Ellie

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of Ellie (Lois Elisabeth Latham) -- our daughter who will be from China. I have a ladybug keychain that I carry on my keys now, and everytime I pick them up I think of her. Her name is from both her Grandmothers, Lois Gertrude and Mary Elizabeth and from my name before I was adopted by my parents - Maria Elizabeth. I'm sure she'll have part of her "original" name as well. Big name for a little girl.

I don't think other people realize how "real" she is to me and how often I think of her. I'm not even sure those really close to me know how often I think of her -- and dream of her. Recent rumors (http://www.chinaadopttalk.com/) indicate our wait will likely go 2-3 years. We have been waiting just shy of 7 months. Yes, the time has gone pretty quickly, all things considered, but knowing that I'll have to wait at least two times this long again, some days, is pretty hard. It's particularly hard when other folks adopt so much more quickly from other countries. When we started, the current wait time was a year.

China is currently referring people whose LID (log-in-date) is November 2005. With a LID of December 25, 2006, it seems so far off -- especially when they have gone from referring a month at a time (in 2005) to days at a time (now). So much speculation revolves around how long the wait will grow to. China officials, in a recent visit to the States, have indicated the wait will likely go to 3 years for those logged in in May 2007 -- which is when the new regulations took affect. I can't imagine that we will be much shy of that mark. It would be really nice to travel in the summer (with school and all), but I don't get any younger each month that passes. (smile!). I remind myself of the sovereignty of God and that His timing is always perfect and that He called us to do this. My head and my heart KNOW these things, but my heart also wants my daughter NOW. I'm a bit impatient (haha). On the other hand, though, I really want to be able to not work when she comes and I see God's Hands in helping us get out of debt and to move Kevin up in his job. I know these things are taking time and that helps with the wait.

God continues to point out to us that He called us to China. We have no doubt that this is where He wants us -- no matter how long the wait.

I visit several websites daily and read several blogs regularly to follow along with friends who have already come home with their babies.

For more information, check out the links below. They are also listed to the right.

http://chinaadopttalk.com/forum/index.php - Rumor Queen
http://discussion.bethany.org/viewforum.php?f=14 - Bethany China Adoption Forum
http://www.fleming-familyadventure.blogspot.com/ - Teagan Fleming's site (I went to school with Teagan's mom, Terri -- they just returned from China in April 07). Teagan is such a pretty princess.
http://www.pathood.org/ - The Hoods live in Smyrna and travelled with the Flemings to China. They are friends of our former associate pastor. Jadyn is the most beautiful little girl -- I'm in LOVE with her cheeks!
http://jeffandabbey2001.blogspot.com/ - The Lands are adopting from Taiwan. Reed will be home soon (he's beautiful!). Jeff was our former children's minister at our church.
http://www.benandbethany.us/ - Our former SW at BCS who adopted Violet from Taiwan. Violet is also a beauty.

So I continue to wait, buy things for Ellie (the closet will no longer hold much more!!), pray for her and think and dream about the day she comes home.