DNA and other news...

We are on step 12 and have been selected for DNA testing. This post is long and might be a little confusing, but hopefully you will get the gist of where we are in the process.

Nehemiah update:
STEP 12) Nehemiah's birth mother will be asked to complete a DNA test to determine parental relationship between the child and birth mother. This is to verify the child has not been kidnapped/black market, but has been truthfully relinquished. (stating 60 business days, more or less is possible)

How the DNA process works:
1. First the province locates birth mom
2. If birth mother is located and agrees to DNA testing, then our staff will contact CIS in Ho Chi Minh requesting a date for DNA testing to be completed
3. DNA kits will be sent after confirmation of date from consulate for DNA testing
4. Once, DNA has been completed the consulate will send the samples of the DNA back to the lab in the states
5. Then the lab will test the samples of the DNA and will send the results back to the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh
6. Dillon will also receive the results from the DNA and will forward those to you after we receive them from the lab
7. Once, the consulate in Ho Chi Minh receives the results from the lab, the next step is to wait on pre-approval (pre-approval = paperwork compelete and will travel soon)

After our DNA/pre-approval is complete we will continue our process...
STEP 13) Justice dept will review of our families dossier. They send all legal documents to the people's committee. (One week or longer)
STEP 14) The people's committee will review all the documents. The chairman gives an approval. After the approval, all documents are sent back to the justice dept for our Giving and Receiving ceremony. (One week or longer)
TRAVEL: Then we will get the most exciting call from Dillon…"Your Giving and Receiving Ceremony Day has been set for _____!" And we will be out the door to Vietnam to hug and kiss Nehemiah.

There are MANY positives about DNA and we are choosing to focus on these things!

Avi Joy update:
It was truly out of the blue (or like the Holy Spirit throwing a rock at your head) that we began to discuss (tearfully disucss) leaving Avi Joy at home while we make the trip to VN.

If interested in reading, here is our list of positives and negatives of her staying at home:
Positive:
Less Luggage to VN
Save money, (maybe $2,000ish) no full price airline ticket for Avi Joy
Easier time for us traveling the 50 hour journey by plane/layover/bus
Easier time getting to app'ts while in VN (not worrying about naptime, food, snack, potty)
Can leave a schedule for Avi Joy and list of fun outing to do, gifts, video of us for caretaker
Dillon International will be happy as they do not recommend children/family coming
Stay in school Monday's and children's bible study on Wed's
Avi Joy would not have to flip her internal clock there or back- 12 hour difference
We would be able to rest easier without her and 'flip' our bodies
This is not the last trip, will go back as a family with our children
One-on-one time with Nehemiah without Avi Joy, invaluable
Not worrying about two kids if they or we get sick in VN
Renewing for our marriage, alone time in the few days before we adopt Nehemiah
Extra time with family she may not see as often/ learning new things from others

Negative:
Who will watch her… everyone works or has a family schedule, major planning & sacrifice of others
Not knowing how long we will be there and making sure we have each day covered
What if we are in country for a long time (like 4 weeks+)
Her emotions, wouldn't be with mom or dad for 15-30 days
Our emotions, or moms, of not being with her, caring for her
If she stays at a place other than our house, not sleeping/napping well
Good family time…what other time will we- dad, mom, Avi Joy and brother be together for 15-30 days as a family
Invest in an international phone card, Skype, webcam, HA!
The nannies at the orphanage will not get to see/visit with Avi Joy
We will have no pictures when Avi Joy is young of visiting her homeland

LOTS for us to think about, but as of now, it seems we will leave her here. We will have to do some major praying, coordinating and asking for people to watch her for everything to come together. (Esp since we will have less than 10 days notice to travel.)

Other tidbits...
*Avi Joy singing, "You are my sunshine, my only tampon."
*Avi Joy's picture, Gary Thomas Photography http://www.gthomasphoto.com/index2.php?v=v1
* Avi Joy calling herself "Olga Marceeta," I mean who is that!

With love,
The Perrymans

"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow." Deuteronomy 10:17-18