Awesome Auction

Hello Everyone,
While most of you are likely getting your beauty rest.....I am burning the midnight oil.💤  When you have little ones, the only time I can write things, work on adoption paperwork, etc. is after they are asleep!  I just got done applying for another grant.😣  And I have another one sitting here beside me on the desk that I need to get done, but it's not going to be tonight.  Too tired and then I make stupid mistakes.  Unfortunately, the day after our auction had ended I received an email that we were denied one of the grants that I had previously applied for.  That is so disheartening when that happens.  But that is also the way applying for grants goes.  I heard or read somewhere that for every 10 grants you apply for, you may only get 3.  And that is why friends, I am still applying for more!!!!!
Thankfully our online auction was a HUGE success everyone!  What an exciting and unexpected surprise, and you all did that!!!!!  I can't thank all the individuals enough that graciously donated items to be auctioned off.  And then you bidders.....well that was fun to watch!  I hope you all had a good time with it as well.  Your winning bids are definitely blessing our adoption.  For those of you that have items from me, I hope to have them ready to ship out Monday or Tuesday this week.  

Oh and the 2nd T-shirt order was submitted last week too, for those of you that had ordered.

Adoption Process Update:
All of our documents have been logged into China since 9/5.  There they were being translated and have now moved into review.  Once they were all sent to China, we did ask for favor if China would consider expediting Ming's case.  Unfortunately China said no.  Their take on it was that he was receiving transfusions therefore not dying or medically frail. So my agency asked me to get ANOTHER letter from Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of The Children's Healthcare of Atlanta explaining/education about the recommended treatment (which he is not getting), chelation management (not given in China), and potential organ and neurological risks/side effects when not being treated and managed properly.  (It was a very impressive letter by the way!  I can't wait to meet this nurse there and get to work with these leading specialists in Thalassemia.)  My agency was hoping to share this additional letter and plead our case to the Dr at the orphanage and ask them to speak with the CCCWA again.  I have not heard anything since this time, so if I don't see our LOA by the end of this week- then no expedite is being done on their side.😠  So pray for a speedy LOA (letter of acceptance).  This is what we need next from China in order to move to the next step(I800).  It is getting so much closer everyone........I'm starting to feel anxious about just how close it really is!
A couple people have asked me, "Aren't you afraid?"  I think they usually are referring to his medical condition or the stage of politics between our countries.....?  My response is usually, "No, I'm really not."  But if I am totally honest......., my #1 fear is coming up with the finances to complete this adoption.  Sad isn't it?  I wouldn't be feeling as anxious or stressed if it wasn't for that burden that I am carrying. But I have faith He has led us to this boy, our son; and HE will make a way.  I'm not sure what it is right now, but I also never would have thought that you all would have rallied around us to complete our puzzle fundraiser or this online auction as you did!  So thank you village.  You are amazing, and we are humbled and honored to be able to share our journey with you all.  Thank you for believing in us, and wanting to be a part of this special little boy's story.💙

I know there was some other things I wanted to update you on, but right now I'm drawing a blank💭
Ming's 3rd birthday is coming up here in October, so I'm working on trying to find another family that will be traveling soon to China/GZ to deliver our family's photo book to our in-country guide.  That's a picture of the front cover, at the top of this post.  We plan to have set up, that the guide will deliver a birthday cake and goodies enough for a group of the children and their ayis to share and celebrate his birthday.  There he will give Ming our photo book, in hopes that the ayis will look at it with him and help prepare his little heart and mind over the next couple months before meeting us.  

Continue to keep us and the adoption process in your prayers, if you would please.  Share our posts/blog posts/adopttogether site with your friends and family.  The adopttogether site is still up and running as well as our PayPal account for any donations.  

I think I'm going to turn in guys.  I'm tired!!!! 😴   Sweet dreams!

