A little over a week ago, we got the best email yet. We have Little Man's verbal referral! This means that our dossier made it to the big council meeting that matches orphans with families, and we were officially paired with him! One step closer to legally sharing a last name! I think all adoptive mama's have the "major" milestones in the process that they look forward to- the referral has always been mine. ...And passing court- that's coming soon though!
So what's next? We have his verbal referral, but we are still waiting on his written referral. The written referral is the paperwork side of being matched with him. We are hoping it comes with some pictures! We are also hoping for more medical and social updates, but really I just want to look into his little eyes again. :) Most families receive the written referral 2-4 weeks after verbal. So we are expecting it any day now. Also, with the written referral comes the adoption agency's (the agency in his country, not our's here) invitation to travel. Sooooo...we should hear any day now when we can board the plane! Exciting stuff!!!!
Adoption has taught me so many lessons. I don't even have enough paper to write down everything God has shown me in the last year and a half. I feel like a completely different person, and I'm so grateful that God allowed us to pursue adoption. I don't think I could have ever understood Him the way I do now without this process. And now I see a lot of areas that I fall WAY short. I have so much more to learn. The Father definitely used this experience to draw me closer to Him, but also to show me just how far my heart can be from Him and how much I desperately need Him. I thought it would be fun to draw up a little list of things I've learned- some about myself, some about life in general and some things that make me giggle. (In no particular order.)
1- I am in many ways much stronger than I thought I was, and at the same time significantly more tender than I thought. Adoption is HARD, but thankfully, His power is made perfect in my weakness.
2- It is possible for the human mind to be preoccupied with 80,000 things at one time. Of course, all women know this to be true, but it definitely becomes evident in adoption.
3- You can be completely in love with someone you've never met.
4- Jesus is Lord of everything. Absolutely everything is under His power. Even $30,000+ in adoption fees. Every cell in the broken body of a little boy on the other side of the world. Nothing is impossible for Him.
5- His grace is enough for me.
6- If I think I have mastered an area in my spiritual life, I'd better be on guard. Chances are, it's not as under control as I thought. Adoption has brought multiple circumstances to light that prove this to be true. And I struggle in more areas than I'd like to admit.
7- It is possible to experience every single human emotion. In one day. Multiple times.
8- Forgiveness is really hard.
9- You can become obsessed with checking your email and rationalize it by thinking, "Well maybe the agency has news, even though I was told it would be days/weeks from now." Or "It is ___ time in Little Man's country. Maybe the social worker is up forwarding emails to me at 3 am our time."
There must be a name for this condition. It's a problem. Really.
10- It is also possible to be so excited at the thought of meeting your child that you think you will jump out of your skin, and yet in such physical pain at the realization of being so far away that you can't breathe.
11- God is big enough to handle my fears of the unknown. And more than that, He promises to bind Himself to me so we can plow ahead together. The burden is much lighter when you share it with Someone who has such strong shoulders.
12- Acquiring wealth is not as important as I once thought. As it turns out, I think God would much rather we spend our time and money on loving others than storing up more than we know what to do with. There will always be bigger houses and cars, but people ALWAYS matter more. We spend a lot of our time dreaming about the future, but people are cold, hungry and abandoned right NOW. Our lives really do bear witness to whether we value human souls or belongings more.
13- God can use all kinds of things to draw people to Himself. And He's always waiting with open arms.
14- Knowing that your time of being a family of 3 has an upcoming expiration date is exciting and motivation to make sure those relationships are unshakable.
15- No matter what I'm doing, I'm consciously thinking about my little boy. And missing him more than I can say.
Well I guess that about sums up this post of random thoughts. :) More details will come when we hear something!
I'll leave you with this song. It has always been a favorite, but now I can't help but think of what I would say if Little Man and I were face to face.
"Three in the morning, and I'm still awake
So I pick up a pen and a page
And I started writing just what I'd say
If we were face to face
I'd tell you just what you mean to me
Tell you these simple truths
Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You're gonna do great things
I already know
God's got His hand on you
So don't live life in fear"
...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t9u-LOa3OI
Monday, February 10, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Toes in the Water
Apparently I have been slacking in keeping this blog up-to-date! As of yesterday, our dossier is on its way to Little Man's country! (The dossier is the giant stack of paperwork that we have been working on over the last few months. It includes our home study, Immigration approval, background checks, and lots of other forms and records.) Now we are at a waiting phase. It should arrive by Thursday, spend around a week in translation, then take several days to get different approvals. After all of that is done, it will be submitted to the council that meets to "refer" children to adoptive families.
