Thankful Thursday

I wanted to start my thankful Thursdays last week on Thanksgiving but the stomach flu hit our family that night and so this is my first.
-I am thankful that the flu bug seems to have finally left our house and Jordan and Kailee did not get bitten.
-For the posse five who have walked through every step of the adoption with me. Can we get together soon???
-For my awesome women's small group and the friendships I have in you!!!
-For my bunco friends whom I have missed and the first Christmas party of the season.
-For hitting the big 40....I only thought I was done having kids at 30!
-For family in MN, IL, OK, LA, AK & TX....I love you all

PA received!

Today we received our pre-approval from the CCAA. This is a small step but means that they have finally linked our file with Xiao's. The next step is for the CCAA to review our dossier and give us our RA (referral approval). The RA is the "biggie" that we are waiting for. We will not even begin to look for this until after the first of the year. Thank heavens the holidays will keep us busy. When 08 hits we will begin to get impatient...

Mark Schultz Video

Adoption has always held a special place in my heart, maybe I have that "adoption gene" that our agency talks about. I work part time at our local Pregnany Care Center and that is where I first saw this video, I cry everytime I see it. Even though Xiao's birthmother was probably not a teenage mom this video shows the heart of adoption. I am confident Xiao's birthmom (and dad) were heartbroken as they wrapped him in a red blanket, placed him in a box and left him on the third floor of a hospital. We believe this shows their love for him as they probably didn't have the resources to correct his cleft lip/palate. To leave him in such a public place was a very risky move for them but also shows how they wanted him found quickly so he could get the best care. At our center we don't ever use the words 'give up a child' but rather, 'make an adoption plan'. Every loving parent plans for their babies future and adoption may be that plan. For Xiao's parents, this was the best plan they had.
This video makes me cry now for different reasons, actually being an (almost) adoptive parent.
I cry for the heart break that Xiao's birth parents must have felt. I cry for the circle of life as Mark himself was adopted and now will have the opportunity to play baseball with Xiao. And I cry for the unbelievable gift of being chosen to be Xiao's family.
Please watch the video's, (at the begining of the posts) first the interview and then the song. I would ask when you have finished that you would say a prayer for Xiao's birthparents and Xiao. That they would come to know the Lord one day so the three of them may be reunited in heaven and we can tell them thank you for giving us our beautiful baby boy.........and thank you to all you birth mom's who chose life for your children.

Updated information

We can request updated information on Hudson although it does not mean we will get it. We requested his size and some information about his surgery and thankfully received a response quickly.
He is 24 lbs and 33 inches. He also has 8 teeth. This could be due to his cleft palate or inadequate nutrition. We have been told that teeth and hair grow like crazy once you get them home.
We also requested information on his surgery. His surgery was done on Sept. 24 which means the new pictures we received of him are very recent. We did not get info on who did the surgery, just where which was in Xi'an City.
"He can walk, feed himself and drink water. He can understand adult's instruction and is able to do some things according to his own will such as closing doors and taking off clothes."
We are grateful for any information we get!!