Welcome!!

Welcome to my blog. I should have started this blog a LONG time ago, but with so many ups and downs, I truly didn't see the point. The purpose of this is so you, my family, and friends can follow our journey. However, I didn't want to follow my own adoption journey at times, and I'm sure you didn't either. I feel like I should have bought one of those t shirts that says, "yes, we are still adopting, no we haven't heard anything yet, thanks for asking." But now, through it all, we have finally reached the home stretch. This is the final leg of our adoption journey. We began this amazingly long and exhausting process in the summer of 2005. Now, finally in August 2007, we are preparing for our true journey to Jillian. Our journey to extreme Southern China to pick up our daughter that is waiting for us in an orphanage in Guiping City. Our timeline is as follows: DTC:6/30/06, LID 7/14/06, DOR 6/26/07, LOI 7/13/07. We are now waiting for our LOA. Just for you out there who aren't familiar with China adoption ~~ these are what all those letters mean.

• DTC ~~ Dossier to China


• LID ~~ Log In Date ~~ this is the date our dossier was logged in to the China Center for Adoption Affairs.


• DOR ~~ Date of Referral ~~ this is the date of 'the call' that we got about Jillian.


• LOI ~~ Letter of Intent ~~ this is the letter we sent to China stating we do intend to adopt Jillian.


• LOA ~~ Letter of Acceptance ~~ this is the letter that the CCAA sends back to us saying they accept our intent.

Yes, I know...so much red tape. But, the end result will all be worth it!! I cannot even tell you how excited I am to have my baby girl in my arms. I am shocked at myself even how much I have already become attached to my daughter, before I have even met her. The Lord has had His hand on this every step of the way!! That is for another day however.

The goal tonight was to get started! And I did! Goal accomplished for now. Good night!