Thanks to our friends, Robin and Andrew who are on the adoption road, here is a super easy way to support the adoption tax credit! Please help! Also, you can check out their blog HERE.

Thanks to our friends, Robin and Andrew who are on the adoption road, here is a super easy way to support the adoption tax credit! Please help! Also, you can check out their blog HERE.

Adoption Tax Credit

You may or may not be aware that the U.S. Government offers a very substantial Adoption Tax Credit to adopting families. Without this credit, adoption would be nearly impossible for many families.

HOWEVER

as reported by America World Adoption:

On April 17, 2012, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) introduced the Making Adoption Affordable Act. The act will permanently expand the federal adoption tax credit to $13,360, an increase of $1,000 over the current credit, and make it refundable.

The current adoption tax credit is set to expire at the end of 2012. Over the last several months, many of you expressed concerns about the impact the expiration of the credit will have on your family. Congressman Braley’s bill is the first step toward ensuring that the adoption tax credit continues to be an option to help families offset the high cost of adoption. More importantly, this legislation will promote the adoption of God’s children by loving families.

As people who are passionate about the ministry of adoption, it is up to us to make sure our Representatives support this life-saving legislation. Will you take action on behalf of orphaned and vulnerable children by contacting your member of Congress to urge them to vote “YES” on the Making Adoption Affordable Act?

You can find the contact information for your Representative by clicking HERE.

The full text of the Making Adoption Affordable Act can be foundHERE.

We will provide updates on the progress of the bill as it makes its way through Congress.

Blessings,

Andrew C. Brown

Director of Corporate Governance

So, if you would take just a moment and click on the highlighted link above you will very quickly be led to a form on which you can write to your Representative. In fact, to make it even easier, you can copy the text below for the message portion and sign your name. See, no brain work required!

********************************************************

Subject: Support the Making Adoption Affordable Act

On April 17, 2012, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) introduced the Making Adoption Affordable Act. The act will permanently expand the federal adoption tax credit to $13,360, an increase of $1,000 over the current credit, and make it refundable.

On behalf of many families in America, please support this bill. The adoption tax credit helps to make adoption a reality for these families. However, I urge to make this decision not because of them but because of the 147 million orphans in the world who need a loving, forever family.

Sincerely,

 

Thanks for your support!!!!!

Blessings,

~B

Thursday, April 5, 2012: Happy One Month Gotcha Day!

Wow!
It's been one month since Annabelle Hope and Timothy Justice were placed into our arms. The month has been FULL!
Full of prayers, tears, smiles, sleepless nights (and days), uncertainty, hope, struggles, growth, provision, hugs, new faces, learning, joy, wonder, new places, beauty, challenges, kisses, testing, development...
.... full of LOVE.

Two miraculous ways God has provided for us that we must share with you:
First- when we got back from China we had more donations into our Lifesong/Both Hands account. What a huge surprise and blessing to receive that news after arriving home. By God's grace, the adoptions of Annabelle and Timothy are debt free!
Amazing!
Thank you for helping us bring them home!!!! You are forever written into their rescue story and have played a role in God's plan.

Second- Before leaving China, the US requires adopted children age 2 and up to receive a TB skin test to enter the US. The skin test must be negative. If it is not, your departure from China is delayed, x-rays and other precautions must be taken. Timothy is 3, so he had a test which, thankfully, had a negative result. :) Annabelle was not quite 2 yet... her birthday was the day after our scheduled medical visit. Only by God's grace and His timing was it scheduled then. 
Only after visiting the International Adoption Clinic at Vanderbilt this past Monday where they administered the skin test and then had it read at our pediatrician's office Thursday, did we know that we escaped being detained in China. Sweet Girlie's skin test was positive. So, off to Children's Hospital we went to get her lungs x-rayed. Which, THANK YOU LORD, was negative. Yes, a million questions filled my mind. Oh how many people we've come in contact with while coming home and since we've been home. What would it mean for them, for us? Well, nothing. Her positive skin test and negative x-ray means that at some point she could have been exposed to someone with TB but her body has taken care of it, or the positive result has come from a BCG vaccine that she most likely had. She does have a scar on her left arm where the vaccine is usually given (in other countries- not the US). We are getting her vaccination report translated so we will have more info. We think she may have to go through a round of treatment according to the Health Department but will know for sure after translating her vaccination records and speaking with Vanderbilt and the Health Department next week.


THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who brought meals to us since we've been home. You just don't know what a true blessing you were. Thank you for providing for us. Everything was wonderful!

THANK YOU!
Thank you to my sweet friend, Jean, who was rather sneaky and came to my house (I should say frat house by the looks of things before) and cleaned while I was in Nashville at Vanderbilt with the Littles. Hope you wore a HAZMAT suit! ;)

Bonding:
Both kiddos seem to be doing pretty well. Getting lots of eye contact. Testing us. Seeking out Chris or me in the house if we're not within sight. Beginning to trust. However, we still have a long way to go. People don't see it though, especially not with Timothy because he is quick to shake hands or say hello. He might even let you pick him up. That's really not a great thing. We don't want him to just go to anyone (not safe), and we want him to know that he can depend on us not just whoever is in the room like when he was in the orphanage.
So, please still refrain from picking them up, hugging/kissing them, and feeding or giving them anything to drink. This is still a time of bonding for us. Time for our relationship to develop.
Thank you for complying with our request!

*Blessed: divinely or supremely favored; fortunate

I don't use that word lightly.

Our family is so blessed to have these two little ones.
Yes, it's hard. Yes, it's tiring. Yes, sometimes I think, "Can I just have 10 minutes to sit and read THE WORD and drink a cup of coffee?"
But...
I also gaze in amazement as I see two precious ones the Lord has given us (the four of us) the honor of being their family and watching them learn and grow before our very eyes. Oh, there are meltdowns over such simple things. I get the blank stare and the cold shoulder and even a gruff little "humph" sometimes with a quick little slap. On the other hand... It's a good thing I have two arms because I can rarely hold one without the other wanting to be held also. I get beautiful smiles, slobbery kisses and big bear hugs. (I get more hugs from my Bigs now, too.)
Love- there is enough. It flows down from above.

I must say that I am so proud of Alexandra and Hunter!
I have loved watching them be big sis and big brother. (tear in my eye) They are awesome! They were both so concerned before going to China if they would be good enough big siblings. I don't think they could be any better! Annabelle and Timothy adore them, and I am amazed at how they have stepped up and into their new roles so superbly.
It's not been easy. It's been downright hard at times, and they will tell you that. But, I think they will say that it's been good and they like their new positions in the Knox Family. Alexandra even said that it seems almost as if the Littles have always been with us.
God did that... knit us together. We know they are ours.... hoping they are beginning to know that, too. We are trusting God to complete the work He has started. Not just in our family, but in their hearts to be HIS.

Happy One Month Gotcha Day, Annabelle and Timothy!
Your Forever Family Loves You!


Because  this post has taken me so long to write.... it is now Easter. So.....
Happy Easter!This year we are celebrating adoption in a whole new way-
Thanking the Father for raising the Son so we could be adopted into the Family of God and that He called us to go to China and bring home Annabelle and Timothy.

Now, this is what you really wanted- pictures. :)
Enjoy!

March 5, 2012
Gotcha Day
Two scared Littles

April 5, 2012: First piano lesson with Beautiful Big Sister :)

Having fun!

Yummy oatmeal

 All 4 Knox kiddos watching the otters swim

Timothy likes his shades upside down.

 Riding the mower with Granddaddy

Watching Timothy and Granddaddy on the mower and holding tightly onto Mommy

 Swinging with Grammy

 Learning shapes

 Horsey Daddy

 Mommy and Daddy trying to get a hug but.....

 Cool "Dude" shirt from cousin Owen... and of course a cool hat from Daddy

 I see you.

 Playing with cousin Taylor and Gran

 Daddy is trapped!

 Coloring Easter eggs with cousin Taylor and Aunt Leslie
(on our Christmas tablecloth-- Christmas and Easter go together)

 First time with Play-Doh

Boo

 Wearing Big brother's hat

Little warrior

 Cool!

 Dueling

 Riding Zebra with Baby

Girlie Warrior

Home Sweet Home!

We made it home to Chattanooga!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :) :)  :)

What a day (days really)! According to Chattanooga time we left our hotel at 5:30 in the evening on Thursday and landed in Nashville at 8:15 PM (7:15 central time) on Friday. It was a long, long day!              

