Natalie came to us unexpectedly. God had prepared us but we weren't to understand that until after we saw your face.
Our LID was the 7th of June. July’s referrals came and we got no call, I slipped further into a depression. August referrals came and still nothing. The end of August I went to Women of Faith conference in DC (have been going every year for over 10 years!). Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman were guest speakers. At the same time as they were to speak, I sat next to a woman and she started a conversation-how it got onto adoption I do not know, but anyway, she offered to pray for me and she said a wonderful prayer for my husband and I-asking God to send our child to us soon.
The Monday after the conference we received an email from AWAA highlighting several girls of all ages with heart conditions. The referral picture above in the green pants is the one that caught my eye and I called and asked if we could look at her file without locking it in. They said, yes we could do that but at anytime anywhere in the world someone else could lock it and then we would lose her. We gave everything to God and said if she’s our child then she will still be there. So, under no time constraints, we took our time consulting pediatricians and heart specialists. EVERY doctor we contacted got back to us immediately, and all felt very good with what they saw! I couldn’t believe how quickly things were moving and how kind everyone was. By Wednesday we had decided to lock her file. By Thursday we had all the paperwork filled out and sent to AWAA, and then Melissa called to tell us that China had done her surgery in July and that she had just gotten home from the hospital and the orphanage sent up- dated photos--that photo is the one featured in this blog header--the one with the pink pants.
That is how Natalie came to us. I always envisioned God’s hand in the referral through someone choosing for us from AWAA, but that was not how it happened-and to this day there is something special about the fact that I chose her, that God directed me to make the choice and not AWAA. Funny how God's plans are NOT our plans. But I still believe that all the prayers that went up for me that weekend at Women of Faith from so many women made all the difference.
Natalie Rose right now is Chang, Shun Feng. Chang is for the orphanage (The children’s Welfare Institute of Changzhou City). Shun is the middle name of all children admitted in 2009, and Feng is a common name in chinese/ the female version means phoenix. We named her Natalie (first because it was the one name we both agreed on), but because she will be adopted around Christmas (a re-birth so to speak). Yes, we are suppose to be traveling the end of December. We are waiting on our TA, which should arrive the beginning of December. AWAA is hoping we can join a group that will be traveling either December 16, 23, or 30. I am praying for the 23rd.
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