Ni Hao Y'all

when east meets south

number 10

Oy.

Where to start?

First off, I’ll cut right to the one question y’all probably have: Who??

No one. Yet.

We received our 797 on August 27th. And our dossier was winging it’s way to China on September 3rd.

I know. What!?!


You’re not the only one thinkin’ we’re crazy. I think it occasionally myself.

So, what’s the rest of the story?

It started well before Vivienne came home.

In the spring of 2009, there was another little one that stole my heart. Not away from Vivienne, as we knew without a doubt that she was our daughter. But I couldn’t deny how strongly I felt about this other child. I tried to ignore it. I tried to deny it. I tried to forget about it. But there was no escape and eventually Chris and I began to consider the option of trying to bring this child home at the same time as Vivienne.

When we had to update our homestudy due to our cross-country move, we requested to be approved for two children instead of one. We spoke to our agency. And we prayed, hard. We wanted to exhaust every option on our part to try to make this miracle happen.

Because this child who weighed so heavily on my heart would only become part of our family if He intervened.

But He didn’t intervene. And that miracle never occurred. And that was okay. We wanted to be the family this child needed, but we wanted God’s plan even more.

Through this adventure of digging into the depths of our hearts over this ‘other’ child, we began to realize, in bringing home our 9th child, that we were not done.

And that’s where the story of this child, unknown to us but known to God, begins.

Comments

  2. girl…i love your heart so much. i wish i were your neighbor. our plans are on hold for the moment as we are in a big place of uncertainty concerning some things that need to be more certain before we venture down the road you are able to traverse with your eyes closed! but we'll be following someday…somehow. i just know it. cannot wait to watch this new journey unfold. i'm so excited for you!!
    dd

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  3. So excited for your family and this little one that God has planned for your family! God works in mysterious ways,eh?!

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  4. Congratulations! What a wonderful desicion!! We await the LOA for a second boy. Hope things go as you hope!
    Love, Kirsty from the Netherlands

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  5. Stefanie, I can TOTALLY understand where you're coming from. Another little one has stolen my heart as well…though you are correct, it has not been stolen away from Caden…I just long to have this other little guy in our family as well! And even if he's not "the one" I know we won't be waiting as long as we thought we would before we venture out on our next adoption journey. I can't wait for God to reveal your precious little one to you…and please post pictures as soon as He does! 🙂

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  6. I just found your blog and I am excited to follow you on this adventure! I am trying to convince my husband to go for #5 but doubt I will have much luck!

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  7. This is awesome! I'm one for waiting on a big ol' neon sign, but we have realized that sometimes God wants us to step in & get our feet wet first in faith before He parts the water to show us what's next. Here's to doing cannonballs! ;o)

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  8. Wow! Congrats! May His presence in the process be very very clear to you and may you rest in Him when you feel a bit "crazy"!
    Kelly

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  9. Congratulations! I had a feeling when I talked to you in China in January that you'd be back :o) Oh, how I'd love to be back in China with you bringing another little one home. I do think God has a plan for us to maybe adopt again one day, but I think his plan for us is in the future (and possibly an older child like Wayne's two boys).

    Out of curiosity, are you considering boys or girls? Age you are considering? Special needs? Oh, I can't wait to follow your journey!

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  12. Absolutely thrilled for you.

    I'm envious of people that have the ability to have many vhildren, and keep it together SO VERY WELL. Like you do.

    Jill

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  15. Beautiful! Wishing you all this best on this new journey. It's wonderful that another child will bless your lives. You guys are pretty incredible!!!

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  22. Following Jesus. That's what it's all about. Whether people think we are crazy or not. Whether WE think we are crazy or not. Ha!

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  23. Hurry Hurry as we are DTC as of 3rd, waiting on LID for Gracie! We could meet up in China with our 10th children!!!!

    And as far as crazy, at umber 10 I stopped caring what others thought! Just following my Father's lead all the way!

