Timeline

I wanted to post the timeline of our adoption process so we will never forget how God moves mountains.

Jan 3, 2014  Submitted our application to Lifeline
Feb 15, 2014  Home study began
August 11, 2014 Submitted a LOI
August 20, 2014  Found out the girl we was hoping to call our own has a family in Ch*na
August 30, 2014 Submitted another LOI
September 2, 2014  PA for Selah Grace Ruihe Miller
September 19, 2014 Completed home study
November 10, 2014 I-800 approval
December 2, 2014  Lifeline said yes to the second child and submitted another LOI
December 4, 2014  PA for Shane Lin Miller
December 12, 2014  Home study amendment finished for two children
December 16, 2014  Branson receives his passport
December 18, 2014  Updated I-800 approval
December 19, 2014  DTC  Dossier to Ch*na
December 23, 2014 LID  Log in Date received minutes from a government shut down for 2 weeks
December 27, 2014  LOA  Letter of Acceptance
January 8, 2015  Booked tickets to Ch*na
January 9, 2015  Article 5 received minutes from office shut down for weekend
January 11, 2015  Leave for Ch*na without TA's
January 13, 2015  TA's received one minute from office closing for the day
January 14, 2015  Shane Lin Miller's gotcha day
January 15, 2015  Shane officially became ours
January 19, 2015  Selah Grace Ruihe Miller's gotcha day
January 20, 2015  Selah officially became ours
January 28, 2015  Shane's half brother signed off and notary in Zhuhai stayed late to finish docs       
February 2, 2015  CA appointments
February 4, 2015  Welcome to the USA

1 Month Home

Today is our 1st month home celebration.  In some ways it doesn't feel like we have been home that long but then in many ways it feels like it has been two months.  The last two weeks we have been to the medical doctor and eye doctor.  Drawing blood from a terrified 7 year old isn't for the faint of heart!  I decided that after the eye doctor I was only going to take one at a time.  Shane would get nervous and Selah reads him like a book which would cause her to have a crying fit.  I was wore out after trying to translate or act out what needed to be done and trying to comfort a crying girl who still didn't like me.  We weren't a pretty sight leaving the eye doctor!!  Live and learn!  Anyway we learned what this mom already knew after years of having kids and that is she needs glasses.  I can't wait to get them on her so she can discover her new world.  Trying to get her to understand how to take care of them sounds rather hard through.  Shane continues to like going to school with his 8 other classmates and enjoys his teacher a lot.  His English is getting better all the time even through he's still embarrassed to try it much around Andrew & I.  He does communicate a lot with Branson.  He likes to say naughty boys and then they all laugh or I have heard him say shut your eyes when its bedtime.  His teacher told me that he says he likes his new family, the trampoline, the 4-wheeler, and the farm.  Thank you Jesus!!  Yesterday a mandarin speaking friend of my friend came out to our house for a couple hours.  I learned that he likes my cooking, thinks American schools are a joke, says church is VERY boring, and having to go to bed at 9:00 is for little kids.  I'm shocked that he likes my cooking but the rest we pretty much had figured out by body language.  Also my new friend helped us figure out QQ for Shane and he immediately connected with his friends in country.  Then last night he had his first Skype with his orphanage.  It was a huge day for him and we saw positive things come from all of it.  I'm saving the best for last which was him reconnecting with his friend Lily from Montana who advocated to find him a family and was from his orphanage. 

Happy to be together again!!

 

 

They talked all afternoon and I sure was curious about what they were sharing with each other.  The person missing in the picture is Zeke but he's enjoying his new home in heaven.  Zeke mom and sister joined in our day too and shared encouragement.  Adoptive moms have a bond that I never understood until I become one of them.  We get each other and understand the hard places we sometimes walk and the emotions that run from good to bad.

 

Selah has went from a emotional, naughty, scared little firecracker to slowly opening herself up to receive love and settle her heart.  We still cry about everyday but then if I'm honest I cry pretty often too.  Emotional females!!  She loves to go and we have been going everywhere now.  She comes back home and adjusts well.  Entertaining herself is still not happening.  She is my tail everywhere I go.  I would rather have her as my tail than sitting on the chair zoned out but I will admit everyone needs time alone.  Getting groceries by myself is away time right now.  She has started coloring finally and its obvious that she has done it before.  So glad to see her settling in and becoming part of us where God has planted her.

 

 

Ready for her first American church visit

 

 

 

This month is more doctor appointments, learning more English, and learning more about love and family.  Things are going normal for adoptions and we are feeling a little bit more back to the new normal every week.  I'm glad spring is on its way which means lots of outside play time and teaching them new things about farming and gardening.