Mei Qiu Qi

The Chinese custom is to write their name with their last name or surname first. So, Mei is actually Bree's Chinese last name. Mei means "little sister" and she shares this surname with most of the girls in her orphanage. We assume because she was found in Meizhou City. Qiu, which is Bree's first name, means "Autumn" and she shares that name with most of the girls in her orphanage as well. Bree's middle name is Qi and it means "fine jade". We love the fact that Mei means little sister since that is exactly what she will be in our forever family!

The Road to China

This last week has been busy reading and assimilating all the documents being sent to us from our agency. They are preparing us well for our travel. Still not expecting LOA until end of June at the earliest. TA will follow about one month after that, then its down to the wire.
We are keeping in close contact with our new friends in Florida who are adopting Myah from the same orphanage. Bree and Myah are only four days apart in age, so they entered the orphanage within days of one another and reportedly are friends. It has been such a blessing to have this connection!

Care Package

Today our first care package to Bree was sent. We enlisted the help of a Chinese woman named Ann who owns Red Thread China. She personally shopped for us and sent Bree a summer dress, a stuffed panda bear, a picture album of 10 pictures I had taken of us and her new room etc. and a letter she translated for us. We also sent the caregivers candy and a disposable camera to take pictures of Bree. Usually, the orphanage will bring the camera and anything else you sent to you on Gotcha Day Ann said our package should arrive in two days, so I am hoping by Monday. Ann was also able to get us current measurements of Bree (which we had already gotten from our agency). Hard to know how much Bree understands about this adoption, but we just pray they show her our pictures so she has some familiarity with her new family.

Recent Headlines

Alot of people have called or asked about the horrific earthquake that China suffered two days ago. Fortunately, Bree is in the province of Guangdong which is southeast of the Sichuan province where the quake's epicenter occurred. I am sure the orphanage felt it since cities like Beijing, which are the same distance north, felt it. We are praying for the families who are adopting from the Sichuan province. We are assured through Psalm 91 that Bree is protected and that her orphanage is surrounded by a crown of thorns.

Tracy

Bree's actual medical condition

I thought I would explain more in detail just what exactly Bree's special needs are. We (myself and my local pediatric orthopedic friend) believe she was born with a condition called arthrogryposis. Basically, this is a condition that affects the joints in a baby's body due to insufficient movement during pregnancy. These children are born with contractures- meaning there joints are in a flexed position. There are many degrees of arthrogryposis, but we feel Bree has a "milder" type called distal arthrogryposis (DA), as only her distal extremities are affected ie: hands/wrists and feet/ankles. Of course we won't really know until she has been fully examined in the states and has xrays. The specialist feels we will be able to stretch and possibly splint her affected fingers and she will need casting and surgery on her feet. Surgery will be followed by lots of physical and occupational therapy so we can get her up and walking!! We pray daily for God's healing of Bree....and with his stripes we are healed Isaiah 53:5.

More Prayers answered!

Today we recieved an update on Bree!! Once we had sent in our letter of intent we were allowed to ask for an update. We asked for specific pictures, like one of her smiling, and some of her hands and feet to better assess her needs. The orphanage was wonderful and sent a picture for everything we had asked for. We also got current measurement: 11.5 kg, 78 cm ht, 48 cm head circ., 8cm feet and 20 teeth. They stated she was very healthy, outgoing and likes to play with other children. She also likes her bath! We are so over the moon in love with her. Now we can get together a care package to send to her with pictures of us so she can get to know her new forever family. We are so blessed.
Tracy

He is all knowing

Yesterday we were emailed from a family in Florida who are currently adopting from the same orphanage as Bree. They too have been matched with a 2 year old around the same time as we were matched with Bree. We are sure they must be playmates! It is comforting to progress through this journey with someone who is experiencing the same emotions as us.

God is so good!

This week has been amazing as we have had contact with other families that have adopted from the same orphanage as Bree. We are told only good things about Meizhou City Welfare Institute. As far as the timeline goes, we are now awaiting a LOA (letter of acceptance), which indicates that we may request travel to China to get Bree. Looking at the stats from an online waiting child group from my agency, our LOA could occur anytime in the next 2-3 months. After LOA comes TA (travel approval) with approximate travel to China being 5-8 weeks from LOA. So we are still looking at 4-6 months before "gotcha day". "Patience is a virtue", my father always said to me growing up and ...as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way....in understanding, patience and kindness ....2 Corinthians 3-6

p.s. the times on these posts are actually Hong Kong time which is exactly 12 hrs ahead of us. So while its actually 8p Thurs. here and we're readying for bed, it is 8a Fri. in China and Bree has already been up for 1.5 hours!
Tracy