The good news is that Annabelle woke with no fever. PTL! The bad news is that it rose to 103 after about an hour on the plane. Gave her some medicine but she was fitful and didn't sleep much... only about an hour or two on our 14 hour flight.

We landed in Chicago, and immigration went smoothly. Annabelle and Timothy are US citizens!

Timothy looks happy about it, but Annabelle... not so much.

Our flight from Chicago to Nashville was delayed about an hour. Not fun. Both littles and bigs slept on the short flight to Nashville.

We finally arrived in Nashville and were greeted by family. :)

So good to be back in the USA! Spent the night at Mom and Dad's. They kept our 3 dogs so the whole Knox Fam9 came home to Chattanooga yesterday. Home Sweet Home!

So blessed we were able to all go to China to bring home Annabelle and Timothy.

Thank you for supporting us!

Annabelle's first plane ride

Timothy's first plane ride

They really shouldn't put the flight attendant call button on the armrest.

Thanks for praying.... but please don't stop

Annabelle is doing better. Her temp is down. We're keeping her on the meds so hopefully it won't go back up. Still praying for all of us to be healthy tomorrow as we travel our long journey home. The 15 hour flight with two little ones should be interesting. Actually we are hoping and praying for some sleep on the plane and for an uneventful trip.

A few pics from dinner...

Timothy knows how to count to 3 in ENGLISH! He can actually count to 5 but we are working on knowing his age. :)

 And, um, yes, that is a medicine bottle he has -- using it as a rattle. I know that's not the best toy to give a 3 year old, but it's what was in my purse while we were so PATIENTLY waiting on our food.

Alexandra the walrus.

Annabelle is looking at the goofball....

Hunter the goofball.

Timothy says he's 3. Sweet Annabelle looking a little better than this morning.

This is probably our last post before getting home so we wanted to invite anyone who would like to meet us at the Nashville airport to "come on down." We realize that most of you are too far away to welcome us home at the airport but know that you are welcome anyway. If you are in the area and would like to meet Timothy and Annabelle in person, we will be arriving in Nashville on United flight #825 from Chicago/ORD at 6:17 PM on Friday, March 16. With that said please help us continue our bonding/attachment phase by  not reaching out to hold them. But please feel free to talk to them or pat them on their backs or rub their arms. I truly don't know how they will react. Sometimes they are scared and hide behind us (usually Annabelle but sometimes Timothy) and sometimes will grin and jump around (usually Timothy but sometimes Annabelle), but after our very long flight and all the changes they've had to deal with the last ten days, arriving at a new place and meeting new people will be very overwhelming for them.

We've been so blessed to have this time as a family.... for them to get to know all four of us and begin to bond with us. We are now leaving the home they've known for the last ten days, so it will take some time to get adjusted to their new home in Chatt. We probably won't go out much so Annabelle and Timothy can get used to their new HOME.

It's 10:45 PM here and I must get up around 3:30 AM, so I guess it's time for bed. I pray Annabelle and Timothy (well, all of us really) will sleep well tonight. Thank you all for your prayers and support. You have walked this journey with us and we are honored.

 “Praise be to you, LORD,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
¹¹ Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
¹² Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
¹³ Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name. "

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

Prayers please...

It's about 2:30 in the afternoon here in China which means it's 2:30 AM in Chatt so I know you won't get this post for awhile, but wanted to go ahead and write it because I don't know how the rest of the day will go.

Sweet Annabelle is quite sick. We were up most of the night. She has a high fever. Feels awful. She just cries if I put her down. We have started her on an antibiotic and are giving her ibuprofen and acetaminophen in alternating doses to try to keep the fever down. Also, lots of water. Of course, we don't want her to feel bad any longer but we are also concerned about arriving at the Hong Kong airport tomorrow morning. On the way through the HK airport last time, Alexandra had a random temperature check. I don't know what would have happened if she had had a fever.... and I definitely don't want to find out tomorrow.

PLEASE pray with us that Annabelle's fever would be gone and no one else would have one. We are so ready to be home.

Thank you!
Blessings,
B

Day 12: Consulate Appointment and Dongguan

Today we loaded up with some other families and made our way to the US Consulate to turn in lots of paperwork and apply for Annabelle's and Timothy's visas to enter the US. We will get those back tomorrow. Because the US and China are part of the Hague Convention agreement, once we land in Chicago on Friday and go through immigration, they will be US citizens. They will have dual citizenship with US and China.

