The bus is movin....

My cell phone rang at 5:00 tonight. I looked at the caller id-- it is our adoption agency . I hold my breath...

Hi Lisa, this is Heidi. Are you sitting down?

Yup! What's up?

Well, we have your travel approval. That is awesome news-- congratulations.

OK... what does that exactly mean?

Well, it means they gave you five dates you prioritize and choose....

Heidi- seriously? Yesterday wasn't soon enough. We'll take the 1st available date :)

OK... well- then I guess you are leaving next week !

OK... ok...
Heidi will be confirming our date w/ our China agent-- barring any over bookings or problems- we are scheduled to leave next Friday! Yup-- Black Friday-- or beautiful colorful Friday for us! We will arrive in her province on Sunday - and they bring Lilly to us 1st thing Monday morning- and turn her over to us .

So- 2 weeks from today- we will have the little girl -- that has felt so surreal to us -to have and to hold! Oh- she will be so loved and taken care of ! She has no idea how loved.... what a precious gift from God she is !

Lil will get her US Visa on her 3rd Birthday (the final appointment and step on the trip) -- and we are approved to leave right after.

So-- we pray , friends. Somehow, someway- God has and continues to move mountains. We are FULL of joy and happiness. We are filled with anxiety as we know we have a week and a half to get the final money together - $500 for medical expenses and roughly $4000 for airfare .

We look ahead at the next chapter God has written for us. It all works out- it has and it will :)

Selfishly, we ask for prayers. Prayers for His hand.. His will... His work to be done! Our confirmation phone call SHOULD be coming tomorrow (as soon as she tells our China agent which date(s) we selected and they nod in agreement)-- we book our flight and move that bus!

We thank you for your continued love and support! We love you's!!

It is another week & NO news from China:( I am trying to keep my spirits up but it is really getting tough. My nerves are shot, I am eating everything that is in front of me, I am crying about nothing. I am "short" with my students, & I am not sure how any of my friends & family are tolerating me right now. So, if anyone from China is reading this, PLEASE LET US COME & GET OUR DAUGHTER before I gain another 20lbs, lose my jobs, have NO money to travel to China or lose all my friends & family!!!!

So on a positive note we did receive our China visa's, our queen bed downstairs has everything laid out and ready to pack (including the Jif peanut butter and Hershy's bars), meds are ready, and we are very ready for our breakthough! I look around at all we have-- we are all very Blessed!

Even though our timeline is not looking like I had planned I am not giving up HOPE that we will be eating turkey with Chopsticks!!!

Found this incredible story - thought I would share:

My Adoption Story

I don't know if I have ever shared my adoption story with you all so I thought today maybe I should.

I was adopted at the age of 30 years old into the most amazing family ever.

Statistics show that I was the least likely to be adopted.

I was the child who had waited- far too long- to hear the good news.

I was the child who waited because I had one too many labels, made one too many mistakes, and was viewed as unlikely to succeed.

I was the child who most believed was not worthy of the risk...

not worthy of the effort...

and not worthy of the price.

I was the the child who most people would have never considered.

The child with scars, the child who was dirty, the child who didn't appear to have much potential.

But then one day they told me about The One who was able to see past all of that.

The One who loved me regardless of the mistakes I had made.

The One who saw what I could be- instead of what I was.

The One who thought I was worth it all- so much so that He was willing to die for me.

The One who saw my worth.

The One who saw my potential.

The One who saw what I could be- if I was given a chance.

The One who never gave up on me.

I am so thankful for The One who paid the price for my adoption.

I know it was expensive.

I know it cost more than anyone could ever imagine.

I know it wasn't easy.

I know that it was painful, that it was hard and it was heart wrenching.

And I know I didn't deserve any of it.

But He came for me anyway...

Regardless of what others would say or think.

Regardless of all of the work that had to be done.

Regardless that there was no guarantee I would love Him back.

Regardless of the cost.

And today I am forever changed.

I am no longer alone, scared, scarred, overlooked and viewed as no one.

Today I am a child to the king~ precious, loved, forgiven, healed, whole.

All because of my adoption.

Adoption is the perfect picture of God's amazing grace and love.

It changes lives and saves souls.

Adoption is...

the heart of God.

So today-- God - I ask that you open doors. May resources be shown for the remaining $5,600 we need, and the call come TODAY that we need to move those mountains and get Lil home! We are forever thankful for all you have abundantly Blessed us with! In Jesus' name...

Nothing...

Yahoooo~~ It's November ! November is National Adoption Month. We celebrate all the friends and family who have adopted :) THANK YOU for making a difference in a child's life!

As for our adoption... we wait ! I thought for sure we would have heard SOMETHING today? Not yet! I woke up feeling like a little kid at Christmas. Now Daddy? Can we have it now? And then..... 10 minutes later - I find myself in prayer again "How about now, Daddy??" My good Lord is smiling and shaking His head at me. I am behaving like my 22 eight year olds . THAT must make me a better teacher---> feeling what they feel all the time, right?

