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Her First Daddy Daughter Dance & the BEST news ever!

Today was the daddy daughter dance for my man and his little girl–and it was Loo-bear’s FIRST daddy daughter dance EVER. Sweetness. Of course procrastination mommy waited until today to buy her a dress…so after we finished our school work today, we loaded up and while the babes were in preschool–we hit a few stores. (Precious Parker was a TROOPER. He is going to make an AWESOME husband and daddy one day! He entertained himself in the dressing room by asking Siri knock knock jokes and funny questions on my phone. That boy…anything will make him laugh!)

And the girls? Well, we were trying on dresses and twirling in the mirror:). Okay–so Laney was the one trying on dresses and twirling…and I was snapping a pic here and there when I could get my phone away from Siri and Parker’s nonsense.

Soooo…I helped her pick out like 5 or so to try on. We only made it to number 3…and she was convinced there wasn’t a prettier dress. I thought this spring floral knee length dress was just adorable. (We really didn’t have time to go store hopping–so I was hopeful to find something at dear old Kohl’s.) I then she tried on another dress and another…and number 3–well…she looked in the mirror…smiled–and said there wasn’t a prettier dress. Sweet thing.

Now–y’all might write me off as crazy. But I had a mommy moment. Not the kind where you watch your daughter try on her wedding dress moment…but rather, “Really?THAT one?” I caught myself–and reminded myself that my daughter is her OWN person…in this little 1st grade body–she is her own…and I caught myself wanting to influence her or make my opinion sway her in places that I need to let her be her own. Over a dress I felt a desire to influence. Silly mommy! (Granted if it wasn’t modest now that is a place where a mom must influence…but for simple taste–I need to be slow to speak so she can flourish into who she is.) Instead…I sat back and watched her face. THAT was enough. JOY in that. How this polka-dot crinkled My Michelle was beautiful to her. Who is this most precious child? My lovely daughter. And I want to know her even more…because she isn’t just like me. And then the sting…are you sure you don’t care mommy? I looked at the tag. It was even more than the spring one I loved…but I had this moment–of realizing my girl, well she is my girl…but she is not me…and I want her to be HER. I know this probably sounds so silly–but it was a moment for me. I think sometimes as moms (or at least it’s true for me) we struggle with wanting to micro-manage and influence our little ones in all the wrong places so that when influence does matter–they no longer listen. We want to influence their choices…the sports and instruments they play…and we even get disappointed when they could care less about the things we like. THESE THINGS DO NO MATTER. The heart is what I want to influence…and I want to point her to HIM to be influenced…all else…is just fun–helping her find who she is and who He created her to be. So–I had this silly, good moment–so much so…that we even went home and I asked her if we could paint her nails to match her dress…with DELIGHT she giggled…and turquoise nails–two coats–she got:)

We curled her hair…and she put on her new shoes with hose…and she wore a necklace that a precious friend gave me to remember our angel princess in heaven. She would wear it tonight while she danced:). Daddy came to pick her up…and off they went–to a really fun night out together.

Loo came home tonight on CLOUD 9! She wanted to tell me all about slow dancing, swing dancing and just fun dancing with her daddy. And the boys and I? Well, we parked it on the couch and had Ginger Ale, gluten-free mac-and-cheese and veggies while we watched a movie together. THEN Isaac entertained us with his dancing to his new Michael Jackson music (I really need to post a video…he LOVES every Michael Jackson song and breaks it down!)

And then…TODAY…the BEST news EVER!

So this morning I emailed our agency to tip-toe…kindly ask…just wondering;)…when we might hear about our LID (login date). The next big step in our adoption is the LOA/LSC (Letter of Approval also known as the Letter Seeking Confirmation) which can come any where from 30 to 90 days…also shorter or LONGER. Our dossier was off to China on the 18th–so I wanted to just check in since it’s been 3 weeks to see if we had a LID. She immediately wrote back that WE DID–and that there was a mix up and they meant to tell us LAST WEEK!

WOOT!

Well, I did a happy dance! Started shouting from the ROOFTOPS that we got our LID last week…so we were already 7 days into the wait!!! SERIOUSLY!!! BEST NEWS!!!

Then–our caseworker emails us and attaches the official receipt of our LID–WITH THE DATE of 01-22-2013!!! WOWZERS! Not only were we more than 7 days into the wait…we are 17!! For an adoption momma waiting on her love–this is like going to the OB for an ultrasound…THINKING you are 8 weeks and finding out you’re like 14 weeks along! Okay–maybe that’s a stretch…BUT that is what it felt like today!!! So the BEST NEWS–just turned into the BEST NEWS EVER!! I can’t believe we are already 17 days into waiting for our LOA!!! Travel is typically 2-3 months AFTER you get your LOA…and we are PRAYING BIG for May (okay–another farfetched STRETCH…but we are praying God will move mountains and we can travel by May so we can be with him on his 2nd birthday!) When we receive our LOA we will also be able to share his pictures and videos! CUTENESS!!! Our caseworker told us to go ahead and get on the paperwork that will need to be submitted when we get our LOA…and we need to go ahead and get passports for our kiddos that will be traveling with us! Yes–we still have awhile…but you just NEVER know…and we are thankful and excited!

In FOUR months (Oct/Nov/Dec/Jan)…we have gotten pre-approval to adopt our little guy after finding his picture online…started and finished a home study…gotten through USCIS approvals…sent our documents/dossier off to China…AND gotten a log in date!!! God has already moved mountains in just 4 months! Can you believe it??? I just can’t believe all He has done!! Please pray big that this little guy will be in our arms in May! (Completing an adoption in China start to finish in 8 months would kinda be a stretch…but we are praying big any way!) VERY excited for all that is to come!

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. Psalm 103:2

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Leese - February 8, 2013 - 11:50 pm

What a super sweet gift God gave you in unexpectedly sort of ‘shortening’ your time…not that it really is…but in making it feel like it is! That’s so cool! And He can absolutely do May, too!

And what a precious evening it sounds like you each had on your ‘dates’ – the one at school and the one at home!

Candy - February 9, 2013 - 11:19 am

I have 4 grown daughters and know those feelings that you experienced when dress shopping with them. My oldest daughter always picked out prints that contained the color black. I protested, but my husband gently told me to allow her to be whom God had created her to be. He was such a wise man!

All 4 of my daughters are unique and different in personality….lovely and beautiful inside and out. They are my greatest blessings!

Erin - February 10, 2013 - 11:06 am

I don’t think I’ve ever commented but I LOVE your blog and I follow you on Facebook… So excited for you! I can’t wait until we are there, our homestudy is done and we are anxiously awaiting our I800A approval. Eeek! Following you makes me realize that this will actually happen and all this waiting is worth it! 🙂 So thank you and keep the good news coming! 🙂
-Erin