Princess Gabriella Grace: Grandma's Birthday is in Heaven

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Grandma's Birthday is in Heaven

July 7, 2010

Today we will celebrate Grandma Hoppins 66th birthday. This birthday is extra special because she is in heaven. She went to be with Jesus June 26, 2010.

Daddy, mommy, Kai, Tyanna, and Corban will visit Aunt Becky and Uncle Ian. We will enjoy some dessert in Grandma's honor.

Gabriella WAS a SURPRISE!

This blog was posted 7/7/2010; My mom's would be 66th birthday.

Gabriella was a surprise. We kept her a "secret" for almost 16 months.

Tyanna, our 16 year old, wanted to surprise her friends with a 16th birthday party... where the Big Princess passed the crown to the Littlest Princess.

Their celebration was Monday, August 16, 2010. Her friends were speechless. They couldn't believe Tyanna could keep such a secret for so long. Some even thought Gabriella was brought home from China to be her very own baby... rather than just her sister... but, they all understand now!

You Mu Lan, Foster Sister

As a result of sending a care package and many, many questions to the orphanage, we were told Gabriella has a foster family and even a foster sister.

The Guilin SWI Orphanage was gracious enough to share with us that her foster sister was born in December 2006. Her name is You Mu Lan.

We are excited to announce, that the 4th week of August, 2010, we found Mulan's forever family in Canada. They are a Christian family... just as we had prayed.

We are grateful that God has answered our prayers. The girls (both 3 1/2) will keep in contact via Skype and yearly family vacations together.

Praying the Lord's healing mantle over Gabriella

Mark 16:15: signs and wonders will follow...

He laid His hands on her and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God (Luke 13:13)

Dearest Gabriella,

May the Lord Jesus Christ touch and heal your body that you will rise up and walk without hindrance. May your ligaments and muscles work together with your brain and your entire body... from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.

May words in both Chinese and English make sense to you. May you understand and speak both languages. May you profess to the Lord and to all the nations that your God healed you. Words are beginning to come to your mouth. Not only can you repeat words, you can speak them in Jesus name!

Our God is healer! He is healing your brain right now as we speak it out.

We love you baby girl!

Personalized Scrapbook of YOUR Adoption

Our Journey to Gabriella Grace

05/01/09 Lifeline accepted us

Started paperwork that night...

Read the 200+ manual in > 36 hours...

Ordered all documents that week.

08/27/09 Daddy got his fingerprint date for 9/17/09

08/28/09 Kai got his fingerprint date for 9/17/09

09/04/09 Mom got her fingerprint date for 9/17/09

09/17/09 Dad, mom, and Kai got fingerprinted

09/20/09 I800 authenticated

09/30/09 I800 approved

10/12/09 Lavender Rose vision by stranger

11/27/09 DTC - Dossier to China (T.giving Day)

11/27/09 Mom prayed to see a ladybug

01/14/10 LD – Ladybug Delivered

01/21/10 PA – Pre-Approval for Gabriella

01/22/10 Sent in our LOI – Letter of Intent to adopt

01/24/20 Happy Birthday Xu Zhi Ming, 3

01/28/10 LID – Log in Date

02/04/10 Found out we got our LID on 1/28/2010

02/14/10 Chinese New Year, 2 weeks

04/15/10 LOA – Letter of Acceptance (Tax Day)

04/19/10 Received LOA on (77 days for LOA)

04/22/10 Returned LOA to Lifeline

04/23/10 NVC – National Visa Center

05/24/10 1800A cabled (Victoria Day)

06/14/10 Article 5 returned from CCAA (Flag Day)

07/02/10 TA Announced

Grandma Hoppins' Celebration of life

Had Grandpa Hoppins been alive, this day would have celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary.

Their celebration was in Heaven... a reunion after 21 years

07/06/10 TA - Travel Approval received (Aunt Becky's birthday)

07/16/10 Take-off day

07/19/10 Gotcha Day (Gabriella is in our arms!)

07/28/10 CA – Consulate Appointment in China

07/31/10 HOME

About Me

I am currently a full-time mommy and owner of SeattleScrapbookingServices.com.

I create people's stories via scrapbooks in both digital format that is printed in a book or as a paper scrapbook with all the embellishments that you can touch.

I not only have an amazing husband, but I have two beautiful biological teens: Kai and Tyanna. I am also raising my nephews Jordan (17) and Corban (12). We brought home Gabriella in July 2010 and hope to go back to China in 2011 to bring 1 or 2 more princesses home.

Girls we have sponsored through G&H

We have had the privilege of sponsoring several children through the Grace and Hope program. We believe that at least 5 of our girls have been adopted... Angela Ning (March 2011), Claire You (June 2009), Sydney Xu (spring 2010), Carol Xia (Sept. 2010), Juana Xia, Jeanne Xia, Angela Xia (August 2012 to a Chinese family), Serena Xia, and Dorita Xia (March 2013).

Unfortunately I have exceeded my blogging photo space for all sidebars and can not upload photos of the other girls.

We are looking for these girls and their forever families... so, if you know where they are, PLEASE contact us at plfouts @ msn dot com.

They were all in the Grace and Hope program between 2008 and the present. Juana may have been a bit earlier.

Please check out Grace and Hope and see how you can make a difference in the life of a child. Your sponsorship will change their life.

Princess Gabriella Grace

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Grandma's Birthday is in Heaven

We waited this long for Gabriella to come home!

Guilin, China

Counting NEW Visitors