July Adoption Update

A couple weeks ago we received an inquiry from Mei's orphanage asking if we wanted them to have her cleft lip repaired by a non-profit organization called Tomorrow's Plan. The medical team from OHSU had earlier advised us that if we ever got this opportunity that we should say, "don't fix it in China....wait till we can get her to OHSU". So, that is indeed what we said. Then our agency, after hearing our opinion, advised us to let her have her lip repaired there. Their advise to fix it in China was based on the bonding process that needs to happen once Mei comes into our arms. They said that it would really hurt the bonding process if she was to have surgery on her lip (such trauma) so soon after she comes into our care. So, we changed our decision and told the orphanage to go ahead and have her lip fixed. She will still need to have her palate fixed when she comes home. If needed, her lip can be revised in a few years. The unknowns over this entire issue remain vast. I trust the Lord completely in the details. No one cares for her more than Him.

A couple days ago we received another large packet of paperwork from Holt containing two large checklists of paperwork needed to initiate and complete. We have worked on the easy (yet time consuming) parts as much as we can, had a bunch of papers copied, notarized and mailed off yesterday. ....along with a FAT check. Now, today, I am going to start working on the harder pieces: applications for visas, checking on airfare, researching the travel agency that Holt works with, begin a list of gifts that I need to buy (which of all things is making me somewhat emotional. They gave us a list of ideas of what to get the people that will be helping us out: orphanage, foster grandma, interpreter, etc. The thought of bringing a gift "as a personal expression of our thanks" to the woman who has been caring for my daughter the first two years of her life....are you kidding me? There is no gift great enough. Holt suggests, "cosmetics, jewelry, perfume..." ahhh, it just doesn't seem like enough.)

We also had to fill out some pretty official paperwork that requested her American name. I wrote, Mei Maria Skipper.

The next couple weeks will include lots of paperwork, beginning to prepare for travel, and attempting to convert Jorie's closet to allow for a bunch of her sister's clothes!!!!!

I am definitely getting more excited!!!!!!!!!