Many of you know we were originally planning to go the traditional route, which means we would wait for the country to select a relatively healthy child for us. But back in August, God showed us the face of a little boy on the waiting child list, which is a list of children who are older or have special needs and are more unlikely to be adopted. We knew instantly that he was the child God had planned for our family and we committed to him that week! So since we are already committed to a child, when our dossier gets to this big meeting in a few weeks, they will match us to him officially. This is called the "referral." We get more papers and declare, "YES we WANT him!" Then we get to travel to meet him for the first time!
To give you perspective on what our timeline would have been had we not committed to Little Man and we had gone the traditional route, families (waiting for mostly young, healthy kiddos) whose dossiers were submitted in 2010 and 2011 are just now receiving referrals!
It has been such a JOY to see how God has been so intimately involved in this entire process. He has grown us beyond what we thought was possible. One of the very tangible ways He has proven His faithfulness has been in the finances. I want to write out this post so you can share in our JOY at the great things He has done! (But be prepared, it's long.) :)
First, I want to show you a story that God used a year ago to prepare me for what was coming in this adoption. I was reading through Joshua when one detail stopped me in my tracks, one detail that I don't think I had ever paid attention to before.
So here is the setting: Moses had just died and God called Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. The spies had gone into the land and Rahab hid them. The spies made their way back to the camp and told Joshua about their adventure. God told Joshua it was time to move- they were to cross the Jordan and soon march around the walls of Jericho.
~
Joshua 3:5-17
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river'."
Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, chose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord- the Lord of all the earth-set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap."
So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed crossing on dry ground."
~
Ok, so now you've got the idea of what God had put in my heart right as He was calling us to follow His lead and apply for this adoption. The following is a piece of my journal entry on February 13, 2013 (to give you a timeline-this is before we actually filed the paperwork to apply for an adoption with our agency):
~
"Was My arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you?" ~ Isaiah 50:2b
Today is an exciting day. After months of praying and planning, it is time begin our adoption! The hubs and I had a long talk last night. After a pause in the conversation, he looked me square in the eye and said, "Let's do it." I will never forget that face. In his eyes were excitement, hope, fear, faith and love. It was the same face that told me he loved me for the first time so many years ago. Oh, how I love this man! I scooted close to him and smiled, "It looks like you're going to be a daddy again."
Today I am full of so many different emotions. I am so excited to have another sweetie in our family! I am nervous about what is ahead of us, the emotions, the paperwork and the money. I know that God already knows how the finances will work out, and I find peace in that, but in my humanness, I look around and wonder, "Where in the world is this money going to come from?!" In these moments, I remember several weeks ago, folding laundry on the bed, singing praise songs, and finally overwhelmed at the seemingly impossible road before us, kneeling beside the bed and hearing His familiar whisper, "Beloved, I have made a way."
I am scared to take the first step down this path, but faith isn't easy. I constantly think of Joshua telling the Israelites to cross the Jordan River. The river didn't stop flowing until the priests' feet touched the water's edge.
It is likely that God will not show us the path until we are stepping in. If He brings us to the water's edge a thousand times, I will count it all joy to watch His miracles unfold before my eyes each time.
~
I still think back to this story frequently. God didn't stop the river until their feet were wet. God hasn't laid out the entirety of His plan for our adoption, or the rest of our lives. But He has told us the next step each time we need to move. And as each step comes, He makes a way.
God has been so faithful during this journey that I simply can't keep it to myself. I need to tell of the things He has done. His heart has always been that people would turn to Him, and if this little example of His goodness and faithfulness can encourage someone in any way, it needs to be told.
As you can see by the little thermometer on the right side of the page, the average international adoption costs around $30,000. Fortunately, most of these payments are divided up over the entire process. As each step comes, so does each payment. It is a small price to pay for the ransom of a life, if you think about it. Jesus gave everything. His very life. And we too, are willing to give it all for this little boy.
The Father has poured out His blessings on us. He has literally performed miracles. Several months ago, we had a payment due. $1625. I went to get the mail one day and I opened an envelope to find a check for $1,000. The little note said that God had laid us and this amount on her heart. I didn't think I was going to be able to walk the rest of the way up the driveway. I stood very still for a long time, wiping the tears from my face.
A few days later, the hubs had an unusual task come up at work- a job that another worker is typically paid for each time this job is done (think similar to commission for each job instead of a salary paycheck). Because the hubs was the only one available at the time to do the job, he was paid this extra amount. Anyone want to guess how much the check was for? Yep. $625.
