So What's Next?

On monday we received our Article 5 notice!!!!!!!!

Timeline straight from CCAI:

1.5-3 Weeks - CCCWA will issue Travel Approval (TA)

1-5 Business Days After TA - Once CCAI receives confirmation, we will have set travel dates.  Travel plans will be finalized with CCAI staff and local Chinese government offices.

10-21 Days After TA - Travel to China!  We will receive our day-to-day travel itinerary 5-7 days prior to actual departure.

Brandy - Best case: we leave around December 10 and get back around Christmas Eve. Worst case: we leave at the end of December and come back after the New Year. Still praying hard for an early travel date! Our nerves are seriously on edge now! So much to do to get ready to go. We got our travel agent on go for when we get our dates, so that is a start! My heart is pounding so fast right now just thinking about meeting Jack! It's happening people! 

To tide you over, here are some pictures of Jack's room!

Article 5 Countdown

Right now, we are anxiously awaiting our Article 5.  We even decided last night to get the suitcases down from the attic.  What is an article 5?  We're not really sure either, but when we get it, we should get a travel approval (TA) within 1.5 to 3 weeks.  We were told to expect the Article 5 in two weeks, and we are on day 12.  Jack coming home is truly reality now. We're getting his room finished up, got his clothes hanging in his closet ready to be worn and toys ready to be played with.  Last night, I assembled his stroller, car seat, and Ninja Turtles Big Wheel.  I was most nervous installing the decals on the Big Wheel.  I meticulously placed every one on there trying my best not to get any wrinkles in the stickers.  Jack's dad makes a living making decals.  If his Big Wheel isn't the coolest on the block, we have a problem.  I wanted so bad to "test drive" it for him, but it said on the bottom, "Kids Only".  How bad would it be if I broke one of his toys before he got to come home and see them?


We are pleading with everyone to please pray for a few specific things:

Please pray for Jack at this time. Pray that he is being prepared by his caregiver to meet his forever family. This is going to be hard on him. We are already so in love with him however he doesn't know us. How scary for a child. Pray for us to have patience with him. Because Lord knows all we want to do is hug and kiss him, however they may not be what he needs at first from us. Hopefully we can bond while we are in China and gain his trust. God is so good and He receives ALL the glory! No matter what! 

We checked pricing to travel at the beginning of December and the middle of December, the price difference is about $2500.00 to fly later in the month! God can make anything happen so send up a prayer that the paperwork goes through and the travel dates come back to where we leave at the beginning of the month! I truly believe that if we pray loud enough, often enough and all in one voice, God can make this happen! As a family in Christ and in His name we pray!!! 

While going through our own adoption we have met so many sweet families.  This past Saturday, Brandy got to help Jason and Haley Bush with their yard sale to help bring home their son, Max.  It's so awesome to be a part of this adoption community.  All of the adoptive parents we have met have been super awesome.

Below, is a video Brandy shared about the orphanages run by our adoption agency, CCAI.  These are the people helping us bring Jack home, and these orphanages look very similar to the ones he has been in.

October Update Roundup 2014

October Update Roundup

All posts by Brandy Paul

October 1

We are so excited! We just sent off our I-800 (Jack's immigration) to be approved! The excitement and nervousness of getting our son home is setting in quickly! It is now reality that we will be able to touch our sweet Jack SOON! Two years is a very long time to wait for a child however I know God is perfect in His timing. So I trust Him fully! THANK YOU all for your encouragement and prayers! I don't think that I will ever really be able to express to each one of you how much it has meant to us! 

October 3

Things are happening fast. Got an email telling us what to expect during the "travel part" of the wait. We are actually talking and preparing to travel! Can't believe we are so close to getting our son! Hopefully Jack's immigration (I-800) will go smoothly so it won't hold the timeline up any. If things go as they should we will be in China mid-late December. How about that for a Christmas gift!  

October 7