We Have a Daughter!!!!!

On Tuesday night Tana received a call at 10:30 from our agency saying that they had a little girl they thought might be our daughter. She is 18 months old and has a repaired cleft lip and unrepaired cleft palate. It was a long night reviewing her info alone and then doing so together when Matt woke up for work at 2:30. Wednesday morning we forwarded her file to CHOP for review and later in the day they set up a phone consult with us for 8:30 Thursday evening. By late Thursday afternoon we were both nauseous from nervousness over the upcoming consult. They search her records for the smallest indication that there is an underlying syndrome or undiagnosed condition present. In addition they give you a good dose of reality of what it will be like to parent a child with these needs. It had only taken seconds for her eyes to permanently etch themselves on our hearts and minds and we didn't know what we were going to do if there were red flags with her records. The doctor went through everything, focusing especially on her small size and what that could mean. Afterward however she stated that she "does not look in anyway unhealthy". HUGE relief!!! Today our agency is submitting to China our Letter of Intent to adopt her. They expect we will travel to bring her home in September or October. Pictures and info about her will be posted in the next few days!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who thought of and prayed for us over these stressful days.

Fundraisers?

As noted in the last post, we have been asked if we are going to have fundraisers or the like to help with funding her adoption. The point of a fundraiser is to solicit funds which misses much of what we felt we have been called to with this and are seeking. While we need funds, we also just as much need support, encouragement and prayers. We desire those who are called to give, be it financial, meals, gifts, prayers, to "get" what they are giving to and not give out of obligation.

God led us to this point and He will provide. When it comes to the funds, of course we want all the funds up front and not have to repeatedly declare that He will provide. Of course we want the easy way: Who doesn't? But the easy way misses the "WOW" moments that scream of His presence with us and the easy way keeps us working, working, working for our own good and purpose.

With this said, for those of you who are led to support us financially you can do so by giving monies directly to us or if you prefer to give anonymously we have set up a savings account for all adoption related expenses at National Penn Bank. You can either stop in at the Red Hill branch or mail a check to the below address.

National Penn Bank
Red Hill Community Office
433 Main Street
Red Hill, PA 18076
Attn: Julie Clemmer

On the memo line please note that it is for Matt & Tana Landis, Adoption Fund. Julie Clemmer can be contacted if you have any questions (215-679-8040).

New Look and Update

I'm new to the blogging realm and it was fun tonight trying out new looks for this. The visual volume of the original was just too much for me! I also added a subscribe button which I think will notify you when I publish a post. I think anyway... If any of you know how this works please let me know so I can pass the info on.

We found out today our dossier was logged into CCAA on April 8 and a new shared list (shared between adoption agencies worldwide) of children needing families is coming out Wednesday China time/Tuesday night our time. There is a possibility she is on that list! We will let you all know either way.

A number of you have been asking about giving towards the adoption costs and our plans for fundraisers. I will post more about this in the next day or two.

Tana