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“Congratulations! You are a mommy again!”

Those are the words that I heard this morning on the other end of my phone when our agency called us!

We are so excited to share that in just 49 days we received our LOA approval! This means–our sweet boy is officially our sweet boy…a YOUNG…and I am officially a mommy again! China recognizes us as his parents–and now we just jump through another hoop or two and we’ll be on our way!

Our agency is overnighting our LOA/LSC letter–and then we’ll copy it and send off for I800 approval specifically for our child. Because we already have obtained I800A approval–it will only take about 2 weeks to get back from the US government. THEN we will have that sent off to China and wait for what’s called Article 5. After that–we’ll wait for TRAVEL APPROVAL!!! Then we’ll be off!!! There’s STILL a wait ahead–but we are getting so close!!! I think it’s possible for us to travel in MAY–but JUNE is also a possibility too. We are hopeful and so excited it will be soon!!!

Getting our LOA/LSC also means we can officially share his picture publicly because he is our son!! Some agencies allow you to share before hand but ours asks you not to share it before LOA.

Are you ready to see the cutest Asian love you have ever set eyes on???

Here he is!

Proudly introducing Ezekiel “Zeke” Young…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melt my heart.

Can’t WAIT to have our sweet boy in our arms!!!

These are the pictures we have been staring at for months! We have video footage from Fall and also lots of video taken in January. I’ll have to share some of that sweetness later! Right now, we are celebrating with our children who are so excited as they totally understand this adoption process and what this day means! Even Isaac is jumping for joy and asked me, “Oh mommy! I just love Zeke! Do you think he will love me??” We have loved him for many months–so it will take him some time to get to know us and love us back…but oh my–I can’t wait to start the process of a relationship with our sweet boy!!

I’m going to start working on his nursery this weekend! And I’m just so taken back by God’s plans. To THINK that THIS month is the month we were due…that March was our due date month–and this March although we had to experience loss to get here…the Lord still allowed me to hear the words today, “You are officially a mommy again! Congratulations.” To get to where we are–loss happened…both for our son in China…and had we remained pregnant–we probably wouldn’t be where we are in this adoption process either. Yet God used that to make me long for another…yet when our doctor said we could try again–we decided to try “online” on Rainbow Kids Waiting Child list instead of the traditional way;). Through difficult, hard loss–God can write such beautiful. And although I wouldn’t want to go through that again…and although I would never want my son to experience loss or life in an orphanage–I would not change anything if it meant not being where we are NOW. God’s plans really are perfect, pleasing and good. Perfect doesn’t mean without pain. Jesus was perfect–but He was not without pain. Does a perfect God allow pain? Ask Jesus. I do not know why hard happens…but I do know that through it with Jesus–comes beautiful.

I have so much to share about what the Lord did this past weekend at Created for Care! I also have craziness to share with you from it (I got a little O.O.C. with dress up fun. God indeed did a beautiful work throughout the weekend…so my heart is BURSTING right now with thanksgiving for all He has done and continues to do! More on that tomorrow! Okay–so maybe on Wednesday cause tomorrow we are sending off lots of paperwork to USCIS and I might be crazy!)

Much dancing at our house today and thanking the Lord for the story He is writing!!!

Blessings!

Andrea

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Jessica - March 11, 2013 - 6:07 pm

I’ve been waiting for this post because I knew it would come. We prayed big for a court date before the rainy season last summer for our son waiting in Ethiopia when it looked impossible. To God’s great glory, we passed court just 2 days before closures and our sweet boy, our seventh, came home just before Thanksgiving- we had prayed he’d be home before Christmas-God did one holiday better! His ways are always higher.I was so blessed by c4c this weekend and encouraged to love big and pray big. God is awesome! So happy for you.

Meggan - March 11, 2013 - 6:37 pm

Gods way is so much better than ours…through the pain His glory will be shown!!

