already.

Christmas in China

Sarah Martin will be 14 months old on Tuesday and she should receive our care package on or around that date. She will see pictures of her excited family and receive warm clothes, pajamas, coat, shoes, blanket and other fun goodies like cookies, doll and musical toys. We were able to send a translated letter to the orphanage director and nannies inquiring about Sarah Martin's health status, favorites foods, sleeping habits, likes/dislikes, personality, etc... We hope to hear something within the next few weeks. We also included two disposable cameras and asked the nannies to takes photos of Sarah Martin and her friends during the final weeks of her time in Jiangyong.
Jillian is filled with the Christmas spirit and couldn't stand the idea of Santa Claus forgetting Sarah Martin the year. She spent half an hour looking at all the goodies at Red Thread China and helped me choose these items for our care package. She will be super excited to see that Santa will also leave some presents for her little sister under our tree next week. Isn't Christmas fun!

These items were donated to Sarah Martin's buddies at Jiangyong SWI. It is currently 45 degrees Fahrenheit in Jiangyong County at almost 1:00 p.m. Please pray that these children are happy, healthy and warm during this cold winter season.

We Have Another Daughter!

We are thrilled to announce the referral of our daughter...

Yong Jiang Shuang, soon to be known as:

"Sarah Martin" Shuang

DOB: October 22, 2008

Jiangyong SWI, Hunan Province, China

We are truly blessed beyond measure! Thanks to all of you who have been praying with us and for us for the last three years.

"God danced the day you were born.

You are loved, you are beautiful, you are a gift of God."

~Meiji Stewart

(Jillian is pictured on the top left of photo & Sarah Martin on the right)
Jason and I were surprised by how much Jillian & Sarah Martin favor.

YES, Jillian is SUPER EXCITED about her baby sister.
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Where we are in the adoption process:
6/1/06- Mailed our adoption application to GWCA.
4/4/07- Log In Date (LID).
6/1/08- Applied to GWCA Waiting Child Program.
8/27/09- Updated GWCA Waiting Child application.
10/21/09- Matched with Yong Jiang Shuang.
10/22/09- Celebrated Sarah Martin's 1st birthday!
10/23/09- Mailed our Letter of Intent (LOI).
11/12/09- Received Pre-Approval (PA) from China.
12/2/09-Received our Letter Seeking Confirmation (LSC)! This means that China has officially and formally approved us to adopt Yong Jiang Shuang.

-:-Our updated home study must be approved by AL DHR/ICPC before it can be forwarded to the USCIS to request an updated Immigration Approval. We are now waiting for the CCAA to issue our Travel Approval (TA). Our agency predicts that we can expect to receive our TA in 2-4 weeks. It's possible that we may travel to China in as little as six weeks from now! That's NEXT MONTH!

I'm ready to hold my baby.