Our Story

Welcome to Our Story, and our journey to Ava Belle. We are Sandra & Scott, and we started our adoption process in October 2005, never imagining that we would still be still waiting for our referral in 2009. Although, we have learned everything does happen for a reason. During this time we have been kept busy with “Life”. Life unfolds before us, and more often, not as we have planned. After months of being busy completing all the required adoption paperwork, our dossier was sent to China in June 2006 and we received our Log In Date of July 1st, 2006. The Log In Date (referred to as the LID) is the date we were logged into the china adoption system. Between 2006 & 2009 Life has gone on while we have waited….. Fast forward…to August 2009…. In June 2009 we contacted our Agency to follow up-touch base, discuss the wait times and we found then that they were starting a small Special Needs Group (SN). We signed right up and sent them our SN List on June 21st. On Friday, August 21st, we got a call that they had a referral for us – while I was at the beach with girlfriends ! I can’t even describe the turn of events to follow –but it was all so surreal and there were so many ‘signs’ that this was for us! Sign #1: We had to put to sleep our dog, Abbey, on August 2nd because she was ill – her illness was out of the blue- but she was not a dog for children and over the years Scott and I discussed what would we do when the baby came and Abbey. Well, we truly believe that her passing was the next step for us to meet our daughter. Sign #2: We are giving Ava the middle name “Belle” as it is my mother’s middle name and her grandmother’s name. On the paperwork with the referral it states that Ying’s favorite toy is a “Bell”! Sign #3: Our neighbors came over for the good news and while leaving there were 2 Ladybugs at the door ! On August 22nd, 2009 we accepted the Referral of Ying; at that time we were now working with SN, and no longer with the NSN program. On September 3rd, 2009 we receive our Pre-Approval. On September 4th, 2009 we got a call that my Father passed away. Sadly, he and I did not get the chance to talk about Ying, nor did he get to see a photo of her . This was something we didn’t expect, and these past 3 years I just kept saying – ‘my dad needs to meet his newest grand-daughter’…I am sure he is watching from Above. During the past 3+ years we have met other families in our community adopting from China. We were to travel to China with 2 of the families, but due to us not receiving our LOA with the others, we will be traveling after them – but..good news is our girls will have friends already once they come home! We will travel to China shortly to meet our daughter, whom we will bring to her new home. We will be there for 2 weeks, and during those 2 weeks you will be able to follow our journey through this website, and after we get home as well. To our Friends & Family, the wait have been really long –especially this last year, and your prayers, encouraging words, and support has helped us get through this waiting time, we thank you! “Everything Happens for a Reason, just believe…” (from the white milk jar vase in our bathroom!)

Sandra and Scott Our Dog Taz Me, Uncle Jim & Uncle Erik (my brothers) Scott (daddy) in Bonita Springs on the Gulf Ella & Molly from Wisconsin (my brother Jame’s 2 girls)

SIL Paulette, her daughter Samantha
and my brother Erik


Nephew Alex


Niece Eliza


My dad, Roger- my SIL Jean (Jame’s wife) and Molly


My mom Grandma Joandra/ Uncle Vic/Aunt MaryLea and Aunt Dottie

~~~

You can have fun with a son,
But you got to be a father to a girl.
~Oscar Hammerstein II


My father
He gave me Roots and Wings,
he was a great teacher to me, he was a great friend, he loved me...
and I hope he knows how much I loved him and
how much he meant to me, and I miss him, I miss his voice. I love you dad!
Your Sweet Pea,
Sandy

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