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  24. I think my heart just stopped for a minute. I had to read and reread the post. Am sooo excited and thrilled for you, your family, and this new little one who will make #10. Can't wait to hear more!

    I'm totally charged up today! Whohoo!

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  25. Amazing, Stefanie! You are an amazing family with so much love to give. Excited to follow the journey to your next little one 🙂

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  26. Stephanie, we are sisters in Christ and I need you to know how inspired I am by you. I know – I know, you would deflect that to the Lord. And that's lovely and right. However, I am inspired by your life nonetheless. I read "God and Me" this morning – you typed out all my thoughts, including ones I didn't know I had thought yet. I dream already of our daughter in Asia, although she (they?) isn't here yet. She's still far away as a dream. But your reality is what I pray the Lord sees fit to do with us a family. I want to be used up for Him, and I see that in you. I am jubilant with you that there's a baby coming your way. It will be wonderful! I cannot wait to see what happens on this, your next journey. xoxoxox Esty, http://www.olivemyboysandme.blogspot.com

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  28. That is so great, Stef. God sure has given you two a heart for giving homes to these little precious ones. I'm so glad He did, because you make a blessed family for anyone to join.
    We sent out dossier over not long before you…..I'm still new at this….how long does it take to get that LID?….we are not-so-patiently waiting and getting very anxious for a match.

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  30. So amazing. Your blog (heck, your life!) was (and continues to be) such an encouragement to our family as the Lord has moved in our hearts once again to go back to China.

    And now, our newest daughter (almost 8) is waiting for us in Guangdong.

    Thanks for all you do!

    Angela

    PS We were DTC on 9/3 too 🙂

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  34. Congratulations! No words of "are you kidding?" here. CHildren are a gift from the Lord. Jenne-leaving Oct 8th for are 7th.

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  36. This is so very exciting! I cannot wait to see #10 because look @ God's richest blessings in #9,#8,#7,#6,#5,#4,#3,#2, and #1:) Bring on the good news with pictures…we are waiting:)

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  37. Oh my goodness! How wonderful! I am so excited for you guys! I cannot wait to learn more about this wonderful journey!

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  38. I am certain you will delete this, and that's okay. I truly do not mean this to be disrespectful in any way. It's only that this sort of spoke to me, and I keep coming back to it:

    "And that's where the story of this child, unknown to us but known to God, begins."

    With respect, and to honestly illuminate the truth, this is not where your new child's story begins. His or her story began with two birth parents, wherever it is that he or she was born. And it begins with whatever circumstances have led to his or her availability for adoption. And it is being written still, before the adoption takes place.

    The story you just told is the story of the beginning of YOUR desire to parent this child. But it isn't the child's beginning.

    I wish your family the best.

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  40. No offense taken. As a mother to adoptive children, I hope that I have a full respect and awareness of our children's existence well before we ever saw their faces. They are made up of much more than we will never know.
    In this instance, I was referring to the place where this child, whoever she may be, interacts with our lives. This is not her beginning, but it is our beginning.

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  43. Hey guys – ya know the reason you expounded – well….that's really the only reason to become a parent, and be it kid #1, #5 or #10….it's the right decision. Really the best decisions about parenting are like this – it's not a decision or a choice – it's knowing that it's the only thing to do!

    Hugs – great joy for you guys – aus and co.

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  46. I have wondering when you were going to make an announcement like this. You are too much. Although, I will admit, we are not done yet either.

    Praying for you.

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  49. Gosh, it seems like every time I go away for a couple days to the vast land of internet dead zones, news like this comes along for my favorite bloggers…

    But I had a feeling it was coming along sooner than later. Soooo happy for you all. Really happy. Seems like we might be heading that way ourselves sooner than later ourselves… God's been moving and speaking.

    Again, sooo happy for you. The sweet child who gets you guys for his or her family will be blessed beyond measure, and loved to fullness and then some! Yay God!!!!!

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  50. Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you and I cannot wait to follow along on your journey!!! You are amazing {{{{hug}}}}}

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