Just two weeks ago we had two payments due. One we expected, another that we thought was still another month away. We started adding up what we could find- a jar that we have been putting cash in as we have it, checks from friends and family that we needed to deposit, etc. I sat in the chair and recounted and recounted. God provided down to the dime (with even $10 to store up for the next payment!). That little money jar has become our widow's oil. When we need it, the money is somehow in that jar.
I still have to wipe away tears when I think about the people who blessed us over Christmas. Not one, not two, but THREE people slipped money into our hands and said, "I chose to forgo a Christmas present. Bringing your son home is worth more to me than a gift under the tree."
To look into their faces and see Jesus in their eyes, pouring out His love through them, is indescribable. It moves my soul like I have never experienced.
And right now, we stand at the edge of the Jordan again. We know that with Little Man's referral comes added payments, plane tickets and in-country expenses. We are expecting to need approximately $6,000 by our first trip, probably in March. I have to admit, the first few times I stood at the edge of this river, I shook with fear. But now, it is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to be.
I know over my life, I have prayed, "God, why didn't I get to be there to see the Red Sea part? I want to see the blind healed and the lame leap for joy. Don't you move like that anymore?"
And now I see. I am the blind man who now sees the enormity of my God as I stand firm in the dry sand of the river.
I am the woman pouring the unending oil from my little jar in faith as the Father opens the floodgates of heaven.
It is overwhelming, y'all. I pray that each of you get to see Him from this angle. I pray that your faith far surpasses my own.
It's time again. I can almost hear His whisper in the wind, "It's time to move again, Beloved. I am about to place your son in your arms." I can feel the coolness of the water lap against my toes as my family holds hands and we begin to wade into the water.
We are about to watch the Father move.
And there's no place I'd rather be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I typed out the above post around noon today. When my husband came home from work a few hours later, he was grinning. He told me he had some news for me. Our insurance company is giving us a check for a little over $4,000.
$4,000!
How do I even find the words to start commenting on this?! We have been in communication with them for a few months about this check. We received it, but didn't have a clue as to why. When we called to make sure it was legitimate, they said they would have to look into it, but it was probably unlikely that it would work out for us to keep it. (Of course there are many details to this story, but they don't seem very important right now.) I tried to not think about it because I didn't want to get my hopes up in what seemed to be an impossibility.
I don't even have a clear thought process at this point to describe how amazed I am right now.
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. 'Test Me in this,' says the LORD ALMIGHTY, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour our so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it." ~ Malachi 3:10
He sees us. He cares. He is faithful. He is good. And He loves my little boy even more than I do.
Many of you know we were originally planning to go the traditional route, which means we would wait for the country to select a relatively healthy child for us. But back in August, God showed us the face of a little boy on the waiting child list, which is a list of children who are older or have special needs and are more unlikely to be adopted. We knew instantly that he was the child God had planned for our family and we committed to him that week! So since we are already committed to a child, when our dossier gets to this big meeting in a few weeks, they will match us to him officially. This is called the "referral." We get more papers and declare, "YES we WANT him!" Then we get to travel to meet him for the first time!
To give you perspective on what our timeline would have been had we not committed to Little Man and we had gone the traditional route, families (waiting for mostly young, healthy kiddos) whose dossiers were submitted in 2010 and 2011 are just now receiving referrals!
It has been such a JOY to see how God has been so intimately involved in this entire process. He has grown us beyond what we thought was possible. One of the very tangible ways He has proven His faithfulness has been in the finances. I want to write out this post so you can share in our JOY at the great things He has done! (But be prepared, it's long.) :)
First, I want to show you a story that God used a year ago to prepare me for what was coming in this adoption. I was reading through Joshua when one detail stopped me in my tracks, one detail that I don't think I had ever paid attention to before.
So here is the setting: Moses had just died and God called Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. The spies had gone into the land and Rahab hid them. The spies made their way back to the camp and told Joshua about their adventure. God told Joshua it was time to move- they were to cross the Jordan and soon march around the walls of Jericho.
~
Joshua 3:5-17
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river'."
Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, chose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord- the Lord of all the earth-set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap."
So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed crossing on dry ground."
