Our stork has landed!!!

Oh my goodness!!!! We were out of county last night watching Jason play basketball when my phone rang. It was 8:09 p.m.!! My guess was that they needed more last minute info ... but instead she said "I have great news for you guys... I'm holding a photo your daughter!" I nearly hit the floor. I scooted back in the gym and waived Mark down from the stands and we listened in stunned shock to the following details.

She is from the Jiangxi province, and is from the Xinyu Social Welfare Institute. She was born on February 27, 2008 and was admitted to the orphange on the 28th. She entered into foster care at 1 week of age. Her most recent physical was back in August and it has her weighing 13 lbs, and 24 inches long. It also informed us that she is a mod. to light sleeper and can be restless. Hmmm..... It states she enjoys music, and laughs aloud. It also said she has a ready smile and knows strangers from aquaintences. We hope to get more updated info asap.

Our boys are beyond excited! We feel like we are in a dream because nothing has gone the way referrals "normally" go. The date on the official red seal on our Letter of Acceptence is December 25, 2008!!!!!

Yesterdays scripture on myPower of a Praying Parent calendar reads...

Isaiah 65:23

They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be descendants of the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them.

Our hearts are full... we love you you all very much! Continue to remember us when you pray.

And by the way... Jason sunk the winning basket of the game in very last second!!!

Love,

Mark, Cindy, Jason, Andrew and Delaney??? Sarah??? Rebecca??? Lydia??? Leah??? Jenna???

Dream Weaver

Happy New Year!!

We have just returned home from a great week with family in Ohio. While we were there, referrals came! It is completely likely that we will have a referral in Feb. or most likely March. It is a "twin" thing that makes me believe it will be March...Cheryl came home with Josie on March 9th, she got Emilie's referral on March 9th, and my paper work was logged in at the CCAA on March 9th. I thought the March 9th connection was complete until I realized that March 9th 2009 is on a Monday... a very likely day for referrals to arrive for the March batch. TBC......
During the past 3+ years of waiting I have had a few dreams along the way. Now before you jump to conclusions that I have leaped off the deep end, let me reassure you that I come from a family of dreamers. God himself used dreams numerous times in the Bible to reveal Himself.
So, I have decided to post a few of my dreams that I feel were from the Lord to bring comfort to us as well as reveal Himself in this process.
In September 2005...
I dreamed we were in China getting our girl and she was sitting in the box she was found in. There was a date written in pencil on the flap of the box with her birthdate. It read November 17, 2007 ( or 2008.) I remember noticing that the year was much farther out than what it was supposed to be, and this is why the year is a fuzzy detail. I was so busy telling the Lord he got the year wrong I couldn't see that He was trying to show me that the wait was going to be much longer than I expected. I noticed that when they were handing her to Mark that there was a wooden chair in the box that was sitting in a thin aluminum pan. I immediately thought to myself that she must have come from a family that cooked for living and that they did not want her to get wet (or dirty) while she was waiting to be found. The guide asked Mark what her name was and he told her "Caroline."
On December 15, 2007...
I deamed of a beautiful park in China. I noticed a young couple who was sitting in the grass crying and comforting one another. In this dream I remember having the awareness that they were grieving the abandonment of their daughter. The father kept referring to her as "Po-Po."
(There were some very personal details in this dream I have chosen to keep private, but should she arrive and there be a connection to those details, I will certainly post them as a testimony to the Lord.)
January 12, 2008
I dreamed about being led with Mark through a side entrance into an orphanage. There were babies everywhere on the floor... not in cribs. You could hardly move without stepping on them. I began to cry. Mark reached down and picked up a tiny one. I saw 2 women asleep in the far left cornor of the room. One of them woke up and I was struck by the sheer exhaustion on her face. I picked up a beautiful girl playing on the floor and she threw up on me. I remember being alarmed that it had worms in it!! I thought to myself..."as soon as we get her home we are all getting wormed!"
August 27, 2008
Not exactly a dream...
As I was in that in-between time of awake and asleep I saw a georgous baby girl sitting in a plain room with white walls. She was in a high-chair of sorts being fed a bottle. She was wearing a pink outfit with a cute pink headband.
I got out of bed thinking "was that a dream or a vision?" Later as I was getting ready it hit me like a ton of bricks! We were leaving that morning for Atlanta to complete or 3rd (yes... 3rd) round of federal fingerprints. I firmly believe that the Lord was encouraging me to remember that "she" is what this day was really about.
Now there you have it. Call me crazy or call me blessed. I know I am blessed!
Pray for us often..
Mark, Cindy, Jason, and Andrew

