Im so sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I update Facebook with a lot of the "big news" but then sometimes I forget to actually write it out. So here goes.... At the beginning of October we got a referral for a precious little boy with Cleft lip and palate. The profile was nearly 6 months old and did not include an update. Dan and I really wanted an update to make sure his development was still on track and to find out if the lip had been repaired. We waited nearly 2 weeks for an update due to a holiday in China. Nearly the whole country "shuts down" to celebrate holidays. When the update arrived he was doing great, and his lip was repaired!! We got the update very late in the evening, we had just put the kids to bed, I sat on the couch and opened my email and found the update. I was so surprised! So I quietly smiled and forwarded it to Dan. He looked up at me and smile, we both just knew! For whatever reason the girls came down the stairs, I think the excuse was something like "we need one more hug," we showed them not even saying who he was or anything. Aviela smiled big, and Azalia repeatedly said "I want that one!" It seemed so peacefully clear, we reviewed the update, and then quickly submitted our letter of intent to adopt. It felt so right that we did not even have the profile reviewed by a physician. His profile was locked with our name and paperwork (dossier) on Oct 16. Our paperwork needs to be translated, and reviewed before China will issue our official letter of acceptance (LOA). On Oct 21 we found out our dossier had been translated but currently we are waiting for it to be reviewed. The estimated wait time is 2-3 month after the profile is locked, we are hoping by the end of the year to have our LOA. After we get the LOA, then we have to wait for Travel Approval (TA) which takes about 10-14 weeks.... Its our prayer that we will be able to travel sometime in Feb. :)
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One of the things that really gave us peace about him being our was how the nannies described him.
"..each time the nannies mix
his bottle then go in front of him, he will become especially excited and wave
his little hands. His mouth will
open up and smile and the smart and clever child is so likeable. When the nannies call his name, he will
quickly turn his head and look at the nannies."
He is a very happy baby, and you will see that in the videos. :) I know I always say it, but we can't wait to snuggle our little asian!! He was hand picked for us, and his life has a purpose, its not a mistake. He was meant to be an Einfeld, it was Gods plan from the beginning!!
His verse that we choose for him is Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Im sure you are all wondering about his name. Right now his name is Ma Yun Fan, and thats what we have been calling him. We will change it when he comes home, but we are gonna keep it a secret till then.
Everyone knows adoption is such a beautiful thing, but so expensive (HOWEVER, every penny has been worth it!)! Its true, most of the fees go towards paperwork, legal fees, and the government BUT China requires us to also give a "donation" to our sons orphanage. Its sometimes very emotional thinking about Ma Yun Fan, and wondering if hes crying, if hes scared, if anyone is holding him, or if his birthday was special. Obviously we have to leave it in Gods hands and trust that He is taking care of him, there is comfort in knowing that. So the cool thing about the donation that China requires is that this money goes DIRECTLY to his orphanage! It helps the orphanage continue to care for the babies that are waiting for their family, and for those who may never find their families. In many parts of China there is no heat, so the need for blanket and warm clothes is very important. This donation keeps the orphanages running so that when these kids are found abandoned on the street (like Ma Yun Fan) they have a place to go, it is of course not the same as a family, but they provide the basic needs of life- food, clothes, shelter that help the kids grow. So YOU can help!!! The donation that we need to bring to the orphanage is $5,600. We are making the below photo (taken at our family pictures) into a 560 piece puzzle. Each piece we will sell for $10, and your name will be written on the back of it. After all the pieces are sold we will frame the picture and hang it in Ma Yun Fan's room so that he can see how much he is loved, but also how much his country or more specifically his orphanage is LOVED and support. We pray that he will cherish this gift and in the years to come recognize that these people made a lasting mark on the place he called home for over a year of his life. 100% of every donation will be given directly to his orphanage, not the government, or our paperwork, or legal fees, or travel expenses, but to his ORPHANAGE!!!
You may purchase as many pieces as you would like. We have 560 to be claimed :) You may send the money online via our paypal account Danman_138@yahoo.com (mark the box to send to "Friends and family") or email me directly at Jeneinfeld@yahoo.com for our address if you prefer to mail the money that way. Also be sure to include the name, or family name that we should write on your puzzle piece.
And if your really brave, here is a video of one family in my group picking up their son from Ma Yun Fans orphanage. (You may have to copy and paste it in the browser, if it doesn't work let me know Ill try to find another link)
http://www.youtube.com/embed/nETsSugoCj0?rel=0
We had been planning on this and saving it till closer to the end, because it is more fun when you know WHERE your donation is going specifically. We really want to thank everyone from the bottoms of our hearts for the continual support, prayers, or even just checking in to see how the process is going. We never imagined it would be this difficult, but we are so thankful we preserved through the challenges. Looking at that sweet face makes it all worth it!! Thank you!!
