New photos of Lu Lou, last day of school & shower

Today we received these photos from Ann at RedThread. It was such a nice surprise! Lu Lou sure has grown. Yesterday, Keith reminded me that she turned 8 months!

Today was the last day of school, and all of us teachers waved our annual goodbye as the buses left the parking lot. Summer is here!

After school my co-workers gave me a baby shower... and I was showered with love! What a wonderful experience! Keith and I appreciate everyone's support and kindness so much!

Yifeng County SWI

We believe this is the orphanage where Lu Lou is living.

Our adoption adventure...

• Summer of 2005...

We began looking into the possibilities of international adoption and God led us to China.

• Late 2005 and early 2006...

We began our paperchase and assembling our dossier.

• March 2006...

Keith traveled to the Chinese Consulate in NYC to process paperwork. This was the last thing on the to do list in preparation for mailing our dossier to China.

Our dossier was mailed to China.

• April 2006

We received our LID - April 24, 2006. China accepted us. What a great day!

• May 2006 through June 2010...

We wait like a bird sitting in a nest.

We update paperwork and dream and pray for a little girl.

We updated paperwork again.

Ditto...

Ditto...

Ditto...

• June 7, 2010...

12:20pm - We got the call notifying us of our little girl Lu Lou. Life changing!

1:30pm - Keith got the email with Lu Lou's picture and personal information.

2:30pm - Keith and Amy opened the email together and saw Lu Lou's photo for the 1st time. We fell in LOVE!

• June 8, 2010

Keith waited for the FedEx truck to deliver the referral package. Exciting! We received two pictures of Lu Lou and personal information, all in Chinese.

• June 9, 2010....

We completed the Chinese Acceptance Form and begin processing more paperwork in preparation of traveling to China to meet our future daughter, Lu Lou.

We are so excited!

Monday, June 7, 2010 - Referral! ! ! !

Zhuang Lu Lou

We got the call during our lunch hours at work. Our daughter's Chinese name is Zhuang Lu Lou. Two hours later we received the email with her picture. We opened it together in Amy's classroom along with her afternoon students. Lots of excited teachers stopped by as well. We think she is a cutie! Of course we fell in love right away. We have patiently waited for this moment since our LID (log in date) on April 24, 2006. Her date of birth is 10/22/09.