WE HAVE OUR BABY!!!

Today at 11:00, as I was in the middle of teaching a reading lesson, my phone rang. It was our adoption agency, CCAI, calling saying "Congratulations, it's a girl!" I ran from my room to the office and got someone to cover my class so I could hear all about her. Here are the details that I know so far:

Name: Zi (pronounced zhe) Hong - this means great or magnificent tree

Age: 6 months

Bday:10/5/09

Height: These numbers are when she was 4 months- 23 1/2 inches

Weight: 4 months- 11.6 lbs

She is rolling over and responding to her name. She smiles easily and enjoys the caretakers at the orphanage. Her favorite toys are ones that make music. She is a deep sleeper.

She lives in the Guangdong province of China which is the same one as Hong Kong. She is up the coast a little bit. She is in an orphanage in a city.

I was crying at this point so I think I missed some information but it will all come to me tomorrow when our papers arrive.

At this point we only know that we will travel sometime within the next 5-7 weeks. After we formally accept her (which we will do tomorrow when we sign the papers) and they are sent back to China we will start knowing a more definite time table.

God is so good to us! We were praying for a young child- 6 months is the youngest that they adopt out. We were praying that the timing was right with Patrick's new job and school ending- Patrick will have enough leave time and I will only miss the last 3 or so weeks of school. We wanted Olivia and Joshua to be in different grades in school- done. The power of God amazes us every time we think of this process and the timing of it all in the big picture.

Prayer Requests:

1. Olivia's continued good health.

2. Adjustment of Cambria and Joshua as we begin to get things ready and while we are gone.

3. Financial

Thanks for all of your support! I am going to try to post her picture here!

Donna and Patrick