Paperwork Wrapping Up

In case you missed some of the backstory, here is the Facebook update that I posted on May 31.
ADOPTION UPDATE! It’s been several months since I’ve posted anything about our adoption. Thank you to all of you who have asked, encouraged and supported us along the way. The process has been arduous and slow. It has been emotionally wrenching in ways that I can’t even explain. But God’s calling on our lives and the life of our little one has been clear. He intends for Nian Ci Min to no longer be an orphan sitting in a bare and drab institution in China. And in His grace, He has chosen us to be part of the plan He has for her life. This journey has not been easy, and I’m sure that we have some difficult months ahead of us. But God has been faithful in giving us strength and joy throughout this process and we know that He has wonderful things in store!
We are in the homestretch!! Our paperwork is wrapping up and it is likely that we will be leaving for China mid-July to get our little girl!! We are hoping for July 20th to be the day that she is finally in our arms and becomes MARYELLE NIAN-GRACE FLOTTEMEYER!! [I will get into the significance of her chosen names in a later post!]
Maryelle turned 4 on January 10. [And yes, we’ve forgotten what’s it’s like to have a 4yr old girl around the house! It’s been 10 yrs!!] Maryelle is in the category of what China calls a “Special Focus” child because of medical issues. At 2 years of age, she had heart surgery for a congenital heart defect. She has mild cerebral palsy that weakens the left side of her body. This has also affected her eyes. These are just a couple of the things that we know about Miss Maryelle. Institutional life has caused her to have numerous other developmental and emotional deficiencies, but we know that a loving home with lots of emotional and physical support will grow all of these areas in leaps and bounds!
We would appreciate prayer for Maryelle as she deals with the transition of being taken from the one building and people that she has ever known. She may not at first realize that this is in her best interest! Pray for us that as a family we would have the wisdom and strength to meet her needs. We can’t wait to love on her!!! And needless to say, she has 3 VERY excited sibilings who can’t wait to spoil her rotten!