An Orphan No More!

Today we begin writing new words upon your heart, Lily Meili Williams.

Daughter of the Most High King

Desired 

Prayed For

Beautiful

Written on our hearts

Chosen 

Someone worth dying for

Created by His hands

Redeemed

Beloved

Healed

Light Bearer

Victorious

Covered by grace

Worthy

Bringer of Joy

She laughs with no fear of the future

Grafted

So loved

Lily has already amazed us! If I'm being honest, let me just say that our expectations for her were set very low. It was the prayer of my heart that Lily would be able to smile. I honestly didn't think she could. Then Bam! She not only smiled....she LAUGHED! Thank you, Jesus!

Her gross and fine motor skills are well beyond what Doug and I expected. She prefers to lie down but, when encouraged, she sits up to play and even crawls some! She is also bearing a little weight on her legs, so I definitely envision some walking in this girl's future!!!

She doesn't seem to communicate well with anyone - whether English or Mandarin speaking - but this was something we'd expected.  She already has her Daddy wrapped around her finger. He has quickly become King of the Tickles.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers! They are much needed. We still have a lot to accomplish while here in China. The next 2 days will be rather difficult as we will be traveling to Lily's orphanage in Anyang tomorrow (a 3 hour trip one-way) and then to Maria's Big House of Hope in Luoyang on Wednesday (a 2 1/2 hour trip one-way).

Pray for our tummies as we travel :) The roads really aren't that bad but we can definitely feel the effects of the polluted air here. We both feel slightly nauseous when in vehicles.

Continue to pray for Lily and her attachment to us. She hasn't been upset with us at all. On one hand that's a blessing!!! On the other hand, it means that she doesn't attach to people well and is, therefore, content being with anyone. We pray that she has the emotional and mental capability to attach to us soon!

Love,

Elaine

Dear Lily...

Dear Lily,

My heart is absolutely racing! I can't believe I'll see your face, kiss your cheeks and hold you in my arms in just a few short hours.

So many questions will soon be answered. What size clothes do you wear? What do you like to eat? What's your favorite toy? How do you like to be comforted when you're upset?

With every question that will be answered, I know that there are many that I'll never be able to answer.

I doubt it's fully sunk in with me yet...the first 3 years of your life that I wasn't a part of. I've observed many other adoptive families who've gone before me, and I know the realization of what I've missed will probably come crashing down on me soon.

We know nothing about your birth or the circumstances that led to you being placed in the orphanage. But we were told that you were left at the gate of your local social welfare institute. The fact that you were left at the gate of your orphanage is actually very encouraging to me. It tells me that your birth mom loved you. Maybe she wasn't able to care for you how you needed to be cared for, but she loved you so much that she wanted to leave you where you would be found by people who could help you.

I think about your birth mom often. I think we have a lot in common. We both have daughters who, for different reasons, we are with no longer.

She thinks about you, Lily. I promise you she does. She wonders what you look like now. She wonders what it would have been like to hear you call her "Mama".

Your birth mom and I may be from very different places and very different cultures, but a Mama's heart never forgets the love they have for their children.

I pray for your birth mom. I pray that she knows the Lord and will spend Eternity with Him. I hope this out of my love for you; and, admittedly, I hope this out of my own selfishness because I think it would be the coolest thing EVER if you, me, Caroline and your birth mom all got to spend Eternity hanging out in heaven together.

We have been preparing for you for 9 months, Miss Lily. In the world of adoption, this is a very short period of time. We are so thankful that the Lord orchestrated things to work quickly so that we could become a forever family as soon as possible.

This past month has been extra special for me because I've been "nesting" - preparing our home for your arrival.

With every stroke of paint...

With every polka dot I put on your wall...

With every detail...

I have been praying.

Praying that your room and our home will be a safe place for you...

A place where you will learn, grow, and, most importantly, will know our immense love for you.

I've prayed that you will not only know the love of a family, but that you'll feel the love of the hundreds of people who worked to bring you home to us.

You, Lily-pie, are priceless....but there is a steep price tag on adoption...a price tag that your Daddy and I couldn't afford on our own.

We watched miracles happen before our eyes as people felt led to give very sacrificially so that we could afford to bring you home. The names of every person who helped us are written down for you so that we can tell you story after story of how the Lord was faithful to our family and His word.

We are so grateful to be given the privilege of becoming your Mommy and Daddy, Lily.  Only one more sleep before we become a forever family!!!

Love,
Mama

To My Caroline...

Nothing is wasted, baby girl.

"To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory." Isaiah 61:3

I sit here in a hotel on the other side of the world from where I gave birth to you 2 years ago today.