Adoption Update

Good Afternoon Everyone,
I wanted to update you all on the current happenings.  It's going well and we are so thankful for all your prayers and good thoughts.  😊  As I shared with you before, we were able to expedite Ming's file through our USCIS.  Our documents were also processed quickly at DC through the Chinese Embassy.  Tuesday the 29th, our authenticated documents were then sent to China to join our dossier. At this point, we were able to request that our in-country guide speak with the orphanage that Ming is at if they were willing to speak with the CCCWA (China) about medically expediting his processing.  This allows us to keep working towards getting him home as soon as possible so he can receive the medical care that he needs.  This expedite request level, is a little trickier because we are now asking another country with different cultural and government beliefs and operations.  China is a very proud country and rich in cultural heritage and beliefs.  I believe that Ming is at an orphanage that cares for their children and wants the best for them, but the harsh reality is that their means to provide the medical care and the medical care itself are not the same as the US standards. China has a blood shortage.  Ming is an orphan.  So even I can do that math, and I am really BAD at math!  He is getting blood transfusions, but often what happens is they are only transfused the bare minimum amount and frequency to keep them from being fatally ill.  This poses all kinds of medical risks: he likely feels run down or even lethargic most the time (unless he was just transfused), he is more susceptible to illness/infections.  Ming acquiring an infection and with a low hemoglobin level could be potentially fatal for him.  Beta Thalassemia Major children (receiving monthly blood transfusions) should also be on chelation medication to help their body rid of the build up of iron from the frequent transfusions.  Orphans in China do not get this chelation medication.  They cannot afford it.  When this iron builds up in their bodies over years time, it settles in the liver and then the heart.  Ultimately if not managed (medication mgmt.), these organs will go into failure and the child/individual will die.  There is an expression, that Thalassemia is a death sentence if you live in China.  😢
All these children, orphans, need to come home as soon as possible, there is no doubt about it!  And there are some medically frail, even actively dying orphans that some families are frantically racing to get to China in time to get their child the medical attention that they in the US can give that child a fighting chance.  Leading pediatric hematology specialists have research and documentation to support that the sooner that children with thalassemia are properly transfused and treated/managed with chelation medication the better their overall health and quality of life will be (less secondary and tertiary side effects/impairments).  So this is why we, Ming's family is trying everything we can to process paperwork as quickly as we are allowed.  We are now his voice and his parents, therefore we will fight for him.  I am already so thankful that we have been able to expedite things so far......  And a special little angel has been helping facilitate communication for us to China for this next step.  Our in-country guide did ask the orphanage about us medically expediting Ming, and they agreed to go the the CCCWA in Bejing and ask.😬 (these are the BIG guys)  This is a BIG deal.  There are many orphanages that will NOT do this.  So I am very grateful that his SWI and orphanage director is willing to ask.  I would like to ask you village, to join us in praying for this next step.  I am praying that the CCWA will find favor in our request and agree to process his file quickly.

While all that is going on over there in China, we are still trying to raise the funds necessary to keep pace with the adoption process and fees.  We are a long way away from being fully funded, and unfortunately I have not heard anything back from 3 grants that I applied for😔.
You may have noticed, we have our T-shirt sales going on and will continue with those for awhile. (see link at right side).  The picture at the top of this post is Doug modelling his new shirt.  I have received nothing but positive feedback from those people that have purchased their shirts already.  I was so happy with the designs and their quality, that we decided to add some youth sizes and an additional sweatshirt. (because this sweatshirt is amazingly soft-I'm NOT lying or exaggerating either.  You ALL need one!😄)
One of our dear friends, Jackie Sherwood, we traveled with on our first trip to adopt Tingzi has offered to organize and run an online auction for us.  These are fun, and very popular amongst the international adoption community.  You may have seen a few of her fb posts that she is collecting items to donate (gift cards, homemade items, crafts, products, services, clothing, gifts, jewelry, hair bows, etc.).  She will upload photographs of your donated items into her auction album.  We will be inviting you all to the online auction group just prior to it launching, Sept. 12-19th.  Once it launches, you will be able to view and shop from the comfort of your home.  It will also be open to the "public" so please share the link/group on ALL of your timelines so we can get more people exposed to the auction and potential sales.  The items will be won by the highest bidder of each item.  Winners will be invoiced by Jackie.  Once paid, the item will be shipped out to the winner from the person that donated the item.  Sound interesting and fun.......it is!  So don't miss it!  And please if you are able to donate something to be auctioned off, please contact me or Jackie!
Always feel free to share our story with your friends and family.  Share our PayPal link or AdoptTogether link for donations to help us offset the financial challenges we are faced to complete the adoption.

We will continue to keep you posted.  Thank you again village for taking this journey with us.  we are getting there......Mama and BaBa are coming for you little Ming Ming, I promise!