~
Ok, so now you've got the idea of what God had put in my heart right as He was calling us to follow His lead and apply for this adoption. The following is a piece of my journal entry on February 13, 2013 (to give you a timeline-this is before we actually filed the paperwork to apply for an adoption with our agency):
~
"Was My arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you?" ~ Isaiah 50:2b
Today is an exciting day. After months of praying and planning, it is time begin our adoption! The hubs and I had a long talk last night. After a pause in the conversation, he looked me square in the eye and said, "Let's do it." I will never forget that face. In his eyes were excitement, hope, fear, faith and love. It was the same face that told me he loved me for the first time so many years ago. Oh, how I love this man! I scooted close to him and smiled, "It looks like you're going to be a daddy again."
Today I am full of so many different emotions. I am so excited to have another sweetie in our family! I am nervous about what is ahead of us, the emotions, the paperwork and the money. I know that God already knows how the finances will work out, and I find peace in that, but in my humanness, I look around and wonder, "Where in the world is this money going to come from?!" In these moments, I remember several weeks ago, folding laundry on the bed, singing praise songs, and finally overwhelmed at the seemingly impossible road before us, kneeling beside the bed and hearing His familiar whisper, "Beloved, I have made a way."
I am scared to take the first step down this path, but faith isn't easy. I constantly think of Joshua telling the Israelites to cross the Jordan River. The river didn't stop flowing until the priests' feet touched the water's edge.
It is likely that God will not show us the path until we are stepping in. If He brings us to the water's edge a thousand times, I will count it all joy to watch His miracles unfold before my eyes each time.
~
I still think back to this story frequently. God didn't stop the river until their feet were wet. God hasn't laid out the entirety of His plan for our adoption, or the rest of our lives. But He has told us the next step each time we need to move. And as each step comes, He makes a way.
God has been so faithful during this journey that I simply can't keep it to myself. I need to tell of the things He has done. His heart has always been that people would turn to Him, and if this little example of His goodness and faithfulness can encourage someone in any way, it needs to be told.
As you can see by the little thermometer on the right side of the page, the average international adoption costs around $30,000. Fortunately, most of these payments are divided up over the entire process. As each step comes, so does each payment. It is a small price to pay for the ransom of a life, if you think about it. Jesus gave everything. His very life. And we too, are willing to give it all for this little boy.
The Father has poured out His blessings on us. He has literally performed miracles. Several months ago, we had a payment due. $1625. I went to get the mail one day and I opened an envelope to find a check for $1,000. The little note said that God had laid us and this amount on her heart. I didn't think I was going to be able to walk the rest of the way up the driveway. I stood very still for a long time, wiping the tears from my face.
A few days later, the hubs had an unusual task come up at work- a job that another worker is typically paid for each time this job is done (think similar to commission for each job instead of a salary paycheck). Because the hubs was the only one available at the time to do the job, he was paid this extra amount. Anyone want to guess how much the check was for? Yep. $625.
Just two weeks ago we had two payments due. One we expected, another that we thought was still another month away. We started adding up what we could find- a jar that we have been putting cash in as we have it, checks from friends and family that we needed to deposit, etc. I sat in the chair and recounted and recounted. God provided down to the dime (with even $10 to store up for the next payment!). That little money jar has become our widow's oil. When we need it, the money is somehow in that jar.
I still have to wipe away tears when I think about the people who blessed us over Christmas. Not one, not two, but THREE people slipped money into our hands and said, "I chose to forgo a Christmas present. Bringing your son home is worth more to me than a gift under the tree."
To look into their faces and see Jesus in their eyes, pouring out His love through them, is indescribable. It moves my soul like I have never experienced.
And right now, we stand at the edge of the Jordan again. We know that with Little Man's referral comes added payments, plane tickets and in-country expenses. We are expecting to need approximately $6,000 by our first trip, probably in March. I have to admit, the first few times I stood at the edge of this river, I shook with fear. But now, it is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to be.
I know over my life, I have prayed, "God, why didn't I get to be there to see the Red Sea part? I want to see the blind healed and the lame leap for joy. Don't you move like that anymore?"
And now I see. I am the blind man who now sees the enormity of my God as I stand firm in the dry sand of the river.
I am the woman pouring the unending oil from my little jar in faith as the Father opens the floodgates of heaven.
It is overwhelming, y'all. I pray that each of you get to see Him from this angle. I pray that your faith far surpasses my own.
It's time again. I can almost hear His whisper in the wind, "It's time to move again, Beloved. I am about to place your son in your arms." I can feel the coolness of the water lap against my toes as my family holds hands and we begin to wade into the water.
We are about to watch the Father move.
And there's no place I'd rather be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I typed out the above post around noon today. When my husband came home from work a few hours later, he was grinning. He told me he had some news for me. Our insurance company is giving us a check for a little over $4,000.