I'm just days away from welcoming your sister, Lily, into our arms and our family forever.



Caroline, I couldn't have said, "Yes", to adopting Lily if it weren't for you.

You gave me Courage.



Your life....

Not just the 20 days you spent outside my womb....

But also the 8 months you spent growing inside of me....

Changed me.



You gave me Courage.

Courage to stand in the gap and fight for those who can't fight for themselves.

Courage to step out into the deepest waters of my faith where, at times, I thought I'd surely drown.

Courage to love like I'd never loved before.



You were born so sick and left us so quickly, my love.

The brokenness of this world....the effects of sin on this world....are what cause us all such hardship.

But the Lord comforted us as we grappled with our grief and pain.

He was heartbroken for us.....

Because He knew first-hand what it was like to lose a child.



Eventually, I found hope again.

I knew that the Lord wouldn't leave us in our despair...

That he wouldn't waste the experience we'd had with you.


And then I heard Him speak to me about you and Lily.

Not in an audible voice...

But I felt his presence one day last November when he laid these words on my heart as your Daddy and I were praying about whether or not to adopt Lily:

"Elaine, I need you to fight for Lily's life like you fought for Caroline's life."

YES! I told Him.  I will do it!



Lily is sick like you were, Caroline.

But even if I only have a little time here on Earth with Lily like I did with you....

Every. Single. Solitary. Minute.

Will be worth it.

YOU were worth it.

LILY is worth it.

Thank you for giving me courage.



Caroline, I don't know the day or time when the Lord will take me home to be with Him.

But I know that every day that comes to an end is one day that I'm closer to seeing you both.

Each night as I close my eyes to go to sleep, I think to myself, "I'm one day closer."

My flesh longs for you to still be with us here.

We ache for what could have been our life with you.



But my soul rejoices for you, my Beautiful Victory.

We will be with you soon!

I love you,
Mama

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”  Romans 8:22-25

Come quickly, Lord!

We made it to China!

Our day began at 3am on Wednesday, August 13th, in Mississippi....

and I'm about to crawl into bed at 9pm on Thursday, August 14th, in Beijing, China.....

Exhausted.

But we are thrilled to finally be here!!!

 


Only 4 more sleeps before Miss Lily is in our arms.

Unbelievable!!!

Doug and I ate dinner at Pizza Hut {Don't judge. We tried to eat somewhere a little more local, but we hadn't slept in about 48 hours; nerves were on edge; so we decided that eating something familiar was in the best interest of our marriage ;) Although I must say this - Pizza Hut in China is a COMPLETELY different experience than Pizza Hut in America!}

As Doug and I were talking at dinner I just couldn't get over the fact that we're actually in the same time zone as Lily. For the past 9 months, I've been calculating time zones in my head, imagining what she might be doing as we were getting up in the morning or going to bed at night.

No more calculating! We'll be in the same time zone forever now!

Many of you have asked how you can pray for us.

Today, please pray for that precious little boy of ours that we left at home.

First day of school!

Pray for his grandparents, friends and teachers who will be taking care of him while we are away.

Wearing the gold medal he earned at his school, The Little Light House

Pray that Benaiah will remain healthy and happy.

{Those of you who haven't seen Benaiah this summer may notice something different - his NEW RIDE! We were so excited to get Benaiah's new wheelchair. He sits up so tall in it and is able to see much more of the world and interact better with people than he could in his old stroller.}

Saying good-bye to Benaiah was HARD.  I knew it would be. Other adoptive families had warned me. But boy! The tears just wouldn't stop!

Ever the comic relief, Doug calculated that if I cry the same number of times per day that I've cried today over leaving Benaiah, then I should only have about 160 more cries left on this trip. So funny that man of mine is ;)

Lastly, please pray for me and Doug tomorrow as we remember our daughter, Caroline. Tomorrow would have been her 2nd birthday.

Although we will be busy sight-seeing and preparing to welcome another beautiful daughter into our family, the void we feel without her here with us is ever-present.  The emotions we experienced as we welcomed her into the world 2 years ago and cheered her on during her short life are still very tangible. It feels like just yesterday.

Thank you for all your love and prayers!
Elaine

Gettin' Our Girl!!!

Lily"s coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although I've been "blog absent" this summer, things with Lily's adoption have been clipping along.

Let me catch ya up real quick:

Our dossier was sent to China on May 7th, and our Log In Date was May 12th. We hoped to receive our official approval to adopt her by July 12th.

Because of Lily's medical condition, her file got marked"Expedited", and we received our official Letter of Approval to Adopt on June 24th.

