We're still here

Since our referral we have...

• Sent two care packages to Thailand!  This is exciting and emotional and difficult.  We can only send a package every 3 months and it can't weigh more than one pound and must fit in a gallon zip lock bag. Each package has contained heart written notes and gifts to our daughter.

Reversible Baby Blanket sent with book, family 
picture album, and disposable camera.

I couldn't find a dress in her size, but thought this onesie was adorable.
Pulling this onesie out of the dryer made me long to hold our sweet girl!



I found a dress for the second care package!

  

Care package #2 ready to be mailed to Thailand!!!

Celebrated our daughter's first birthday in true Woodyard fashion with chocolate cake!

•  Sent in more adoption paperwork and had another set of fingerprints taken.  Yes, fingerprints are unchanging, but that's the process :). 

• Shoveled more snow in subzero temperatures (and I'm not talking wind chill either) than we have wanted! I bet many of you can relate! But, heading out to mail paper work to sister made it seem a bit warmer. 

  

  Last time the boys helped mail documents they were wearing swimming trunks!!!!
  
  

So what's next?

Yes, we have more waiting :)  Travel most likely will be in 11-12 more months, but sooner is always a possibility. (I like possibilities!)  Would you be so kind to pray for the five of us while we wait? Over the last several months there has been a bit of political uprising in Thailand which caused a government 'shut down' or slow down.  One of the offices in Thailand that must grant adoption approvals for our adoption was indeed not able to process requests.  Although our USA agency has not confirmed a delay in our process, I don't see how it won't... 

The streets in Bangkok were over taken by protesters making it hard for the adoption board to safely work. 

 We have now waited four and a half months since we have seen our daughters face.  Now that we have seen her face, waiting is  a bit harder...But, all that waiting means that we have new pictures of our sweet girl!  See you over at the other blog! (Email me for a link!)

 

Hello October

There is so much we have learned and continue to learn about our Great God and Father in the pursuit of a little girl.  The sovereignty of God is a mysterious and meticulous biblical truth we stake our lives on. Moreover, considering our adoption of a little girl, we can honestly say we have been challenged to take an honest look at our trust and contentment in His providence.

We are excited to announce that we have our referral and have seen our daughter's picture!  There really isn't a way to prepare for the moment that you open your first file and see her face.  (Which by the way, I clicked refresh on my computer obsessively waiting an hour from "the call" till the files arrived in my email!) The below images (stills from a video) are our reactions as we opened the file and saw our daughter's beautiful face for the very.first.time!

Needless to say, the reality of adoption has taken on a deeper and more profound realization since we have seen her face and know details about our baby girl. Every glace at her picture captures our heart and deepens our love and resolve to bring her home.  Our reports tell us that she is healthy, docile, and likes to laugh loudly.  The most exciting news is she will be turning one in a couple of weeks, on her daddy's birthday!  Yes, Jamie and baby girl have the SAME birthday!

The past few days have been a myriad of emotions, but we are mostly ecstatic to know who she is and to have seen her sweet face. Now we wait 7 to 15 months to embrace her!

More details to come next week on private blog; please email bringinghomesister@hotmail.com to request link and password.

New Blog

I recently took this blog private, but decided to set up a new blog for private posts instead.  I've also been told that many people were unable to contact me by commenting below.  So, if you'd like to follow my other blog, please send me an email and I will invite you to the new site. bringinghomesister@hotmail.com
Thanks!!!

Important Updates

September came and September went.  And, we are still waiting on September's update, whether that means being matched with our daughter and receiving her picture or a new number.  I confess it was a difficult month filled with excitement, anticipation, and disappointment; however, I'm proudly announcing that I haven't broken the glass to my chocolate bar. But don't be fooled dear friends, this month did involve chocolate!!! And yesterday a friend sent me this text of her purchase she made for me!

 (Notice I didn't say Jamie and the boys for ME!  BTW, this are my very favorite truffles!!)

