My First Message!

Hey there.... was hoping to use our website for this journey, but ran into some complications with tring to post in China. So here it goes!

We have 2 children already from China. Reagan who is almost 5 is our special boy and definately one of the loves of my life :-) We started his journey in 2003 - actually as it turns out God had a unique plan for us and the day I accepted a job that would start us on a new path was the day our Reagan was born. July 25, 2002... we did not know this at the time and it took another 5 years till it clicked for me. We were expecting a child due 10/15/2002 which our Father called home before we knew her. He however, knew we were going to have a son - but we had to go through a failed domestic adoption after the miscarriage, then we went to Guatemala which was suspended by the US government until God lead us to China to get Reagan. Our full story is on our website at www.thedideons.com

After changing paperwork over to China we got our wonderful boy on February 4, 2004.. Six months later we knew we were suppose to get our little girl. A year and a half later we were back in China getting Kaitlyn who was 21m old and a more challenging and spirited little girl. She was born on October 8, 2003 and is from Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Both our kids have sn, but you would never know it and they are such a blessing to us and all those around us. They are a team!

About 6m later we were thinking again, but we were still trying to adjust to two. This time we both felt the call to get two. But changed jobs, moved across the country and had way too much going on in our lives. Well last summer a variety event occured and we were realizing maybe our plan was not to wait but to move forward and get two?

I met a women on line who was adopting two from Kaitlyn's area and we got to talking. Suddenly I was talking with her agency and it looked like maybe this was possible for us?

Things were coming together and by the first week in November we had photo's of a boy and girl a year apart that we felt were ours. A month later China was in the beginning stages of changing policies etc and we got caught. They first said no, but ok for two boys, then within a month they said no to all period.

After talking with our agency we felt we had the best chance of keeping the girl Guan, Cai Xia who we are calling Taylor Eleanor Guan Dideon and was 2-1/2 at the time with after much research found that she has a rare condition called "Poland Syndrome". We let the agency post the boy and for a long time nobody took him and it was so hard for us. Finally he found parents and already is home with them.

We moved forward with our paperwork and were LOA for Taylor on 12/28/2006. We had what seemed like forever to wait for PA which came on 3/26/07, We finally sent our papers to China and it took only 10 days from DTC to LID which was on 4/19/07. Now any day we should receive our next precious LOA and maybe be in China within the next 4-5 weeks?

This journey has been such a rollercoaster ride for us. We felt a calling for two and really thought that we would be coming home with two.

We never gave up and in late January found another boy from the same orphange as Taylor (DongGuang CWI, Dongguang Province) named Ian. He was with another agency and nobody came forward to adopt him. The few who tried usually had waivers and China said no. So we asked if they would send with his returned file a request from us. Well we sat and waited - nothing until two wks ago when his file miraclously showed up at our agencies batch of new files. When they called CCAA, they were told it was a mistake and we still could not have him. Well we see it as a sign and this was no mistake. So we have been frantically scrambling to put paperwork together to ask one more time to the higher ups at CCAA that for the best interest of Ian whom we would call Winston, we understand his special need of Cleft Lip and Palate and could get him the best care. Our paperwork goes off to CCAA tomorrow - praying it will do the right thing and convince the Director we are the best parents for Winston.
Praying that his heart will be soften to hear our case and say YES!

With all this going on, still remodeling our house (6 rooms in 6 months!) it sure is an undertaking that has worn us out. I just started a new job 3 wks ago and love it - but that is wearing us (me) and knowing that I will be gone for 3 wks soon....so tryng to get things set and ready for when I am gone.

People who know us think we are nuts - yes we are - but God never promised us a dull life :-) we are in for the ride of our lives with 4 kids under 5!!!
We will be worn down, blessed, tired, laughing, non-stop cleaning, non-stop playing - but never regretting the decision to walk away from the comforts of driving a nice car, having more fashionable clothes, more date nights - for the experience of having a child who never had a mommy - saying "I LOVE YOU!"
Sharing your bed with 4 kids and a cat (well she usually realizes its time to hide)
Hearing your child pray for Jesus to come into their heart, hearing your child say thank you for doing nothing and just being thrilled to have you hold their hand while your trying to drive :-).......I can go on and on

Life is at its best when you are forced to give up those comforts to be blessed watching a child explore their world with their little eyes and see how God has made it, and how you have overlooked something so simple, yet beautifully made.

Well it it late, but I will try introducing my family tomorrow.
Lavonne