She likes "Trina"! Announcing "Trina Jing-Qi Benavides"!

We were able to SKYPE Jing-Qi tonight and found out that she likes her new American name, "Trina". I'm so relieved that we finally have a name for her. I always thought she would want to keep "Jing-Qi", but maybe her new "American" name is a symbol of the new life that is before her. I'm still going to keep "Jing-Qi" as a middle name in case she goes through a period of wanting to get back in touch with her Taiwan roots. Actually, I really like the name "Trina". I love to look up the meanings of names on the baby name websites. "Trina" means pure, "Jing" means perfect essence, and "Qi" means fine jade. My blog title is fitting, isn't it? She truly is another precious jewel!

She looked great tonight and seemed to be in better spirits than last time. We eventually got her to smile last time, but it took a few minutes. They said she had a hard time sleeping last night. I hope she is OK. I tried to ask for some news of our final decree, but they ignored my question. I don't think I'm supposed to ask them over SKYPE, but I had to try. They say she will be starting school there soon, and I can't believe we still don't have her home. I'm really hoping we will have her home by her birthday in October. This wait is really starting to get to me, especially thinking of what she must be going through with all this waiting.

On a happy note, it was wonderful to see her sweet smile again over our video call. She drew many pictures of our family and would have me guess who she was drawing. It was fabulous to interact with her. Sometimes it can be difficult to think of ways to connect over the Internet (believe it or not).

Please keep praying for our sweet girl in Taiwan and that she will be able to come home soon. The Lord must have some reason that it is taking so long, and I trust Him in that, but I am so humanly impatient. I suppose I could use some prayer as well.

Some Summer Fun While We Wait...

Both my girls have been eager to try surfing since they saw the movie Soul Surfer, and to think I was concerned that they wouldn't go in the ocean again after seeing that movie. It seemed to have the opposite effect. Christina, especially, was so excited when my mom treated Sam, Emily, Christina, and another family from work to surfing lessons this vacation. I think both girls have found a new love. Sam was a great sport and went along while I waited safely on the beach. The following are pictures of their first time surfing. Hopefully, I'll find a way to get them out there again. I think even Sam would like to go again.

Is this ever going to really happen?

Well, it has been two months since we received the news that we had our first ruling, yet there has been no further news on a final ruling. I am starting to wonder if this is ever going to happen. If I'm wondering about this, then what could my little Trina Jing-Qi be thinking at this point? She is probably wondering if we are ever going to come for her. It has been over a year since we hosted her, and I can't possibly imagine how she must feel. Now, I'm just hoping that we will have her home for her birthday in October, where I had always assumed that she would be home by this time. It is always so hard to wait, but I know that my heavenly father has everything in control including the timing of our adoption; however, I sure hope to be holding my precious little one soon. Please pray for our Lord to comfort her as she waits.

What's in a Name?

Well, we are still waiting for news on our final decree. I feel like a woman in her last trimester of pregnancy. The further along you get, the harder it is to wait. It is looking more and more like it will be September when we travel. I suppose that is just as well. My neighbor tells me that August is typhoon season in Taiwan and that it is unbearably hot. I think I would live with it, however, if I could bring my daughter home a little sooner.

We did get to SKYPE her again last night. Now that we are down to the end, we are able to discuss more concerns of hers about moving to a whole new country, with a whole new school, whole new friends, whole new family-lots of new. Poor little thing. I can't imagine how scary that must be. I hear she is acting up a bit more at the orphanage, but perhaps that is due to all the changes she is awaiting. They say she is excited to come to the USA, and she does seem to be happy to come when we see her on SKYPE. She is glad to be home schooled for a while until she feels more comfortable with English. She is very glad to have the bottom bunk of her and Christy's bunk beds; however, there is one change she is not so glad about.

When Jing-Qi came to us last summer for her two week stay, she came off the plane telling us her American name was "Tina". I never used this name while she stayed with us, because my yougest daughter is named "Christina". Seeing as "Tina" is short for "Christina", we had never planned on using this name for her. Not yesterday, but the SKYPE session a month before, she had brought up again that her American name was "Tina". My heart sunk. I know how important a name is, and this is probably one thing she thinks she has control over; however, I just can't reconcile myself to name her the same name as Christina. Sam had fallen in love with the name "Monique"; however, she didn't seem at all fond of this when we spoke to her last night. She still wants "Tina". To my great relief, Sam seems willing to look at alternatives to "Monique" and understood how important this issue must be to Jing-Qi. I asked her if she would like to stick with the name "Jing-Qi". After all, this is how I always think of her, but she really wants an American name. I think we will keep "Jing-Qi" as a middle name. What a dilemma! Sam and I are trying to come up with names that are as close to "Tina" as possible, while not being the same name. We came across "Trina" last night on a baby name website, which is short for "Katrina". "Katrina" is another form of "Cathy", which is my mother's name and also my middle name. This seems perfect. I hope she will embrace it. Afterall, I can't imagine a name being any closer to "Tina" than "Trina".

Please pray that God will give us wisdom on this very delicate issue, that we will choose the right name for her, and that Jing-Qi will love her new American name. Also, please pray for Jing-Qi as all these changes are coming up- that she will adapt well to her new home, that she will part well with those left behind in Taiwan, and that she will know how much we and our Lord loves her. Thanks for listening!

Somebody Stop Me!

I know I'm not supposed to hear any news on the final adoption decree until probably mid-July; however, I keep finding myself expectantly checking my email every 5 minutes. At first, I wasn't even aware of what I was doing. Then, I had to ask myself, "What do I keep checking my email for?" Of course, there was only one answer-more news on Jing-Qi. I'm in a constant state of expectation and excitement as we get close to the end of our process, where we'll finally be reunited with our precious girl, yet this waiting is feeling more and more torturous. Well, at least people will receive an extra-speedy response when they email me. I'll be sure to post any news as soon as I hear. : )

Great News!...Court Date Went Smoothly!

We just received word that our court date last week went smoothly. Now we just wait for the final decree, which should take about 1-2 months. Then, we travel 6 weeks from there. I am excited to be getting so close to bringing our precious girl home!

We also got to SKYPE her again last Sunday night. She looked happy and well and more actively participated in this video call than past ones. She even showed me a Mother's Day card she had made for me. It was beautiful! I think I am more impatient than ever now. : ) She also has had a lot of questions about where she will go to school when she comes and has requested the bottom bunk. I think heights make her nervous. Christina will be thrilled that she gets the top. It will be so nice to have our family complete. Right now, it feels like a part of us is missing.

Please keep praying that our process goes smoothly. Sam has been working a new job the last few months, and we've had to update our homestudy. Please pray that this will go quickly and efficiently with the USCIS and that it won't delay our process. Thanks for listening!

We Received Our First Court Date!

Sam and I just got word that our first court date has been scheduled for June 8th! I'm so excited and relieved! I had heard through some of my yahoo groups that sometimes the judge sends out the file for investigation before scheduling the court date, which can take up to six months! It seems this wasn't the case for us. Praise God! I would do it, but it would be tough to wait another six months to bring our little girl home. Please keep praying for us. While this is good news, I recently heard that the judge can also send out the case for investigation after the first court date. I'm hoping this won't happen and that the Lord will bring her home to us sooner rather than later.

Our last SKYPE session with her was great. She seemed in very good spirits and it absolutely warmed my heart to see her smile again. We had a garage sale to raise money for our adoption expenses the weekend after and did pretty well. We have to get our homestudy updated, since Sam has a new job now, but I'm told this will not delay the court process. Apparently, we only need it for AIT when we pick her up. Things are moving along! Thanks for all your prayers!