$4,000!
How do I even find the words to start commenting on this?! We have been in communication with them for a few months about this check. We received it, but didn't have a clue as to why. When we called to make sure it was legitimate, they said they would have to look into it, but it was probably unlikely that it would work out for us to keep it. (Of course there are many details to this story, but they don't seem very important right now.) I tried to not think about it because I didn't want to get my hopes up in what seemed to be an impossibility.
I don't even have a clear thought process at this point to describe how amazed I am right now.
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. 'Test Me in this,' says the LORD ALMIGHTY, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour our so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it." ~ Malachi 3:10
He sees us. He cares. He is faithful. He is good. And He loves my little boy even more than I do.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
November- Adoption Awareness Month
Hi!
It has been many weeks since I last posted and we have a few updates! Our home study is in and everything has been submitted to Immigration. In fact, we got our letters yesterday with our biometrics appointment date. So in a week or so, we can go check one more thing off of the list. :) After our appointment, we will finish collecting our dossier documents and wait for our Immigration approval. At that point, everything will be packaged up and sent to Little Man's country where it will be translated. Then we wait to hear that the special committee has officially matched us with him!
It feels like we are SO much closer to him. We are literally counting down in months- on ONE hand! Our social worker said that April would be a realistic estimate for our first trip. In some ways, it still feels like a lifetime away, but in other ways, we are SO CLOSE!
Life is going on as usual for us here. I have noticed that the last few weeks have been pretty emotional for me. I'm not sure if it is the upcoming holidays or what, but it seems like the longing for him to come home has been so very strong lately. It is a literal, physical ACHE. I don't know how to explain it any other way. As I have been reading other adoption blogs, it seems like this is pretty normal for a mama walking through this. I often joke that adoption hormones are so much stronger than pregnancy hormones. I don't consider myself a very emotional person. It usually takes a lot to make me cry, but my heart seems to be so very tender in this particular spot.
For example, I have an app on my phone that lets me see the weather in Little Man's town. Right now, as he slumbers, the first winter snow is blanketing the ground outside his orphanage. When I saw it, the tears just started flowing. Why does he have to be so far away? I have been hoping to get a little snow this year, so Baby Girl can play in it for the first time. And I'm missing that opportunity with my son. Will he get to play in the snow this year? Is he warm enough? Gosh, the emotions are completely overwhelming.
This Sunday, the youth were all sitting in a large circle before we started our lessons, and we were going around the circle to see what everyone wanted for Christmas. I was praying the adults weren't going to have to participate for fear I would cry in the middle of the room--surely the desire of my heart has nothing to do with gifts this year. It was the hubby's turn first and he said, "I really just want to pass Immigration so I can go get my son and bring him home." For those of you who know him personally, you know he doesn't always reveal the depths of his heart so openly and bluntly like that very often.
What a journey the Father has taken us on this year! He has changed our hearts completely, right before our eyes. He has given us true understanding of what is eternal and what will pass away. He has given us a PASSION for the fatherless and a desire to see them brought into a home. He has broken us and caused us to find ourselves complete only in Him. He has proven His faithfulness OVER and OVER. I look at the little thermometer on the side of the page and see that we have $20,000 to come up with in the next few months. I know that most of that must be paid by our first trip. The countdown to meet Little Man is, in a way, also a countdown to our payment date. My first instinct is to panic, but how can I when He has PROMISED to go ahead of us? He has provided everything so far. He has used people to just overwhelm us with His love. He has given me friends to walk through this journey with me. Some who have or are adopting, and some who He has given supernatural insight so they understand my heart when I need it. I have one precious friend who just stood in the hall and cried with me Sunday as I told her what I really wanted for Christmas.
Oh Jesus, You are SO good to me.
Another surprise blessing is that we will be able to send a small gift to Little Man with a family traveling to his orphanage to pick up their son! We are putting together a picture book so he can see his family and a small stuffed animal that we can record a simple message on. Not only will he hear, maybe for the first time, that he is loved and wanted, but he will hear the precious name of JESUS.
So that's where we are right now.
Please continue to pray for:
~ Little Man - Physical healing, attachment to begin when he receives our box, safety, and health
~ Orphanage workers - that they may see the glory of the Lord in Little Man's story
~ Us - that we will have the endurance to finish the race and peace during the journey
~ Finances - that God will provide every penny we need at the right moment and that He would receive all the glory
I found this poem online and thought it was sweet:
Kisses in the Wind
(The Waiting Child's Lullaby)
I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.
