Michael's acceptance letter has been signed

We have 2 more pictures and they are just as adorable as the first. If I must say so myself, Michael is quite breathtaking! What an amazing day we had yesterday as we looked at Michael's picture for the first time. Today we received our adoption acceptance letter and confidently marked we accept this child for adoption and signed our names. There are so many mixed emotions with adoption. There is sadness for the birth parents that Michael will never know and extreme happiness that we will have the privilege of calling him our son. Both of these emotions bring tears to my eyes as I take time to pray for Michael, his birth parents and for his caregivers.

I pray that God will prepare Michael for the many changes that are ahead in the coming weeks. Preparing him for the change of everything around him....new faces, new smells, new home, new language and a new country. However, he will continue to have the same God that loves him and protects and that God will be who carries us through these next months of bonding and adjusting.

I pray for Michaels birth parents where ever they might be in China. I cannot fathom the strength that it takes to know that your child can have a better life somewhere else. I will never know the circumstances that surround his birth family but I pray that they may have peace and know of God's love for them. Through the years I will continue to talk with Michael about their importance in his life and I am sure there will be many questions I will never be able to answer. However, I trust our God will give me the words to say as they are needed as Michael grows into the man that God has created him to be.

I pray for Michael's caregivers in these next weeks. That they may have the wisdom to know how to prepare him for his new family and new home. They also are saying goodbye to someone that they have cared for for many months so I also pray that they may be comforted as they say goodbye.

Here is some more information on Michael that we now have available. This information was obtained at a physical on November 24th.

Weight - 17.60 lbs

Height - 26.38 inches

Normal medical condition

Normal mental condition

No teeth

Holds his head up and rolls over

Can grasp toys in both hands simultaneously

laughs out loud and recognizes his name

We were overwhelmed with all of your encouragement and support yesterday. We do believe that the calmness and bonding that we had with Mandy while in China was because of the amazing prayer support that we had from our friends and family. So we do once again covet your prayers as God prepares Mandy, John and I for our upcoming trip and the coming of our new son.

Blessings to all of you and thank you for being a part of our lives.