April 12 - Double referral day

I left you with my parents' request for a waiver for the adoption of XiaoChun. At that point, I still had no word on when my referral from Taiwan would come. I had been sitting in the #1 spot on the waitlist for months and had been 'passed over' for referrals for one reason or another. I was discouraged that the Lord would not release me to move to the China program. I was excited, though, that my parents had decided to pursue XiaoChun's adoption.

In an instant, the story changed. In an instant, it all made perfect sense. In an instant, discouragement turned to joy, and TWO children were added in our hearts as "family" just as the Lord had spoken back in March.

April 12, 2011, was just a normal day. I was crazy busy getting ready for trial on a complicated case. My parents had submitted for preapproval less than 48 hours earlier. I was expecting nothing special out of the day. Sometime that morning, my mother called me at work very excited. China said YES. Already?!?! It usually takes more than 24-48 hours to get preapproval, especially when waivers are needed! Not this time! China said yes immediately to my parents as parents for XiaoChun and granted the waivers! I was stunned and very happy.

I thought that was the WOW of the day.

Ahh, but the Lord wasn't done.

You see, He had told me back in March there would be two. I guess He wanted to make sure I really, really "got" it. Just hours after my parents received their formal preapproval/referral for XiaoChun, I received the phone call that I had been waiting on for over a year. A referral! For me! On the same day!

I was expecting a tiny baby, but the referral came for an 18-month old little girl. An exquisite 18 month old gem who desperately needed a family. In so many ways that I won't share publicly (to protect her privacy and the privacy of those making decisions for her future), the Lord showed me that this little girl needed me to be her mother. As far as I know, I was the only person on the waitlist who had previously adopted a two year old and who had a homestudy written for a toddler or older child, not only an infant. I said yes right away, but it was later that night when I realize there even more confirmation.

We went to dinner to celebrate both children, and the owner of the restaurant, being from Taiwan, looked at her name and told me that it means "gift of peace." The scripture I had read about joy and peace was confirmed.

Since my parents and I share a household, in most ways that matter, both of these girls will become Amelia's sisters. In a way, Amelia got the "twins" she prayed for so very long ago - two little girls sent to our family on the same day.

Introducing sweet Yu-An, my daughter:


I have to admit...I wondered how the Lord would top "stretch out your hand toward Ai." Then He did. By sending both children on the very same day, He was true to His word to me.

I am 100% certain that THESE two children are the ones He is sending to our family. Not by accident. Not by happenstance. Not because we were in the right place at the right time or just by luck the next in line. These children are part of this family as part of a greater plan. It is true that unfortunate and sad things happened to bring them both to the place where they needed families, but out of the ashes, our Father makes beautiful things. I am certain that He is writing a story for these girls that is nothing short of miraculous. How humbled and honored I am to be a part of their story!

Oh, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called His children! Truly, it is more than I could have dared to hope, ask or imagine.

Amy