Now let's just take a moment to celebrate that MIRACLE :)

Basically, from the time we found out that the CCCWA wanted to pull her file in February, we've been moving forward in faith…..TRUSTING that we'd heard the Lord clearly and were walking in obedience to pursue her adoption.

So when we got that final approval…..oh my.  Mama was excited :)

I was actually driving to my friend Terri's house when my adoption agency called to tell me the good news.

I know exactly where Terri's house is, but I made FOUR wrong turns because I was soooo OVER THE MOON!!!

I was going to Terri's house to share my testimony with one of our church's community groups - a group of the sweetest girls who turned out to be the first people to hear our great news.

It was such a blessing for me to be able to share my journey of faith with them and then tell them that the next stop on the journey would be here soon because my Lily-girl was coming home!

So on June 24th, we got our Letter of Approval and were told that because Lily's file was marked "Expedited", we could be leaving for China in ONE MONTH!

I died!!!

We got busy, busy, busy getting Lily's room ready.

And when I say "we", I mean Doug and my mom.

I'm a great boss vision-caster :)

Doug went to town painting walls and furniture while my mom sewed curtains, bedskirts and pillow covers.

In the midst of all my "vision-casting", I was also pushing Homeland Security and the National Visa Center along.

Calling. Emailing. Calling. Emailing.

Until FINALLY they gave me all the approvals we needed to prepare for Lily's immigration to the U.S.

Next we had to wait for Travel Approval from China….which we received LAST MONDAY.

And on Wednesday, we got word that our appointment with the U.S. Consulate in China had been scheduled for AUGUST 26th!!!!

Which means…..

We're leaving in THREE DAYS to go get our girl!!!!

That's right, people…..THREE DAYS.

Did I say I'm dying???  Cuz I'M DYING!!!!

I can't believe it's here!!!!!

Our little girl will be placed in our arms on Monday, August 18th!!!!

Are y'all ready????

Cuz I'm SOOOOOOO READY!!!!!!!

It's Art for Adoption Day!!!

 We're so excited about our second adoption fundraiser tonight:

Art for Adoption

Cups Coffeehouse in Clinton, MS

5-9pm

Here are some - not all! - of the pieces that will be for sale tonight.

Numbered Print by Wyatt Waters

 

Numbered Print by Yuval Wolfson

 

Numbered Print by Walter Anderson

 

Clinton folks, do you recognize the place in this picture?

Numbered Print by Mark Millet

Peavey Music Store in Meridian, MS

Numbered print by Mark Millet

 

"Spring Confetti" - Original acrylic/water color 30x30 canvas by Suzanne Guild

"Out on a Limb" - original acrylic piece by Megan White

For all you Ole Miss Football Fans:

Sketch by Paul Morgan

Charcoal by MaryKelli Bethea

Zentangles by Michelle Davison:

Photography:

by Charise Wilson

by Michelle Davison

by Paul Morgan

by Jeff Chao

To see more, visit:

Art for Adoption Facebook page

We look forward to seeing you tonight!!!!

Dossier To China!!!

In the world of international adoption, this is a monumental day: Our dossier has been sent to China!!!

When I got word today that our dossier was on its way, yes, I was excited; but more than that, I was RELIEVED.

For the past 5 months, we've worked diligently to compile all the paperwork needed to send to the CCCWA.

Many. Many. Tears have been shed along the way.

It's an arduous process.

And I often find that I am practically holding my breath from one checkmark to the next.

But PRAISE THE LORD! This task has been accomplished and now we begin a new phase of the adoption process:

Waiting.

And more PRAYING.

We have requested that the CCCWA expedite our request to adopt Lily because of her health situation.

I hope they will.

But for the first time since we began the adoption process, I can honestly say that whether we are able to go get her sooner or later, I trust that we will go in God's timing. 

"I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted." Job 42:2

Lily with a friend of mine who was able to visit her several months ago when she went to China to adopt her little girl.

In other news:

I've totally neglected posting pictures of some of the artwork that will be for sale at the Art for Adoption Fundraiser this Friday night.

But I have a good excuse.

We spent this past weekend in the hospital with our li'l man :(

Sometimes Benaiah's muscles just refuse to push his poop out (sorry if that's TMI) and we end up at the children's hospital for a good ole cleaning out.

Day 1: Feeling sooooo bad

Day 2 AM: Feeling even worse

Day 2 PM: Starting to turn the corner

Day 3: Happy and ready to start eating again!

Ever since we got home from the hospital, I haven't seemed to be able to catch up on things, but I'm hoping to spend some time tomorrow posting some photos of the beautiful art that is being sold to help us bring Lily home.