Erika - March 11, 2013 - 7:10 pm

OH my goodness – he is adorable!!!! I am SOOOOOOOO happy for you guys! Congratulations, mama!!!

xoxo,
Erika

urthmama.com

kam - March 11, 2013 - 7:13 pm

I know I just met you this weekend…but I’m just plumb dumb excited for you. The Lord is so faithful. We experienced loss on our journey as well…not in the same way, but devastating too. Our son, Seth, died in China before he could come home. He DID make it HOME though! Home to heaven and Jesus’ presence. We stepped out in faith to bring a very sick little boy into our family and the Lord answered our prayers perfectly…by healing his heart in death rather than in life. I don’t know that I’ll ever fully get over it. But through grief and pain, our Gabe came to us last September. Both of our sons are exactly where they are supposed to be…Seth with the Lord and Gabe with us. He is so faithful.

I’m amazed at how small the world is…Lisa Dykstra is a good friend of ours from church. {My hubby is a staff pastor} We’ve prayed and begged and wept with them this year as they struggled to bring Daniel {Lesha} home! I wondered if you guys knew each other when you mentioned New Horizons and June in your talk {which was incredible btw!}…and when I saw T in the green teeshirt, I knew you must know them! I’m also a friend of Becky Passons…we have several friends in common. God is good.

Anyway, just wanted to pop over and say congrats again. So very happy for your family and for Zeke! Hang on, China mama, it’s about to go sooooo FAST! Much love and many hugs…
For His fame~
Kam

Ashley Sanders - March 11, 2013 - 7:24 pm

Oh oh yay yay yay! Jumping with you!

Amber - March 11, 2013 - 7:30 pm

Yippee!!!! So happy for you youngs!!!! Can’t wait to hear all about c4c!

Julie Hand - March 11, 2013 - 7:35 pm

Congratulations! He is a sweetie! Praying with you for May travel.

Kristin - March 11, 2013 - 8:56 pm

Oh yea! We got our LOA today, too! So did a lot of families in our facebook group. Are you a part of that group? It’s called DTC or Travel Spring/Summer 2013. Lots of families there who have adopted from China before so lots of great info! Congratulations to you!

Cara - March 11, 2013 - 9:28 pm

So sweet! I loved seeing this post. 🙂 Congratulations!!!

Jennifer Pighini - March 12, 2013 - 5:35 am

So very happy for you! Praise the Lord! Congratulations.

Megan - March 12, 2013 - 8:07 am

Congratulations, Young family! He is beautiful. God does all things well.

Addie - March 12, 2013 - 1:29 pm

Congratulations – he is gorgeous!

Ashley - March 12, 2013 - 8:15 pm

Praise God! Congratulations! May God use him for his kingdom!!!

hannah - March 12, 2013 - 10:54 pm

oh andrea! my heart is so happy for you, my eyes swelled with tears when i read your joyful news! hallelujah!

Gretchen - March 13, 2013 - 10:55 am

What a cutie! So fun to see your son’s face! Every day is a little bit closer!

Candy - March 14, 2013 - 2:01 pm

Andrea,

This little guy is so very precious. Does he speak or understand any English?

joy - March 21, 2013 - 10:51 am

Oh Andrea! He is beautiful!

LaKasha Strickland - March 24, 2013 - 6:07 pm

I wrote you several months ago after checking in on your family. I watched your gotcha day video when we decided to adopt and then I learned that you were adopting again from China this time. that led me to read your “miscarriage” post and healing began there for me.I shared my heart about the lose of our baby (then two wks ago)in the middle of our adoption process and even though you never may have received that I wanted to try again. you really prepared me for the unexpected triggers that surly DID come. I shared that we sent our adoption off the same day and my hopes that God would cross our paths. I am so excited to tell you that we too received our LOA on March 11th. God is good. Hope to hear from you. Zeke is beautiful!! God bless.

carrie friesenhahn - March 25, 2013 - 9:48 pm

Oh, Andrea! Zeke is precious! Congratulations! I’m catching up & SO thrilled to see your sweet son is officially a YOUNG. Our God will cradle this sweet boy until (and after!) he’s in his Mama’s arms.
Love,
Carrie