We're still coming for you Hannah!!!!

Hannah,

I want you to know that I have not forgotten about you. I am still coming for you. My heart has been torn by the length of the time that China is taking to get me to you, but I also know that I've requested a child that is as young as possible, so knowing that China is about 2 years away from my log in date, I don't think you've been born yet. I am praying for your biological parents as I know that it will be a very difficult decision for them to give you to me. But it is a decision that I am very grateful for............you will bless our lives so much.

As I wait for you, I am getting a big sister for you to play, dance, and sing with.....to laugh and cry together. You will not always get along, but you will deeply love each other and carry the bond that only sisters can. I can't wait for you to meet Isabelle and I can't wait for her to meet you. I know that your friendship will start right from the beginning........

In the mean time, once we get her, she will be going through a lot of surgeries and becoming our first child.......learning all the in's and out's of having us for parents (even training us......lol).........so please know that you will both have special places in our hearts and we could never replace either of you.

Love,

Your Mommy...........:):):)

Introducing Isabelle Hope

Hello everyone............as we neared the last few days before we had to return our domestic adoption contract on Thursday (6/7/07) we received a call yesterday (6/1/07) from our China adoption worker, Jaclyn. She called to tell us that, knowing we were open to a waiting child with special needs, there was a 10 month old girl in Russia that needed a family. Jaclyn said that she has cleft lip/cleft palate/cleft nose, but she wanted us to consider if she would fit in our family or not. Jaclyn emphasized that either way, it would not effect our chances to get Hannah from China. She also said that the costs were somewhat reduced and if we got all of our paperwork (dossier) together fast, we could bring her home by the end of the summer.................

We thought about it overnight.........I had some reservations, but Gary didn't. He felt that with the timing it was from God. Had Jaclyn called me the following Thursday I would have already turned in the contract and all of the money we saved for Hannah to the domestic adoption agency........non-refundable.

My reservations were based on
1. She's not a newborn -- though this is the case and my dreams are dying more, God could still send us a biological child if He so chose.
2. Fear of being able to raise enough money for Hannah after giving it up for Isabelle and then fixing Isabelle's cleft issues. God can and will handle that. (By the way, her fees were reduced and the cost -- except for travel -- was a little LESS than the domestic adoption)
3. Isabelle's cleft issues will be handled either by an organization called the Smile Train (for free), or by other doctors in the area from hospitals that help children regardless of ability to pay.

So, my reservations were fear based and totally unfounded..............so when I woke up this morning, we talked again and decided that she is to be our daughter. The 2nd adoption, but the 1st child..........and Hannah the 1st adoption, but the 2nd child.............

I will probably call her Hope because I like Hannah and Hope...........but Isabelle Hope means God's Promise Hope..................Hannah's is God is Gracious, Beautiful Grace

I will be opening a blog for her soon.........and this time I have PICTURES!!!!!!

Terri for the Casebier's