Although September did not bring the news we had hoped for, it did bring very exciting news!  Gaze your eyes to the right.  Do you see it?!  We are fully funded!!!  Ek!!!  We have been so blessed in this adoption process.  Our Abba Father has taken care of all of our financial need in this adoption.  We are so thankful for the body of Christ who have journeyed beside us to help bring our daughter into her forever home! Now take your eyes to the left and find my adoption verse.  Thank you God for your provision!

We are so very humbled that you are reading this blog.  Thank you.  In order to comply with Thai law it will be necessary to password protect my daughter's picture. (Yes, we are STILL working on a name!)  So, please comment below with your email address so I can give you access to her see her picture (hopefully soon!).  We have been informed that we will have an new number or picture by the end of October.

Our New number

Last referral month (June) we received word from our agency that the Thailand office had sent word that things would be delayed.  So, we waited and waited, and waited some more.  Due to conversations with our agency, I wasn't expecting much of a number change. Dear friends, I am happy to announce we have a new number on the wait list, and I couldn't be happier!!!!!  (Well, I could if all the waiting were over and she were finally home :) )

After I told the boys the new number change, Luke was riding his bike while waiting for Daddy to come home and kept repeating: We're going to have a sister (giggle, giggle), we're going to have a sister...  Just as I was ready to video him  Jamie came home and I captured this instead. (Video below may not visible on all devices.)

We're all elated in the new status change! Having a new number might seem inane to you; however, it means PROGRESS, and of course, helps establish a timeline.  Incidentally, September is the next referral group. Could September be our referral month, our match month, the month we get her picture?!!!

PS: Please pray that everything is on time in September so I know SOMETHING by the end of the month. Also, I've been told that it is very LIKELY that we will receive a September referral!!!!

-KW

We're Getting Closer

God has been so gracious to us in this process and He continues to provide financially.  (Check out the thermometer!!)  Over the past few months we have had a few families and churches give to our adoption  fund.  One family, in particular, sold a sizable item and donated the money to our fund.  We are so thankful that so many share our passion for the orphan. To be a recipient of such generous acts of kindness is humbling.  These gifts took us totally by surprise.  Surprises are good  great!

Since this is June, a referral month, we could be matched with our daughter!  I'm trying to balance wonder, excitement, and realism.   In a nutshell, 3-6 children are released into our adoption program every 3 months. Remember my number?

I do believe that numbers 1-5 are all asking for girls as well, but I'm not absolutely certain.   (For some reason our agency likes to keep a few secrets...)  In all likelihood our match will happen in September or December...  And with that match we will receive pictures!  ***Squeal!!!

Then after the match, we will wait on Thailand to officially approve the match and invite us in country to get our daughter.  The current travel trend is a year.  So,  there's still a bit a waiting.  :)  

  

My girlfriend gave me this Christmas gift.  But isn't this the perfect adoption waiting gift?!

I've been saving it for a chocolate crisis!  I'll let you know when I break the glass, haha. And I do believe I'll savor each and every bite!   

-KW

Our new number and I'm itching to shop!

There is a lot of waiting involved in adoption.  But, it is oh so exciting when your wait list number changes.  Currently we are a head of schedule which is wonderful since we have been in process for 18 months now :) The last few months, I have really wanted to buy my daughter something. This year's Easter dresses were so tantalizing!  To date, I haven't bought anything yet!  Can you believe it?!  You see, I'm not sure exactly what month she will come home or what age she will be.   However, I do know that I HAVE to have a dress or shirt similar to this one, but with more of a tutu!!!  http://www.etsy.com/listing/163911980/step-aside-barbie-theres-a-new-doll-in?ref=sr_gallery_9&ga_includes%5B0%5D=tags&ga_search_query=new+doll+in+town&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_view_type=gallery

Without any further ado our new number is...

Yay, we are getting closer! Thank you for following our story and for all the love and support you continue to give us.  We are incredibly blessed!