News from our agency!

The following news was sent from our adoption agency, CHI, today:
Congratulations to the 13 CHI June 29, 2005 log in date families who received their referrals today. The referrals are all little girls between 7 ½ and 21 months old from the Guangxi and Guangdong provinces. We expect these families will travel in about 8 weeks. Congratulations to these CHI families!!This batch of referrals began with the June 29, 2005 log in date. TheCCAA has not posted the cut off date for this batch of referrals ontheir web site yet, but we believe that the cut off date is July 13 based on other agencies reports. I will continue to monitor the CCAA web site and post the official cut off date. The wait time from login date to referral is now 13 months. There were no Chinese expedited referrals in this batch.Ann TollefsonChina Program Director

Well, we are another referral pack closer! It looks like we will have plenty of time to save money and get the nursery ready. Each month gets a little harder emotionally though. I received some clothes for Lauren from a friend at work. I washed them today and was putting them in her closet and thought of the day I will get to hold her in these clothes! I can't wait. Dan and I went looking at cribs today. We picked out the set we like. It's a Stanley cherry wood "crib to grow". It's beautiful!

Thank You Palo Verde Friends!

I was at work yesterday when I suddenly noticed a large group of my co-workers standing behind me. I looked up to their smiling faces and they handed me the note pictured here. Enclosed was $540.00. Needless to say, I was speechless. I did not, and still do not, know how to thank all of you for your generosity and more than that your awesome friendship. It means more to Dan and I than you will ever know. When I tell Lauren of our adventure to get her someday... you will definitely be a part of that story.

We are going to the bank on Monday to deposit the funds into our special "adoption" savings account.

May God bless you in return.

All Our Love,

Dan & Mardi

Gifts From My Secret Pal!

Our Children's Hope International adoption agency has set up a yahoo chat group with those of us with a March '06 Log In Date (L.I.D.) We have been talking back and forth for some time now and have just recently set up a secret pal exchange. It is my first ever and I'm having lots of fun with it! I have an awesome secret pal! She is crafty too!

The pictures are of the two books she sent and the beautiful ribbon with Lauren's name. The book "Shaoey and Dot" is a book written by Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife. They have adopted 3 little girls from China and have now written this book. The story is of a ladybug named dot and how she finds a baby in a basket, Shaoey, and they become friends and journey together to find Shaoey's family!

As far as our progress with the adoption, it is about the same. The average wait is still 12-13 months. We have been spending our summer camping, seeing a show in Las Vegas called "KA" by Cirque De Soleil. The show was absolutely amazing! Other than that we are working on the house, and trying to save as much as we can for our trip to China! :)

We just got a digital camera. I know, welcome to the 21st Century, right?! :) Anyway, these pictures didn't come out as well as I would have liked. I will keep learning more about the camera and hopefully post some pic's of the nursery so far.

Our 1st Ultrasound!

Well, the wait is averaging 12-13 months from LID. We are are 4 months into that wait. So...I figure that makes us officially Pregnant! Here is our 1st ultrasound! :)

Dan and I went ice skating today and as we watched all the little ones buzzing by, we talked of our future with our little Lauren. During this wait time it almost seems surreal that we will actually have Lauren in our arms some day. She will change our lives forever.

Lauren, we love you and are praying for you everyday!