A Package for Alba

We have received word that we can send Alba one package. Everything in the package must fit inside of a flat 5x7 photo album... They suggested we send things like stickers, and sibling artwork as well as the photo album with pictures of her new family in it. Thus, McHaney and I have put together this small little package while we wait on our photo album to arrive:

Pictures and a necklace made by Mc, a frame we made together with a picture of us in it, and some stickers hand selected by Mc.

Two Sisters
Could this be more descriptive of her future? Wearing a crown & eating a cupcake while "dropping her toys" (probably b/c she has so many!)

A picture of her new home :)

Any ideas of other "flat" things we could send? I did get permission to send a disposable camera... there is no guarantee they will use it or even return it, but it's worth $10 to take the chance they may capture a few of her moments over the next few months!

On another happy note, we get word that on April 8th she had a electrocardiogram and there was no indications of her heart condition. They are saying that the condition no longer exists! Obviously, we will still have her checked out, but this is still great news! God is good!!!!!!

Drum Roll Please....

Presenting Huang Xia Zheng... soon to be Miss Alba Lee Phillips!!!!

Selected

If you have not read the post Holy Nudges, start there.... this is, as they say, "the rest of the story."





Friday morning, I called the agency as instructed and was met with good news. She was ours... this beautiful child I had been falling in love with for a week was actually my precious second daughter. She was the child I had known was coming for over 14 years. The child I had visions of, the child God hand picked for me. What an honor, what a responsibility, what a special special privilege.

I weep as a write this knowing God chose me to use as part of his wonderful plan. I cry everytime I take a quiet moment to think about it. That I should be selected to adopt one of his beautiful children, that he finds me in all of my filth and sinfulness worthy enough to bring Christ into the life of a child. That she has been woven into the plan for my life before I was even born.

It is overwhelming at times.

When they told me she was ours, the reaction I had surprised me. You know you laugh at things that are funny and cry at things that are sad, but you feel that emotion coming. You feel it well up inside before it comes out. This was totally different.... crying just spurted out. Laughing at the same time, crying and laughing so hard together that I was snorting. It was a little embarrassing, but I'm sure she gets that alot, right? I was apologizing profusely as she just sat there waiting for me to calm... :) When I finished she said "I'll be sure to let the match team know you were overjoyed at their selection."

So, that was it. She was ours. I didn't ask any details about what's next, where do I go from here etc. I was just savoring the moment and couldn't get off the phone fast enough to be able to call DP and tell him! He was also, happy as a clam and laughed at my crazy blubbering on the phone.

We can't wait to be her parents. To have her in our arms to love her and let he know she has a forever home... a place where she will be loved unconditionally and will never have to be an orphan again.

1 down, 146,999,999 to go!

Holy Nudges

On February 11th, our paperwork was officially logged in to China and we became eligible for a "referral". I expected this referral process to take 3 to 6 months, so I was shocked when I received an email stating we should stay near our phones on Feb 22nd as it was possible we might receive a referral. I was cautiously excited, but didn't expect anything. When that day came and went though, I was more disappointed than I had expected to be. I knew the chances were slim... we had to be at the bottom of the list, right? I mean, we'd only been eligible for a week and a half.

Again in March I received the same email.... March 22nd, stay near your phone, you may get a referral. I wasn't nearly as expectant this day and did not sit by the phone. Of course the day came and went with no news. I decided I had to accept what I already knew, she would come when God knew Daren and I were both ready and not a minute sooner.

Throughout this process, people kept asking if I had called the adoption agency, what was going on, how long it would be etc. I wanted to know what the process was we were going through. How big were the groups of children being released, how old were the children, how many people were in front of us, etc. But, very untrue to form for me, I had been pretty laid back about it. I wanted to call, but never got around to it. I was told earlier in the process that I needed to speak to this one lady at the agency and I just never called her.

Anyway, this past Monday I got what I like to call one of those "holy nudges." Around 11:00 our time, I just got this feeling I needed to pick up the phone and call. Finally around 11:20 I called. The wonderful Mrs. M picked up on the first ring. I gave her my spill.... "Hi M, this is Rachel Phillips, I've never called before but my husband, Daren and I are in process with Child of Promise..." I continued and gave her my little spill just saying I'd like to have more info about the process.

She says, "Ok Mrs. Philips, I see here that you have requested a child under 2?"

"Well, I 'd like her to be under 3 when we get her, but she can be somewhere in the two age range."

"So, you'd be open to a two year old child?"

"yes"

"And, you want a child with a heart condition?"

"yes"

"Can you hold on a moment please?"

"Sure", but in my mind I'm going what's going on? I was bouncing up and down in my dining room. I'll never forget it.... I was even a little panicky inside.

She comes back to the phone: "Mrs. Phillips, a little while ago another family turned down a two year old female with a heart condition b/c the mother is pregnant. Would you like to look at her referral packet?"

um, what?

"You mean, would I like to look at her to be my child?" what the heck is going on, isn't there a process here? Is this a joke? There is no way this is happening!

"Yes Mrs. Phillips. You match with this child perfectly, and if you are interested we can send you her referral packet to look over."

"Okay, well what's the process?"

She walked me through the process, and I asked her to send the info over. She was precious, and I was in love. We called the Dr. to look over her paperwork, medical stuff, etc. He saw us the next day during his lunch break and rubber stamped her. We called the agency, and accepted the referral. There was one hang up though....

Since she had originally be referred/matched to another family, they had to resubmit her to China. We had to wait for China to repost her to the adoption site and then our agency has to try to grab her again! The wait was excruciating. I kept telling myself God is in control, but saying it and turning it over are two different things! Once again though, and as always, He was faithful....