Joel 2:28

Peace Speaker

This is the matching room where our "dossier" sits
and waits to be pulled. A dossier is apacket of all of
our blood sweat and tears, not to mention our
life story documented and notarized...
certified... and authenticated!
When God's perfect timing is complete, someone
from the matching department will reachfor our file and begin to read over it thoroughly. She will look through the profiles of available "paper ready babies" and match a baby to our dossier based on everything they have learned looking through our file. This is where all of our prayers meet the heart and mind of sweet Chinese social worker. She/he may not even know what is guiding them to this particular photo, that photo.... but Mark, Jason, Andrew and I know that this is the moment where an all knowing God literally creates a match made in heaven.

As some of you already know, our chosen adoption agency was Hope for Children out of Atlana. A few weeks ago we were abruptly notified that due to the failing economy, Hope was closing their doors effective immediately. An agency partner would be taking over our adoption process if we so choose. This offer came at an unexpected, significant fee increase. I don't have words to describe the fear and mistrust that began to consume my thoughts. Here we are so close to a referral and we are forced into the unknown. Then to add insult to injury came the news that the CCAA was increasing the orphanage fee donation from $3000 to $5000! Again... unexpected unforseen fees.
We have been brought to our knees (literally) by this flurry of unexpected events.
But God... that same all knowing God that will guide our daughters photo to our profile, is not shocked or caught off guard. He has used many caring family members and friends to intercede on our behalf. Peace comes like a soothing balm over a raw wound.
I'll close with Psalms 40:1-4a
I waited patiently for the Lord:
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and
put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who
makes the Lord his trust.
Our family is blessed beyond measure this Christmas Season!
We love you ,
Cindy (for Mark, Jason, and Andrew)

Time flies when your're having fun!

I know... It's been a long time. I'll try to catch us all up to speed. Our summer was awsome, we traveled some, sent the boys to church camps and sports camps, and before we knew it the o8 school year had began. Jason is a Junior, and Andew is a Sophomore. Sniff sniff... where has the time gone. They are both having a good semester, Jason was inducted into the Beta Club in September, and voted onto the Junior class Homecoming court in October. Andrew is busy keeping his tennis skills sharp. They are both enjoying being on the praise team for the youth group. Jason has been playing the drums, (rock on) and Andrew is singing and recently began to learn the acoustic guitar.

Our parsonage has undergone a $40,000. renovation, and yes... we were foolish enough to remain in it throught the entire ordeal. Never again!!! The results are fantastic and make the "in-house camping" experience a distant memory.

Mark and I are beginning to feel the pinch of the up-coming life change with the baby. We are so very close... it looks like a possible February/March referral. That will make it a full 3 year wait since login... 3 1/2 all together. We continue to wait watch and pray. In the in-between time it's just great to be the parents of 2 of the sweetest boys I know... a priveledge to serve the Lord at the 10th st. Church of God... and loving every second of it all.

Remember our family when you pray...

Love,

Cindy (for Mark, Jason, and Andrew and Jenna??? Caroline??? Sarah??? Rebeckah???

Pslam 62:1,2

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Summer at last!!

