I-797C Received!!!

Well it has been a good day. Kelly and I went shopping and I bought Grace's bed. My first real purchase for her...so exciting. Then home to check mail and yes we got our I-179C so our immigration paperwork is current - yahoo!

The Good and the Bad

Well what first the good or the bad....let's get the bad out the way. This month only 9 children matched in the program. That stinks, but it is the Chinese New Year this month. During this time things shut down for about 2 weeks. It is their biggest holiday. Like Christmas here in the U.S. So praying for a big match month next month.

Now for the good - first, got an email today from USCIS and our I-800A has been approved and we should receive the approval in 7-10 days! Yahoo!

We also continue to get quilt squares in and this is so exciting! We actually got 5 squares in today from a friend we met back in the fall that is from China. She did a square for Grace and asked 4 friends in China to do for her as well. I was so excited about this. She will have some of her own culture sewn into the quilt and prayers and wishes from China! Is this cool or what? God has a really neat way of weaving things in to his plan and his purpose.

Kelly and I are off again this Friday shopping to try and finalize my decision on bedroom furniture for Grace...hey maybe even get lucky and purchase! We'll see!

Keep the quilt squares coming!

Fingerprints Today

Well we had our fingerprint appointment today and all went well. Another thing we can check off that puts us yet a little closer to our immigration paperwork being updated.

Keep those fabric squares coming in for her quilt. We are getting the quilt squares and prayer cards in for Grace and oh my goodness what a blessing. This quilt square you see is from my precious nephew, Mason. He picked it out all by himself and wrote Grace a sweet prayer blessing. Thanks to you all...

Starting Grace's LifeBook

Thinking now of starting a lifebook for Grace. It will be her story to share with her one day. This will be fun! It will include photos, mementos and other information about her and our journey to her. We will describe ourselves as her forever family!

We Need Your Help On A Project...

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes Quilt." It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. We will then take the 100 patches and sew them together into a quilt that contains the prayers for Grace from all her family and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt can then be passed down from generation to generation.

HERE IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO:

1. Choose any 100% cotton fabric that you like. It can be from a piece of old clothing or from a fabric store. It just needs to have a design and color that you like. After washing the material, cut two (2) 8" squares from the selected fabric(s). (ensure the fabric is washed first before you cut it)
2. On the prayer card, place a small piece of the fabric and your prayer for Grace. Please include your name and city/state and country if outside of the USA. The fabric square will be used to make a quilt, and the note (with the small bit of matching fabric) will be placed in a keepsake box/book which we will give to Grace when she is older.
IDEAS FOR SELECTING FABRIC SQUARES:

· Select a fabric that is meaningful to you or that, for some reason, causes you to think of our waiting daughter.
· 100% cotton fabric is best, as it washes and wears better.
· Ensure that you use permanent markers and/or paint

· If there are several members in your family, please feel free to send more than one good wish note and squares of fabric. In China, these quilts were originally made from the garments of family and friends, in order to surround the child with luck, warmth and good wishes.

IDEAS FOR PRAYER NOTE:
Well, what would you pray for our waiting daughter to have in her life? Some ideas are good health, perseverance, compassion and a sense of humor. Use your values as a guide for your prayer note. There are no right or wrong answers – let your personality, faith and values guide you! We asked you to be part of this project because we value your place in our lives! Keep in mind that Grace will not see your note until she is older.


It would be wonderful to receive the fabric and notes by March 31, 2009 so that the quilt can be completed before our new daughter comes home.
Thank you,

Guy and Dawn Fisher
1817 Park Grove Place
Concord, NC 28027
(here is our address to mail the quilt square back)