What a Jewel!

We can finally start to say now that we are getting close to our trip to China. We can actually allow ourselves to get excited, and to begin some plans. My cousin Jewell is going with us. This has been planned since we first were approved for adoption. Jewell had planned a few months before then to go on a mission’s trip to an orphanage in Russia. Because of a series of circumstances beyond their control the trip was canceled on the day of departure. It was a very disappointing and sad for their entire group. When she heard that we would be going to China she volunteered to go with us. Just like us, she thought that we would be traveling within seven or eight months. She has faithfully waited all this time and is getting excited again along with us.

It is a real blessing to have someone from the family to be able to go with us. There will probably be many times that we can use an extra pair of hands, and Jewell is fun to be with. She and her husband Tillman were over at the house a while back and Jewell said there was only one concern that she had about the flight to China. She wondered if the pilot would be sure and have the fuel tanks topped off before we left. I told her to feel free to remind the pilots just to be sure.

Now we are really curious about our referral and where our daughter’s home province is. It looks as if we will be traveling in the winter, and much of the northern part of China is really cold. Becky and Jewell have high hopes that we will get to see the Great Wall. I would like to see it also, but only if it is during moderate weather. I would not be too disappointed if we didn’t travel to Beijing if we had to go in bitter winter temperatures. It doesn’t matter though, I know that after I see that picture I would go to the north pole if that’s what it took to get that little girl home.

Thank you Jewel, we are so thankful you are going to be able to share this precious time with us.

Ronnie

Ben and Carla's Little Baby Girl

MORE PICTURES!!

She is almost smiling!!!

"Precious"

Lillian Mei

Here she is and she is BEAUTIFUL. Her Chinese name is Cen Li Wen and she was born on November 18, 2006 so she is about 9.5 months old. Congratualtions!!!!! We are so happy !!!!



Her American Name will be Lillian Mei and she has a beautiful big sister Marley and a cute and sweet big brother named Luke.



We love you guys.



Ronnie and Becky

Ben and Carla's LID is IN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Ben, Carla, Marley, and Luke. We are so excited for you. This long wait is almost over for your family, and Mei will soon be home with her forever family. We know you must be a little nervous about everything until the adoption agency actually makes the CALL to give you all the information about your little girl. What a blessed family and blessed little girl!

The CCAA posted today that they matched through November 25. Ben's familys LID is November 24th, so unless something weird happens Ben and Carla will get a call sometime Tuesday or more likely Wednesday with all the information about their little girl. When the CCAA says matched before a certain date...that date is included.

What the means for us? Well it's really hard to say except this leaves us at 14 days away when you count the LID dates between November 26 and December 9. We will most likely not get matched in October and now since they only did 4 days this month we may not make November's referrals. If we were to get matched in November we might have her home by Christmas but that is not really very likely. We could be in China at Christmas. We are not discouraged one bit! We will be matched to the perfect little girl when God's time is perfect.

Thanks Rumor Queen for making that little CCAA box so easy to add to our post!