Hello,

Summer has finally arrived down here in South Georgia. So what is the first thing we do? Head up to Ohio for a family visit! My brother Dan has the perfect set-up for a family of massive proportions. As we celebrated my neice Dani's highschool graduation, we found some time to relax. I especailly love how Jason's smile is as big as Emilie's. Sorry for the awkward view of the photo's, most of you know I'm seriously electronically challenged.



This is Andrew with my Granny and Aunt. She'll soon turn 94 and has a tremendous heart for worship. It was wonderful for be in church with her. Amazingly she was able to standfor much of the praise & worship, and yes... she still actively participates!! I am very thankful that Jason and Andrew will have solid memories of her. She leaves a tremendous heritage of the faithfulness of God. Her ability to love unconditionally is uncanny. Just a week after this photo was taken Granny was hospitalized suffering symptoms of a stroke. It appears she has suffered a series of mini strokes. Please keep her in your prayers.

Now for the latest on our girl.....Referrals came in this week and we are inching ever closer to our 3/9/06 LID. It appears that the CCAA has placed children through January 20, 2006. We are Patiently awaiting our turn. We are hopeful to have a photo of her by the end of the year.

Please remember her as well as the entire Grimes family as we continue to wait... watch... and pray.

Much love,

Cindy

Basketball...Tennis...Baseball

I can hardly believe it...how does time go by so fast, yet we still have no referral?Our original intentions were to post once a month until we got closer to our referral.We have been attending basketball games through February, and now tennis for Andrew and baseball for Jason. I find myself doing double takes to be sure that these handsome, smart men are my sons. For those of you who know me, you know that there is not an atheletic bone in my body. I have become the epitome of "sports mom." Now for those of you who know Mark, realize these athletic abilities are soley from his gene pool. His favorite pastime is to coach the boys from the bench... fence... or bleachers and do so loudly!! We are having a great time, but I'm painfully aware that the clock is ticking. The longer we wait for a referral, the less time we have to spend as a family of five. This thought has really been weighing heavily on my heart lately. Jason will soon be a Junior, and Andrew a Sophomore.
As I "sit, soak, and sour," I realize a powerful truth. I know with all of my heart that the footsteps of my boys are ordered by the Lord. I pray for it daily and speak it over them. So this morning in church, it occured to me that our daughters footsteps are ordered by the Lord as well. By faith I know that soon those little footsteps will lead her straight to us!
Please remember to call out our names in prayer.
With much love,
Cindy (for mark, Jason & Andrew)

Happy New Year

Have we ever got some catching up to do! It seems that once the school year got going, we have been traveling at warp speed. Mark and I are great, the boys are doing great! The church is doing great, the adoption process.... not so much. Things continue to slow down. I am trying my best to leave this with the Lord. Some extra prayer cover regarding this matter would be greatly appreciated. I received a letter from my agency letting us know that they (China) have no intention of speeding up the referral process as stated earlier in the year the CCAA. (China Center of Adoption Affairs) There are also rumors that China may suspend referrals altogether for a few months to prepare for the Olympics.
The good news is that since we were staring at yet another Christmas without our daughter, we decided to take a vacation that would not be done as easily with a baby/toddler. So, Mark got busy with Denise at our travel agency and cooked up a sweet 7 day cruise of the Hawaiian Islands. Wow!!! It was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Jason and Andrew saw Pearl Harbor, Wiamea Canyon, Kilowea (sp) the volcano, and the Nepali Coast. We also learned to snorkel and saw countless fish that we had only ever seen in aquariums. The guys ended the trip with a zip-line tour on Kauai.
We have only been home for a week, and Mark has already had to preach 2 funerals. These were both dear sweet women who served the Lord for most of their lives at 10Th Street. They will be missed.
Now we are back to school, back to basket-ball season and all is well in the Grimes house. We give the Lord this New Year to use us as He pleases. Our time is His time, our work is His work. Please think about us often and say a prayer for us as we wait for little girl.
We love you all,
Cindy (for Mark, Jason, Andrew and baby girl)