After the Consulate appointment we drove to Dongguan which took about an hour. Dongguan is so much prettier than Guangzhou. Jenny from True Children's Home met us there and took us into her home (a very nice suite in a very nice hotel). She was so sweet to let us order some food and have the kiddos stay in her suite while we met with Annabelle's foster parents. Her foster parents are so very nice and we could tell that they love her and miss her very much. It was an emotional meeting but we got to hear some fun stories about her and we'll be able to share those with her when she is older. I was very grateful to have the opportunity to tell them how much we appreciate their loving care of our little girl. They said they felt better after meeting us and know that she will be in a good place. It was very nice to get that compliment from them.

We made it back to our hotel around 4 this afternoon and just chilled. Annabelle has a fever and yucky nose and cough. Timothy has a cough and yucky nose. Chris and I are also getting a little under the weather. Please pray for healing for all of us, especially the Littles. Tomorrow is our last day here then we load up VERY early in the morning on Friday (5AM) and head for Hong Kong for a flight (or 2) to HOME SWEET HOME.

Thanks for praying!!!!!!!!!!!

Blessings,
B

Pics from today...

Heading to Dongguan

Annabelle's picture pose

Sleeping boy

Dongguan

Dongguan

View from Jenny's suite

Eating some lunch

Playing

Sleeping girls

Day 11: Slept late!!!!!!!!!!!! and Shamian Island

I got to sleep late today... 7 AM. Annabelle and I woke up then and tried to let the others sleep for awhile. We didn't have to be anywhere with the group this morning. Chris and Timothy woke up a little later, and then we finally woke up the teenager and preteen just before 9. We had to get to breakfast before 10 or no food. It was nice not have to be somewhere for a change. After breakfast we hung out in the room and played and then went to lunch.... finally some good food. We ate at Tequila's, a Mexican restaurant like we have at home. The food was good and we were glad to have something different. Although, I am soooooooooooooooo ready for a home cooked meal. Thanks to some awesome friends we will get some good food when we get home. You just don't know what a blessing that is to me. I am so very tired and having that good food will be great as I try to catch up on laundry and rest and laundry and school and laundry. :) Thank you friends for helping us out in the food department for a few weeks!!! You are lifesavers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After lunch we came back to the room to try to get the Littles to nap for a bit. They did get a short nap and then we met the group to go to Shamian Island. It's a little famous island here where most adoptive families used to stay. The main hotel here was the White Swan. Many families have stayed there when adopting. It was closed today... I think they are refurbishing???? Also, the medical center used to be on that island but has moved to the city where we are staying now.  The island is very quiet and no hustle and bustle like here around our hotel. It was nice walking around over there. We got to do a little shopping and bought a couple of quiet toys for the plane ride home. We also got to eat at a place called Lucy's. American food. Chris and I had cheeseburgers (not like McDonald's) and the Bigs and Littles had fried chicken. We also had sweet tea!

 

Tomorrow is our consulate appointment- the last appointment we have in China. We must go to the US Consulate to apply for Annabelle and Timothy's visas to enter the US. We should receive them the next day and then travel HOME the day after that. Boy we are ready to go home. and. REST! We are all getting a little under the weather.

Also, tomorrow is the day we will travel to Dongguan (about and hour or so away) to meet Annabelle's foster family. It is my understanding that Annabelle will not see them but we will get the chance to talk with them. Jenny from True Children's Home will be with us and guide us through the meeting. We hope and pray to be able to express how thankful we are to her foster family for taking such good care of her. We know they love her and this will be an emotional meeting for them (and us, too.) We are hoping to hear of some stories of our sweet girl (special memories) so we will be able to talk with Annabelle when she is older and tell her stories of them and her. You know that I am a crier, so tomorrow will be extra tears, I'm sure!

We are now 12 hours ahead of Chattanooga time which means it is 11 PM here.... late.  I must go to bed.

Thank you for your prayers and encouraging comments!

Enjoy pics from today.....

Laughing Girlie

Annabelle and her Bigs

Fountain on Shamian Island

Hunter in line

Yum... milkshakes

Yummmmm

Daddy's girl

Sprite

sugar for the tea

Goofy boy

After the Littles went to bed.... playing Go Fish