It's available - order now!!

I am listening to the Fourth Dimension's "A Day to Remember" Christmas 2009 cd - and it is beautiful; simply totally awe-inspiring. Thank you Roberto, Nat, Jeremiah, and Matthew! God is going to continue to use these guys to bless many people with their music. And a huge "thank you" to Dana Meeks who was the recording engineer, even through all his illness the past few weeks. Christmas songs are: Joy to the World, What Child is This, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, The First Noel, Angels we have heard on High, and additional songs: When I Lift up my Head, Chord Busters.
You'll love listening to this barbershop quartet (16-18 year olds) - our Matthew (the bass) will be Jie's older brother.

The proceeds of the cd's we sell will go toward our adoption expenses. Minimum 'donation' of $15.00 + email me: tnlangford@msn.com and I'll forward our address. In the mean time if anyone wants to help me set up PayPal on our blog, I'm open for the help! ;)

we're coming to bring you home soon!

Here's a photo that was taken two summers ago. We leave in 14 days!

we got our airline tickets !!! (finally)

After much checking, prayer, and re-checking we finally confirmed our airline tickets! It was starting to get very confusing. A referral from one of the adoption blogs directed us to a fabulous travel person who has arranged many an adoption trip! (thanks, Sue!) We will leave Oct. 8 arriving the following evening in Shenyang (Liaoning province capital.) Our agency says we will most likely meet Jie on Oct. 11. We'll be in the province until the 16th when we go to Guangzhou. We'll have Jie's medical appointment the 17th and our consulate appointment is the 20th. There is a "swearing in" ceremony on the 22nd. That evening we'll leave for Beijing, staying a day for sight-seeing, and then getting HOME on the night of the 24th.

Update on our matching grant with Lifesong for Orphans: we met our $2000. (Thanks, everyone!!) so have $4120. with the gifts & grants. Our goal was $5100. for the orphange donation fee. We'll also have approximately $1000. in fees (medical, Jie's visa, etc.) If you'd like to help us out we'd really appreciate it. (the address is in a previous post) You can send directly to Lifesong - or to us. Just make sure the check is written to Lifesong for Orphans - with "Langford #961 adoption" in the memo - or with a note. You can call it in to them as well. 309-747-3556 www.lifesongfororphans.org (it's tax-deductible ;)

Remember how this all started? ... with our friends meeting Jie when they were adopting their son? They promised Fu Jie they would pray for him that he would get a family. Well, they have helped with our travel expenses. We are overwhelmed with the love that is being shown to our son. God is so amazingly good.

LifeSong for Orphans - we're close to meeting the matching grant amount -

Happy Labor Day! Terry was on assignment with the Army today - so Andrew and I enjoyed finishing up little projects around the house. We started clearing a special shelf for Jie in the school room. Terry got home so I think we're heading off soon to "play."

Thanks to all who have contributed to help with our adoption! We're about $500. short of meeting the $2000. for our matching grant with LifeSong for Orphans. If anyone wants to help us out, we would really appreciate it! The orphanage donation fee is $5100. - so assuming we meet the matching grant amount, we'll still need $1100. to bring it to that total. (and remember, it's tax-deductible through LifeSong for Orphans.) Remember to put "Langford #961 Adoption" in the memo part of the check - or with a note.

Lifesong for Orphans
Att: Langford #961 Adoption
PO Box 40 / 202 N. Ford St
Gridley, IL 61744

We're planning to have one more garage sale on 9/19 - but with the travel expenses and all... yikes - we're just continuing that faith walk!

We had an offer from an adoptive dad - from one of the blogs - to donate airline miles, which would help with one (or part of one) ticket - IF we find good flights with that airline.

Thanks for your prayers...

we'll be getting on the plane to China in October!

Our Consulate/visa appointment is scheduled for October 20 (uh, anyone's b-day?, yup... mine!!) We will most likely travel Oct. 8 - perhaps meet our son on the 11th. It's getting closer... We'll know more of what the schedule will be like soon. Now just checking around to find good flights with a good deal. Keep us in your prayers. And thanks to all of those who have contributed to Lifesong For Orphans! We actually have not made the $2000. matching grant yet, but are close. If you'd like to help us with the orphanage donation fee we're still saving toward the $5100. (checks written to: Lifesong For Orphans are tax-deductible, too ;)

We have TA (travel approval)

Good news! We have our Travel Approval - and now are waiting for the CA (consulate appointment) - then we'll be able to arrange our flights to travel and bring Fu Jie home. Home, to his family, to start his life with us. We are very happy!

And... now the not so good news... we won't be traveling in September as we thought. Oct. 1-3 in China is their national holiday; and Oct. 4-8 is China's Mid-Autumn Festival. Thus, all offices are closed during this time. We'll most likely be traveling around the 8th or 9th. Just waiting, again, and learning more about faith in God and HIS timing. Also, in Guangzhou (where our last week will be) they have a big trade fair starting October 15 - November 4, which makes costs of hotels, etc. going up. But, again, God knows and will provide. We keep reminding ourselves of that! And, if any of you feel led to help out - remember "Lifesong for Orphans" - we posted the details about it August 19.

In Chinese adoptions the "ladybug" is a sign that something good is happening. Not sure when/where this all started, but we've had our share of "ladybug sightings" throughout this adoption process. Including on the day we got our I600 Immigration form - a ladybug landed on my arm! Well, our friend Tom Allen painted a ladybug on the July and October pages of his 2009 calendar. We got our LOA (letter of approval) in July - and now... looks like we'll travel in October. Just fun, don't you think?

Waiting for Travel Approval...

We are waiting for our TA: Travel Approval. Once we get that - we will travel within 2-3 weeks, depending on appointment times, etc. and travel arrangements. We've been checking flights, trying to see what's available. Amazing how things change from day to day. I'm certainly glad to know that God is working this all out. HE always has perfect timing.

We haven't quite made the $2000. for the matching grant from Lifesong for Orphans. I posted their address a few days ago, if anyone is inclined to help us out with the fees, etc. We are so grateful for the extra work we've had. Just yesterday I was able to work a 3 hour crisis intervention assignment. Terry has a couple more week-end assignments with the Army/National Guard. We still don't have what we need, but know that God will provide. We are thankful for our friends and family who have already contributed. Thank you so much!