Update on our progress!!

For any of you who have joined our journey you know we are headed back to China!! We have always had a great love for children and felt led that this is why God put us on this earth.
We have our two wonderful biological daughters who are such a blessing, our little star from China who is so full of energy. He never skips a beat and has the personality of 10 adults!! We have two sweet African American babies who have been with us 3 years as foster children and already have their place in our family. They are such a joy and never stop making us smile!

So now we are so happy to be adopting not one but TWO boys!!

We have been foster parents for several years and have prayed and prayed for children who wanted to be a part of a family. There have been some big disppointments there, but around the beginning of 2010 we started looking back at China. Initially we were thinking we would ask for a girl. I got an email on January 7th about some waiting children on a list. When I went to the site there was one little boy who story just touched my heart. He was 8yo and had a rare genetic disease. They had brought him to camp to learn about America and being adopted. Workers at the camp said he was always the first to raise his hand when they asked "who wants to have a family?". His smile won my heart!
We also found another child, an older girl on the agencies list and wondered if God was calling us to adopt two? At first we thought that was not possible, but after further talking with the agency and praying about it we decided we would pursue two children but not the girl as they were so close in age. After more talks with the social worker God kept confirming that Chuan was indeed meant to be part of our family. He had been on the agencies list for over 6 months but when folks would find out what was wrong with him they would not call back. I began looking and Reading and contacting everyone we knew and even many we didn't know!! I sent emails to several specialists hoping for answer and more information. Finally we found what we needed and with medical experience felt we could care for his medical needs We even found a child adopted from Guatemala living less than an hour away who has the same disease. I can't tell you how awesome it is to speak to another parent to find out first hand information. To top it all off, this childs grandmother works with my husband! When we spoke with the social worker she told me about how no one ever called back about Chuan and that they really never thought he would be adopted and that the nannies at his orphanage told him they would always live him and be a family if his family did not find him. My heart was aching to go and bring this little one home to us!
After sending in our request to adopt Chuan, we continued to pray and search websites and lists for other children whose needs we felt we could handle. Finally after many files, different ages, medical problems and orphanages we found Dang. He has cleft lip and palate like our first son from China and also had an eye problem. We aksed for updated information an have learned he is blind in one eye. After lots of prayers and waiting we were so happy when China approved us for the second boy!
Fastforward to June, our paperwork went to china on the 9th and we are now in the long wait for lots more steps and more papers and finally travel to get our boys.
Please pray that God will keep them healthy and safe
while we wait. Pray that he will prepare their hearts to be a part of our family. Thank you and God Bless


- Amanda & Roland