Nothing new to report...the wait goes on!

We are in what I hope to be the final stages of our wait to go bring Lillian Joy Xiao Xue home. Now that the holidays are behind us and time is marching on in 2009, I am hopeful that we will have some more news soon. We are awaiting our formal Letter of APproval (LOA) from the Chinese government, approving us to become LIllian's parents. Once we have that, we will await a consulate appointmnet time (CA) at the AMerican consulate iN Guangzhou, where we will get her visa to enter the US. Our final approval will be Travel APproval (TA), and we'll travel just a few weeks after TA. I am still hopeful we will be able to bring Lillian home around the time she turns 3 at the end of March.

As the time draws near and the anticipation and excitement grows, I have also begun to think in more concrete terms about the changes ahead for all of us. For Lillian Joy, my heart aches to think of the grieving she has ahead as she leaves her foster family, the orphanage, and the only homes she has ever known and heads into a foreign land with people who do not *really* speak her language. Even though we know how much we already love her, she has no idea what is about to take place in her little life and I know it will be a difficult time for her, especially initially.

I also think about the changes ahead for Jared and for Anna. For 8 years now, it has just been the two of them. I remember when Jared was "de-throned" so to speak at ANna's birth, and how hard it was for me to watch him have to share our attentions and our time. But he was young. Jared and Anna are now very close and play together frequently and usually really well. Adding a third, much younger, child, will change that dynamic a little and I alternate between wondering if they will just ignore Lilly all the time, or if one or the other of them will feel left out if the other is paying lots of attention to their new sister. Just not sure how it will all look and work out!

I think about Jared's age, and the many exciting and new stages that lie just ahead for him--my goodness he turns 12 this week!! I want for him to know that he can talk to us about anything at any time...and don't want him to feel like we are so consumed with our new daugther to have time for him and whatever thigns it is he is pondering.... He is a very thougthful kid...and likes to share his deep thoughts. Hope that continues.

ANd with Anna Grace, who has been the "baby" and the only girl her whole life, I think about the de-throning that will be taking place in that realm now. She has been pretty good about expressing her fears and concerns...I pray that we will more than adequately let her know of her great value and worth and that she will quickly relish her role as big sister. I pray that she will show tenderness and compassion to Lilly, and not resentment and bitterness.

I know our lives are quite full, and TOm's job keeps him away for long hours. I pray that he and I will have time together and good communication to be able to manage these major changes well, without any chance for disunity or discord to take root between us in any way.

For me, I know having a preschooler in the house will bring many changes to the lifestyle I have come to enjoy since both ANna and Jared have been in school during the day. So many things I hvae gotten involved in I plan to step down from for a season. It will be different, for sure. I want to relish these changes and savor the intensive time with Lillian. I am excited to be doing fun kid activities with her that will promote bonding, attachment, and language development.

Today and tomorrow I hope to get her room painted...we moved furniture and taped the walls yesterday to get ready.

Oh, I hope our LOA gets here soon!