Waiting

Waiting is THE hardest thing! I remember our first journey just a little over a year ago. We were waiting on our Letter of Approval (LOA) for Ellie and I was about to lose it! Along the way, God had given me little signs of encouragement to keep me going. We had only been matched a month with Ellie, when Chris had a bad accident in a softball game. He was hit on the head with a softball and we spent several scary days in the hospital. The day of the accident, I had found my dream bedding for Ellie's room at Goodwill! I couldn't believe it! I had only a week earlier, been shopping online and had told Chris if money was no object I would want a specific pink and green dragonfly set. Anyone who knows me, knows dragonflies are my trademark. So when I found this set, I was overjoyed. I couldn't believe I found the exact thing my heart desired along with a Goodwill price. I felt it was confirmation we were on the right path to Ellie. Later that day when Chris had his accident, I felt God knew I would need some big time encouragement in the days to follow.
Chris did recover but it took many weeks, and as he recovered, we waited. Just after Thanksgiving I thought I couldn't wait any longer. We had received one update about Ellie, the update being she was in the hospital with pneumonia! Apparently in the fall of 2011, you couldn't be a member of our family with out visiting the hospital and Ellie was no different! Unlike the rest of my family however, Ellie was alone with out her family while she was hospitalized. The wait seemed endless.
The week of Thanksgiving I had gotten word another adoptive mom had gotten her LOA on Thanksgiving. I was a little bitter but had to remind myself, her whole dossier had gotten lost and she had been waiting a lot longer. Then the following Monday our agency posted to Facebook they had received five LOA's! Oh the agony! Would my phone ring? The came word they had received another delivery and there were actually TEN LOA's! I thought "if mine isn't in there I am just going to lose it right this minute!" An hour later we got the call!!!!!!
 Later in the week I found I had won a charm from Jiayin Designs. I had seen a post on Jiayin Designs Facebook about a "Julie in cyberspace waiting for LOA", and I thought wait "I am JULIE WAITING ON LOA!" Turns out I had entered a contest (my first ever) on her blog and had not left my contact info. So she resorted to a plea on Facebook. I was sure glad I hadn't missed the post!
It was THE best week! The minute I got the charm (of Ellie's Chinese name) I wore it everywhere. I never took it off in China. Towards the end of our trip we ate in a restaurant in Guangzhou.  As we were leaving the two hostesses were talking and pointing to me, and saying Ellie's Chinese name "Han Shuang", I looked at them and smiled and said "that is my baby's name." Deep down though, I knew why they were giggling. You see, Han Shuang is also the name of a Chinese actress. I would compare it to being like a Chinese woman walking around America with Angelina Jolie's name around her neck!  We're back in the process to adopt again, and if you would have told me this a year ago I would have told you, you were crazy! We don't yet know who our child is, or what her Chinese name is, but you can bet I'll have a charm with her name too!

Me with Ellie in Guangzhou wearing my charm!