The Chinese Mid Autumn festival arrives on October 4th. It's a holiday filled with mooncakes and storytelling. A time for family reunions and for giving thanks. Mid Autumn Festival traditions center on a full moon symbolizing unity and offerings made in the hopes for a long life and reunion with distant relatives. Traditionally the Moon Festival marks the end of the summer harvest. To the farmers of China, the festival is a celebration of thankfulness for heaven's bounty. It has been celebrated by the Chinese people since at least the first century.

Last year, I was much more organized for this holiday and life was not quite as crazy as it has been recently. So I'm afraid we did not get our moon cookies made this year. :( We did however make our Chinese meal together, and had fun coming up with all the different things we could make and eat that were round. (like the full moon) I sent holiday wishes to our China friends and to Lanzi's foster parents in China. He sent us back a really neat video of tons of different photographs of the moon and people with the moon. It was neat to watch. It had pretty accompaniment to the photos, but I'm afraid I could not read the writing, but I'm sure they were well wishes regarding the Mid Autumn Festival. We are definitely thankful to them and for the time they had our little girl (Lanzi) and the family life they shared with her before she joined our forever family. From what we have heard and gathered, her time with them really turned her around and put the light back in her eyes and soul. I hope that we will continue to stay in touch as the years pass. I know on our side, I will.

Adoption Update: Due to the festival, China offices were all closed last week so they could spend time with their families. We have been waiting (33 days now) for our LOA (Letter of Acceptance from China). This paper acknowledges and confirms that we are in fact matched with Ming and China is allowing us to adopt him. Once we get this step, things will feel like they are moving much faster.
If you would like to pray for us,

• Pray specifically that we get our LOA this coming week 
  
• Pray for Ming's health while he waits for us to get there
  
• Pray for the continued financial provision to complete the adoption expenses and allow us to travel to China to bring him HOME
  

As for the financial standpoint, hopefully you witnessed or even were a part of our successful online auction!  It was a lot of fun!  And I owe so much to Jackie Sherwood for organizing it and running it.  What a blessing each of you that participated in the auction, participated in some of our other fundraisers, or have donated here.  You are making a difference in a little boy's life- that is for sure!
Unfortunately I did get correspondence back from 2 of the grant organizations we applied with, and they are unable to provide a grant to us.  :(  But fortunately, I did get notification last week of a grant we DID receive!  Thank you Lord!  We are still far from being fully funded, but I am amazed and moved by the support you have all shown.  Stick with us!  The best is yet to come! 
So continue to share our fb group with your friends and family https://www.facebook.com/groups/WaldmanCraighead/?ref=group_header , share this site with your friends and family.  The more people we can touch with our story of adoption, the more opportunities for others to also be a part of Ming's story and help us get him HOME!  We need our village, and we are so thankful and humbled by all of you that continue to follow our journey and want to be a active part of it.  We couldn't do it without you all.