You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.
I know you wonder where we are...what's taking us so long
But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.
Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...
Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.
May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.
I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.
Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.
But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.
May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.
And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night
--Pamela Durkota, written for Josh
It has been many weeks since I last posted and we have a few updates! Our home study is in and everything has been submitted to Immigration. In fact, we got our letters yesterday with our biometrics appointment date. So in a week or so, we can go check one more thing off of the list. :) After our appointment, we will finish collecting our dossier documents and wait for our Immigration approval. At that point, everything will be packaged up and sent to Little Man's country where it will be translated. Then we wait to hear that the special committee has officially matched us with him!
It feels like we are SO much closer to him. We are literally counting down in months- on ONE hand! Our social worker said that April would be a realistic estimate for our first trip. In some ways, it still feels like a lifetime away, but in other ways, we are SO CLOSE!
Life is going on as usual for us here. I have noticed that the last few weeks have been pretty emotional for me. I'm not sure if it is the upcoming holidays or what, but it seems like the longing for him to come home has been so very strong lately. It is a literal, physical ACHE. I don't know how to explain it any other way. As I have been reading other adoption blogs, it seems like this is pretty normal for a mama walking through this. I often joke that adoption hormones are so much stronger than pregnancy hormones. I don't consider myself a very emotional person. It usually takes a lot to make me cry, but my heart seems to be so very tender in this particular spot.
For example, I have an app on my phone that lets me see the weather in Little Man's town. Right now, as he slumbers, the first winter snow is blanketing the ground outside his orphanage. When I saw it, the tears just started flowing. Why does he have to be so far away? I have been hoping to get a little snow this year, so Baby Girl can play in it for the first time. And I'm missing that opportunity with my son. Will he get to play in the snow this year? Is he warm enough? Gosh, the emotions are completely overwhelming.
This Sunday, the youth were all sitting in a large circle before we started our lessons, and we were going around the circle to see what everyone wanted for Christmas. I was praying the adults weren't going to have to participate for fear I would cry in the middle of the room--surely the desire of my heart has nothing to do with gifts this year. It was the hubby's turn first and he said, "I really just want to pass Immigration so I can go get my son and bring him home." For those of you who know him personally, you know he doesn't always reveal the depths of his heart so openly and bluntly like that very often.
What a journey the Father has taken us on this year! He has changed our hearts completely, right before our eyes. He has given us true understanding of what is eternal and what will pass away. He has given us a PASSION for the fatherless and a desire to see them brought into a home. He has broken us and caused us to find ourselves complete only in Him. He has proven His faithfulness OVER and OVER. I look at the little thermometer on the side of the page and see that we have $20,000 to come up with in the next few months. I know that most of that must be paid by our first trip. The countdown to meet Little Man is, in a way, also a countdown to our payment date. My first instinct is to panic, but how can I when He has PROMISED to go ahead of us? He has provided everything so far. He has used people to just overwhelm us with His love. He has given me friends to walk through this journey with me. Some who have or are adopting, and some who He has given supernatural insight so they understand my heart when I need it. I have one precious friend who just stood in the hall and cried with me Sunday as I told her what I really wanted for Christmas.
Oh Jesus, You are SO good to me.
Another surprise blessing is that we will be able to send a small gift to Little Man with a family traveling to his orphanage to pick up their son! We are putting together a picture book so he can see his family and a small stuffed animal that we can record a simple message on. Not only will he hear, maybe for the first time, that he is loved and wanted, but he will hear the precious name of JESUS.
So that's where we are right now.
Please continue to pray for:
~ Little Man - Physical healing, attachment to begin when he receives our box, safety, and health
~ Orphanage workers - that they may see the glory of the Lord in Little Man's story
~ Us - that we will have the endurance to finish the race and peace during the journey
~ Finances - that God will provide every penny we need at the right moment and that He would receive all the glory
I found this poem online and thought it was sweet:
Kisses in the Wind
(The Waiting Child's Lullaby)
I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.
You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.
I know you wonder where we are...what's taking us so long
But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.
Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...
Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.
May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.
I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.
Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.
But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.
May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.
And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night
--Pamela Durkota, written for Josh
Monday, September 23, 2013
We found the Missing Piece!
We have been waiting for the right time to kick off our BIG fundraiser for our adoption and we think we have landed on the perfect idea!
As many of you know, the average international adoption costs $30,000. Yes- that is a LOT of zeros! We have saved and raised a small portion so far but we have a LOOONG way to go to bring our son home. