a priceless treasure arrived in my inbox today...

My Willa WALKS!!!

(we are still scratching our heads about her bilateral clubbed feet?) 

It is trully amazing how 36 seconds of video can transfix

 a mama and a daddy for hours on end.

We had a conference call with Gongzhan Wu at Gladney yesterday to clear up some concerns about why we haven't had Willa changed to Special Focus and why we haven't sent in LOI yet--2 1/2 months after being matched. The CCCWA will not change her status because essentially she is not really special needs (they haven't SAID that- but it's pretty obvious her needs are not as serious as we thought) so they extended the amount of time Gladney can hold her file while we get our documents together. We have until October...which we will barely make if all goes according to plan. (MAY have to get a congressman involved in getting our I800a approval if it drags on too long).

Gladney Center is ultra conservative when it comes to following the CCCWA's "rules". They will NOT send in LOI for Willa until we have an LID date. IF she had been changed to Special Focus--they would have sent in LOI when our Homestudy was completed. The puzzle is that we found Willa's file on Rainbow Kids Network Site which is noted for hosting hard to place kids with more moderate to severe/complicated SN's. You'll remember we were even told by Gladney originally not to bother requesting to be matched because they already had several families signed with them that were interested. So WHY DID THEY LIST HER ON Rainbow Kids if she was going to be so easy to place?

Because God knew the Clark Family was looking there...THAT'S WHY!

I believe He has held her in the palm of His hand all along, saving her for us!

So those other Gladney families were eventually scared off by all the "question marks" in Willa's medical file and they all said nope. Gladney called us back out of the blue and said they were ready to match her with us. Huh? Honestly, I was a little surprised when Will said Yes to this child because there WERE some question marks. I felt totally comfortable but I could see how a rational person would say HOLD ON. We were prepared for cerebral palsey, wheel chair/walker type mobility. That does not at all seem to be the case based on the video below. We know there will be other delays and maybe some attachment issues...been there, done that, have several tshirts! but we are amazed at God's intricate plan to save this child for us. He helped us to see clearly that we could handle this sweet bundle of plumpness (although I have a feeling SHE will HANDLE US!) while all others were seeing confusion and concerns.

FOR THE RECORD: Willa's SN was listed as Bilateral Clubbed Feet --the concern was that her feet were obviously NOT clubbed according to the photographs. She was given some therapy because she was not yet walking at 2 years old. SO we really had no clue as to what was really going on...still don't...but a well known IA doctor mentioned SHE thought Willa might have cerebral palsy. We think this is what scared some other parents away from her file. We don't understand the diagnosis but we're believing she has been healed of whatever placed her in the special needs category.

And now we will have adopted 3 physical special needs kiddos who no longer have physical special needs (other than the stuff even my bio kids deal with--I'm talking serious surgical medical needs). I believe there is a message here. I believe WIlla will be the child to drive home the point of FAITH in an awesome God.

I watched Ruby & Grady all week in VBS and saw some amazing gifts they each have...evangelistic type gifts. And now I am beginning to see a glimmer of Willa's gifts before she is even here!

If you take nothing else away from reading here in my little corner of the blogoverse, I hope it will be that we are not in any way especially gifted in parenting or faith or trust...God gives these gifts to ALL who believe in Him. He has trully entrusted some treasure to us and we are constantly messing it up! My laundry is piled to the ceiling, my kids struggle in school at times, I've forgotten many commitments over the years, and I have disappointed my parents. We are just like you...I hear everyday from well meaning friends and acquaintances how amazing we are and if I do nothing else- I want to deflect it all back to my God who I am only trying to reflect as I live out each day. God has not gifted me with anything He won't also gift EVERYONE with. I am not His favorite and he doesn't do this just for me --He wants all of His children to live in the peace his salvation brings.

So- sorry for the diatribe...I just gotta take myself off the pedestal every now and then. For whatever reason- WillaJane NuoFen is chosen to be a member of our family...I can't wait to see what she teaches us!

We got the go ahead today to send Willa a care package at her orphanage...so I am knee deep in baby socks, photo albums, candy, lotions, tiny outfits, disposable cameras, etc. to send to her and her care givers.

Also we sent most of our dossier off to the Chinese consulate in Houston for the final step of authentication before we send everything off to China.  Still waiting on our I800a approval...we'll expedite that through when it comes and hope to be DTC the beginning of September....travel in February '12 is the plan.