8 DAYS To Go.....We are ready, we think!!!

8 DAYS UNTIL WE LEAVE!!  

We were talking last night and can not believe the time is here!!  We are trying to finalize our packing list and I believe I have purchased all needed items.  Yippeee!!!  However, I am sure I will think of a couple more things between now and next Tuesday!!

 We were a little stressed two days ago but we have a plan!!!  We still do not have Riley's furniture!  The January 18th delivery date that has changed 5 times is now set for APRIL 5th!!  This is the 6th date changed!!  We are staying patient...Kind of!!!  Ok, not really!!  All we know is that when it does arrive-- they will be delivering and setting it up for FREE!!  We know it is completely out of our control!!  We put our minds together and we knew we had to come up with another crib!!  Thanks to our good friends, Jason and Rochelle..... we will be using their crib until ours finally arrives!!  Ordering nursery furniture 3 1/2- 4 months ahead of time seemed like we were planning for our little one to arrive in March but I see that we needed to order it a lot sooner!!  Oh well... She will have a fabulous crib to come home in and we will switch it out later!!

We have truly been blessed with the donations that are funneling in!  THANK YOU!!!  THANK YOU!!!  We are on our way to our goal!!  We can't thank you enough!! This time next week we will be trying to make sure all bags are ready to go and praying we have not forgotten anything important!!

We are having a lot of emotions-- We are so excited and happy to call Riley our own!!  We can't wait until our family grows to 6!!!  Rheagan can't wait to have another girl in the family!!  We are nervous and scared about the unknown...who wouldn't be!! We have butterflies about the trip and staying in another country for 18 days!! We are sad that we have to leave our 2 active boys here at home but I know we will be complete again as soon as we land and walk through the gate at the airport!!

Traveling to China to pick up our daughter will be an experience of a lifetime!!  We will capture it all with pictures, videos and blogs!!  We hope to blog daily and include lots of pictures!!  We hope to can come along and follow us through this incredibly journey!!  Keep praying for us and keep checking the blog!!

Right now, Here is Kansas City....We are getting ready for the 2nd winter storm of 12 + inches in 5 days-- They are calling this storm-- Toto's Revenge!!  My guess is no school Tuesday, maybe even Wednesday!!  We have 2 birthday parties this weekend!!  We are celebrating Rheagan (9) and Ryan (6)!!  Family birthday on Friday and friend party of Saturday!! Sunday and Monday will be busy packing and TUESDAY WE LEAVE!!!  The Countdown is truly counting DOWN!!

   

We still need your help? Pretty Please!! 2 weeks from today-- We LEAVE!!!

13 more days and we are outta here!! 

Dear Friends,

Our countdown is on!  We are getting closer to bringing Riley Jiner Handy home!   We are less than 2 weeks away from heading to China to pick up our little girl!!  Flights are booked and doctors appointments are being made!  We will receive Riley in our arms on Monday, March 11th!  Feel free to follow our trip through China at http://rileyjiner.blogspot.com/.  

Her room is painted pink!!  Her Chinese name, Jiang Jin Er is written on her walls.  The rocker has been delivered and her furniture will arrive this week!  We are preparing and gearing up for her arrival back here in Kansas!!  The kids are so excited to have their little sister, who they have prayed nightly for almost a year, home with them forever!! 

We believe God is bigger than all things.  We are relying on faith that He will provide for her.  We knew starting this journey that we would need to come up with a lot of money to bring her home and the end is almost here!  We have already raised $2,000!  We can't thank you enough!  Our adoption will cost approximately $35,000.  I know that sounds like a lot and don’t get us wrong, it is, but we are hoping we will receive $12,000 from the Adoption Tax Credit.  The rest will be up to us!  Just as the Great Wall of China was constructed one stone at a time, we are relying on God for $1 at a time.  We would be incorrect if we didn't also ask for help from our family and friends who would be willing to donate funds to rescue our precious daughter from the inside the walls of the orphanage so she can come home to family and many friends, who will love, adore and support her.   

We have the pleasure of working with a non-profit organization, Adopt Together, who help families like us raise funds for adoptions.  All donation are tax-deductible.  We are set to leave Tuesday, March 5th.  Shawn, Angela and Rheagan will travel to China for a stay of 18 days before arriving back home Thursday, March 21st at 7:30 p.m.  We have set a goal of raising $15,000.  We still have a ways to go however we truly believe this can be reached.  Can you help us out?  $25.00, $50.00, $150.00 or even more.  Any amount helps us reach our goal!!  Remember our donations are 100% tax deductible!!  We can not thank you enough!  

Please donate online at  https://adopttogether.org/rileyjiner/   Your donation will not go not waste!  We have two weeks to raise the remaining amount!  Please help us!!  Every dollar helps bring Riley home!!  If you would like to mail a check instead, please write Riley Handy on the envelope and on the memo line of your check and mail to:  

                  Adopt Together

                  251 West Central Ave. #278

                  Springboro, OH 45066

Please keep Riley and all of us in your prayers as we travel many, many miles to rescue her. Please pray that God will provide the remaining funds we need.  If you know of a company or business that would be willing to donate, please share our story and letter with them.  If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate and call or email us.  Thank you for taking the time to let us share our journey with you.      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Love, Shawn & Angela Handy                                                          

"And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me."  Matthew 18:5

Scheduling Apointments

Is it too early for a countdown.....  We are already counting down!!

