Overwhelmed!!!

Some days are just overwhelming.  Today began a new school year for Nathan (3rd grade) and Shelby (1st grade), and as much as I know they're both going to have great years, I was super emotional leaving them at Elm Street.  Summer seemed to go by WAY TOO FAST, but thankfully we were able to pack in a lot of fun times and great memories were made. 

Andrew and I enjoyed our day together while they were at school (thankfully, he has a few more weeks until Pre-K begins).  And then at lunchtime, I felt the urge to send an e-mail to Helen with our adoption agency since I still hadn't gotten pictures from the birthday care package we sent for Jenna's 2 1/2 birthday on August 1st.  And in Helen fashion, she responded IMMEDIATELY (at 1 in the morning China time!), concerned that I hadn't received the six pictures of Jenna.  She e-mailed them to me again and HOLY COW...we got to see pictures of our precious 2 1/2 year old little girl surrounded by other beautiful children and nannies at the orphanage, celebrating Jenna's life.

 

 

Tears welled up when I first saw these pictures, and they are now as I write this hours later.  It brings me so much emotion seeing Jenna and these other children that also need forever families.  I pray the nannies show them ALL love.  I look forward to the day, hopefully soon, that we'll be able to visit this orphanage to see where Jenna has lived for the first 2 1/2 years of her life and to share a smile and a hug full of God's love with her nannies and all the other children.  I love the fact that Jenna is wearing an outfit that we sent her a few months ago in a care package.  And as much as I was hoping to see a smile on our sweet girl's face, I'm thankful that she looks well cared for and happy on her special day.

And then, as if this day couldn't get more overwhelming, we got an e-mail from Karla with our adoption agency saying that our LOA (Letter of Approval) had arrived in her office and was being sent by FedEx to us!  This 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper is China's final "stamp of approval" for us to adopt Jenna and we've been waiting a LONG 125 days to receive this AMAZING news! 

Now we'll begin the final phase of this roller-coaster journey to bring Jenna home, which involves more paperwork for immigration purposes, with the hope of traveling to China in 2 to 3 months!!!

It's days like today that I can only stand in awe of my amazing Heavenly Father.  I do NOT deserve these blessings, and yet He continues to lavish them on me.  Great is His faithfulness...I'm OVERWHELMED!!!

Jenna...I am so in love with you and cannot wait to hug you and bring a smile to your beautiful face.  We're coming soon, baby girl!!!