I just know that it is all in good time... HIS time! Until then , I am going home to have a family dinner and spend some good family time with the gifts I have! I am forever thankful... for you, for friends and family who always stand by us and never let us down! YOU are a piece of Heaven ! God Bless!

Another step checked off...

Today's email...

Please pray for us- we are working through the final pushes and labor pains !

Hi, Lisa & Bill!
I was notified that because of the holiday, your article 5 was not issued until today. It was picked up and sent to the CCAA, so you should receive your travel notice in about 2 weeks. I apologize, we were under the impression that the Article 5’s would be processed in the typical timeframe, and they did not inform us otherwise until now. I will be calling when we receive your travel notice from China! I understand this is one of the most difficult parts of the wait because you are so, so close and just want to be there. Hang in there, and you will be traveling very soon!

I’m glad to hear you received Kelsey’s passport! Please send your Chinese entry visa applications and passports and fees directly to the courier service you choose to use. There are a few suggested in the attached instructions, but you can use any service (or a family member/friend you trust) to walk in to apply. I suggest you contact them to compare prices and get their specific instructions. You can either print the forms and write the information in or you can type it and print it.

Please let me know if you have any questions! Only a few more steps!
Best wishes,
Heidi

Baby steps...no more :)

It's THURSDAY! I opened my eyes at 4:17 am. I had to think hard on what day it was. All of a sudden.. I realize IT'S THURSDAY!UP I am !!!!

Today a major document ( our Article 5) is complete. Yesterday, my heart felt overwhelmed thinking of all the costs coming up. I have no anxiety for Lil.But all the costs - and everyday letters/emails stating "And don't forget- you need xxx amount for this, and that, etc" Then we get the mail- and some guardian angel(s) send us a check to put towards the adoption. It is a small portion compared to where we need to get.. but friends~ it was God whispering to me "My child, have I let you down yet??" So, I cast my worries... and celebrate one step closer. He moves mountains in so many unspoken ways!

So... the next step? IT'S OUR FINAL STEP ! They will be sending certified delivery of our travel date(s). The next step is the light at the end- knowing exactly when our little girl comes home. Some of you may remember my prayer from the beginning. Dear God- we just want her before her THIRD Birthday on Dec. 8th. Even when man told us it was impossible- we knew all things would be possible w/ God! Wooo hooo!!!

So... there is only one thing left to say...
MOVE THAT BUS!

We leave tomorrow for Chicago. 5 of the 7 of Bill's biological siblings will reunite. What a Blessing.... so many emotions running high in the Madsen household.
God IS GOOD :)

Have an awesome weekend :)

'Lil News Update...

One day, one moment in time can change soo much...

First bit of news, we now have a new traveler going to China with us. After many prayers, God clearly spoke to Bill and I on bringing Kelsey along. We called our case worker, social worker, emailed other families who traveled-- and every one of them gave us the major green light . It is truly an opportunity of a lifetime for all of us. So, off to the courthouse we went- expeditited the little girl's passport- and shared the news w/ her. Guess it was the right call when she stated , through tears, "This is the best day of my life!"

Secondly, some near and dear people to us have offered us the last $5000 in a loan (to be repaid when we are set) to give to Lilly's orphange . We were heavy hearted on how we could swing that along w/ the final costs of the adoption. Again, He moves mountains ... and He has. The donation is a requiremeet (does that qualify it has a "donation" ??)- not a generosity thing. We again have to say- what we felt was impossible- is possible with God. God is soo good.

We are now 5 weeks away ( say our hearts) from boarding that big plane and starting a new chapter in our book of life. Ohhh.. we are soo Blessed!

We await the 2 week requiremnt to receive our Article 5. Then the 3 of us apply for our China entry visa- and then... the travel date! All in Your time---- it is good.

Have a great weekend my friends! We love you!

Junk mail?

So, I get home and immediately send Kels to the mailbox. I prayed waaay too hard today for NO answers :) She comes in and says " We didn't get any mail today!" What?? Then my hubby gets home 2 hours later. He says "So, was that the letter we have been waiting for??" "What letter??" The one on the bed... he came home and got the mail today! And YES- it IS the letter. Little white envelope- looks like junk mail. In it is the letter stating we are requesting a VISA to bring Lil home. Woo hoo! Ya Hoo! So, I immediately call our adoption case worker- in which she says "Well, more than likely- you will be traveling in the next 6- 8 weeks. 6 weeks being more real . We WILL have the biggest, best 3rd Birthday for little Lil ( Dec 8).

So, you may ask... how are you feeling? Today... scared. Worried. Yikes?? Seriously?

That also means we have to come up w/ $5,000 to give to Lil's orphanage before we get her. THAT remains a big obstacle for us. We already have 2000 left for our adioption agency, and another 3000 for travel. OK... remember-- HE can move mountains! An extra prayer or 2 would be awesome!

Good time to pray hard and worry about nothing :) God is good!

Next update = Article 5 (???) issued in 2 weeks ! Yahooo to Article 5 (whatever that is???)

Have a great week!
Love ya's!!