19 DAYS UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!

First, we have tickets IN HAND!!  It seems like every day the reality of us bringing home another child is becoming more real!  We are becoming more nervous, scared, anxious, happy, joyful, and excited each and every day.  The kids all made Riley valentines today and are starting to include her in every conversation we have.  :) She is fitting in already without her actually being here!! I can't wait to be a family of 6!!  I know...crazy... 4 kids.... are a lot but when you think of every day I have 7 kids at my house anyways..what's 1 more.  I love being able to help both my sister and sister-in-law with their children...4 in total!!! I know all the kids truly can't wait for Riley to be here!!  Of one my nephews, Carson, cleans out his room and closet and finds all sorts of gifts for Riley!!  He also is a little artist and makes her cards and pictures too.  I think we have a couple bags full of Carson gifts!!  I know she will love ALL OF THEM!!

We have been talking with the nurses and staff at the International Adoption Clinic at Children's Mercy Hospital since we were match in late October.   They have been very helpful and we just scheduled our very first doctors appointment for Riley!!!  Again, it is becoming more real!!   Friday, April 5th she will be going in for a full evaluation/exam with blood work!  They will be directing us on what specialist we will need to see!!  I have also called Johnson County Infant and Toddler Services.  They helped out so much with Ryan's speech delays that we are hoping they will be able to help out with Riley too!         

Happy Valentine's Day!!

We are enjoying a Chinese meal with the family in honor of Riley!!

We have a plan.... Itinerary for our trip!!

Our flights are booked and we are ready to go!!  Even though we still have 3 weeks from today until we leave ... we are gearing up!  Just reading over our itinerary gives me goose bumps.  Here is what our 17 days will look like...

Our China Trip:

• Tuesday, March 5th- We are Beijing bound!!  We fly out at 4:25 in the afternoon.  Arriving in Chicago.  We leave about 8 pm Tuesday night..  We will land--
• Wednesday, March 6th -- in Beijing- 11:30 pm!!!  
• Thursday, March 7th- Beijing-- relax day!!  Nothing scheduled YET!!
• Friday, March 8th - Beijing- We will explore JuYoungGuan Great Wall and Hutong Lane
• Saturday, March 9th- Beijing  Off to visit the Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square.  We will have lunch with our agency, Holt's staff!!  Happy Birthday Ryan!!  We will be celebrating with you from over here in Beijing!!
• Sunday, March 10th- IN COUNTRY PLANE RIDE #1- Fly to Shanghai
• Monday, March 11th- Shanghai-VERY SPECIAL DAY!!  We meet Riley and have her in our arms forever!!  
• Tuesday, March 12th- Shanghai-Adoption processing: registration and document notarization
• Wednesday, March 13th- Shanghai- Free Day-- We are meeting up with one of my high school Friends- Tiffany Buck Powell!  Very excited to see her and her family!!
• Thursday, March 14th- Shanghai- Free Day
• Friday, March 15th- IN COUNTRY PLANE RIDE #2- Fly to Guangzhou
• Saturday, March 16th- Guangzhou-Visa paperwork and medical exam
• Sunday, March 17th- Guangzhou- Free Day
• Monday, March 18th- Guangzhou- Pick up all medical results
• Tuesday, March 19th- Guangzhou- VISA APPOINTMENT and OATH TAKING CEREMONY
• Wednesday, March 20th- Guangzhou- Visa Pick up-- IN COUNTRY TRANSPORTATION- Ride to Hong Kong
• Thursday, March 21st- WE FLY HOME!!!  Hong Kong to Chicago.. and then KANSAS CITY!!  We will arrive in at 7:30 pm with Miss Riley Handy

I know the next 21 days will fly by!!  We are having both Rheagan (2/24) and Ryan's (3/9) birthdays in the next couple weeks!!  I have been busy trying to schedule, plan these!!  We are also trying to fund raise and collect our remaining funds....three weeks LEFT!!   

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year.  Today is the Chinese New Year!!!  Friday night we attended the Chinese New Year Party at the Nelson Atkins Museum.  It was a good introduction for the kids to the Chinese heritage and culture!  There was so much to see we actually didn't get around to everything.  Between the Chinese drums, yo-yos and Lion dances the kids were glued!  We also met several other families that night that had adopted also!  The connections and friends we have made through this journey is unbelievable and we can't wait for when we actaully have her here and the many more connections we will make as a family! 

 

More pictures from the Chinese New Year:

 

 

Rheagan was selected to try her moves out with the lion!!  She made one cute lion head!!

She was following exactly what the guide told her to do!!  It was a lot of fun!!  Great expereince for her.... that's for sure!

TA was issued!!

Day 12 of the wait and we received the phone call.  Our Travel Approval was issued!!! We are heading to China... That is what it means!!! We couldn't be more excited and we are ready.  We are finalizing everything here at home and are ready for the adventure to begin.   We should hear by Friday on our Consulate Appointment date! That is the last thing you do in China before we will traveled back to the the states!! Our trip should be booked and finalized this weekend! That is hard to believe!! 

We are all getting excited to have Riley home with us!!

Keep praying for us as travel approaches and throughout a trip in China.