WHOO HOO

At this point, I'll take what I can get. The LAST batch of referrals (August referrals) only included NINE days worth of Log In Dates (LID'S). ONLY NINE! That is NOT good. Well.......
THIS month (September referrals) included 18 days of LID's! WHOOOOOOOO HOOOOOO!

That means there are approximately 41 weeks worth of LID's before us. That sounds like a lot, but if they get 2-3 weeks done each month, our time will start ticking down at a noticeable pace!!!

We're still praying that it speeds up even more, but all I really care about is that it doesn't SLOW down any more! If it stays at this pace, we're POSSIBLY looking at a next summer referral. (July/Augustish)

This is so unreal because JUST last night and this morning, I have been constantly repeating in my head, "Be happy with today." (Thanks for the encouraging email Rachel...I've taken it to heart). So I have just been happy with today! I haven't wished it was tomorrow, I haven't wished it was Christmas, I haven't wished it was Abby day. I have just been content. And then, WOW, God throws me a curve ball! It doesn't matter though, because now I'm even MORE happy with today!!

Make it a great day for you too! Hug someone, tell them you love them, and thank God that they're in your life!

More, more, more Morgan!

Here are some additional pictures of Morgan. She is absolutely beautiful. Who couldn't love that little face? We cannot wait to meet her in person!

Pic #1--A very happy Morgan.

Pic #2--Morgan loves fries at McDonalds!

Keep praying for them!

We were having a "bad Abby day". We were missing a little girl we've never met, wondering where she is, and praying that she'd come home soon. Thankfully, two things happened to help us.

1. Tonight in our church home group, a very good friend Charlie, put things in perspective. He read James 1:2-8

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not
lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives
generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when
he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of
the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will
receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he
does.

2. The CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) reported the following on their site:

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents
registered with our office before December 31, 2005.

This means that: 1. We need to persevere, have joy in these trials, and have faith. 2. There is only six months of dossiers separating us from getting into the Review room in China. (NO THIS DOES NOT MEAN REFERRAL). That means one small step for us, one GIANT leap toward Abby! At this point, we'll take what we can get!!

GOD IS GOOD!

Morgan's new forever family!

Sleeping beauty--Morgan

Daddy and big sister, Natalie.

Mommy, Daddy, and Morgan Williamson

Heading to the hotel to bond.

Today was "Gotcha Day" for Morgan, Nancy, Brian, and Natalie! They were forever united as a family. GOD IS GOOD! I'll post pictures tonight!


TONY AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR OUR TURN!!!

Morgan Nicole Zhen Williamson

We met a really great couple through our local adoption group named Brian and Nancy. They're with the same agency-FTIA, and have the same coordinator-Charlene. What's exciting is that they left THIS MORNING on their journey to bring their daughter Morgan home! They are a fun couple with one daughter Natalie (5th grader) and all three left for Beijing in the wee hours of the morning. They will actually meet Morgan for the first time on Monday.

Prayer requests:

• Pray that they make all of their connecting flights and have a great travel experience.
• Pray that they all stay healthy while they're gone.
• Pray for little Morgan and her adjustment to her new parents and surroundings.
• Pray for parenting wisdom for Brian and Nancy.
• Pray for Morgan's China mommy and daddy and that they have some sense of peace in knowing Morgan is joingng a wonderful family.

Just think...one day, we'll be posting that it's our turn to fly out!!! Our Abby girl doesn't know what a fantastic family she's coming home to!

OH MAN...

Goodness, we have LOTS to post...but want to spread it out so that you out there in Bloggerville don't get bored. With that being said, here's the list of things we'll post about over the next few weeks. (Maybe it'll peak your interest so you'll keep checking back!)

Oh, and if you're a lurker...feel free to post a comment. I mean it. Seriously. Do you know the depression I was sent into when I realizd that MaryMia had like 500 comments (yes, 500) on her recent referral post on her "Do They Have Salsa in China" blog? I know, I know, it was hard NOT to post a comment for the ADORABLE twinnyliciousness, but, come on...if I did a spreadsheet of number of comments she receives (much like the referral spreadsheets she does) it would show an average of about 1.6 billion comments per post. Ok, more like 40, but that's about 38 more than ever show up on ours. (LOVE HER BLOG...go there...but don't you DARE post a comment there until you do on ours!) You lurkers demand and demand new posts because you're bored with our last one, but send NO encouraging comments to entice us to post more! (You know who you are!) *sigh* ok, I'm over it. hehehe here's the previews for the coming attractions to Abby's blog.

• Brian and Nancy (new friends of ours) and their beautiful daughter Morgan. They're heading to China on Sept. 14. Start sending prayers their way!
• Our latest Abby purchases...an adorable stroller and practical thermos.
• A fantastic site called "The Lord's Table". (Thanks April) Oh, and I'll explain GBS.
• Local adoption group meeting next Saturday. We're having international foods!
• I'm sure I'm forgetting something, praying I'll remember later.

So there you have it. And, wow, I reread my last paragraph, and it sounds like I'm that sad little kid on the playground that is begging for friends. That's not true, we just LOVE to hear from you all. This blog will hopefully be important to Abby one day. We want her to know how much her family and friends love her.

Stay tuned kiddos!