It is Official!!!

For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him. Samuel 1:27. Kyle and I finally received our final ruling on August 3rd. This means that Cora is legally our daughter!!! The amazing news happen to come on my birthday. Happy birthday me! My mom, sister, and I were on a girls trip to Mexico, and as I sat down on the beach I received a text from the Kyle letting me know the fabulous news. Not a bad deal...beach, birthday, final ruling. I had a wonderful time soaking up the sun with my family and praising God that we made it through to become a family of four. We leave on August 17th and return a week later. Our moms are coming with us to show support and to share the experience. I am thrilled beyond words. One of the many things that I love about our agency is that most of the planning is done through/by them. We are responsible for coordinating with a travel agent (they recommended) to book our flights. Everything else is done for us including our hotel and sight-seeing trips. In Taiwan, we will have a guide named Mr. Yeh that will take us everywhere...to our hotel, to pick up Cora, and to sight-see. Our agency sent us a travel guide with a packing list and sample schedule for the week. I am immensely grateful that we are not having to last minute plan a huge trip and can focus on all the things we need to do here at home like spend time with Max. Don't get me wrong...things still feel a little overwhelming. Lots of Target runs for supplies, paper work checking, and coordinating with our agency. However, this is so much more manageable than it could have been. This week I plan on stockpiling the house with frozen food and get things as clean and organized as possible. Overall, Kyle and I just cannot wait to hold our daughter for the first time. She is a blessing from above just like Max. We are humbled that God and her birth mother entrusted her to our love and care. We pray that God grants us the wisdom and patience to provide Cora what she needs as she mourns the loss of her foster family and country. This will be a traumatic experience and we know it will take her time to adjust. We also pray for Max's adjustment into "big brotherdom". I am sure it will be surprising to share space with his little sister:). Lastly, we pray for the hearts of Cora's foster and birth family. I cannot imagine how they will be feeling when we leave with her. This journey has been an amazing experience and it is really just the beginning! Thank you for your prayers and kind words of encouragement. They have made an immense impact. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for the Scott house. Below is a sample itinerary of our trip that our agency provided. Taiwan and Cora Here We Come! Day 1- Fly from US Departure City to the Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan. Day 2– You will arrive in Taipei at the Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). Mr. Yeh will pick your family up from the airport. He will hold up a sign with your family’s name on it and will take you to the Howard Plaza Hotel where reservations will have been made for your family. The ride to the hotel is approximately 45 minutes to 60 minutes, depending on traffic. Once at the hotel, you will check-in and pay for your hotel with the credit card of your choice. The rest of your day is for relaxation to prepare for your week and meeting your child. Day 3– Mr. Yeh will pick your family up at the hotel lobby. He will drive your family to your child’s orphanage which is either located in Taipei or on the outskirts of Taichung. You will meet your child either at the orphanage or foster family’s home. You may meet your child’s birth mother and or foster family on this visit. Mr. Yeh will take you to a local store to get formula, bottles, pacifiers and any other items you may need. You will return to the Agora Garden Hotel in the afternoon. Day 4– Mr. Yeh will pick your family up at the hotel lobby for a day of sightseeing and shopping. Some of the sights you may see today include the Keelung Buddha Statue, Yehliu Park, and Chiufen Village. Day 5– Mr. Yeh will pick your family up at the hotel lobby. He will accompany your family to the AIT office for your child’s visa appointment. The remainder of the day will be spend sightseeing at places which may include Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Handicraft Center (souvenir shopping), Wulai Village Tour (Aboriginal Folk Dance), Tram Ride, Holiday flower and jade market, Lungshan Temple, and Chieftain Statue. Day 6– Mr. Yeh will pick your family up at the hotel lobby. You will return to the AIT office to pick up your child’s visa. The remainder of the day will be spent sightseeing at places which may include Martyrs’ Shrine, the Grand Hotel, or the Taipei Zoo. Day 7– Mr. Yeh will pick your family up at the hotel lobby for departure to the Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. Departure flights should be after 7 pm to allow for a full day.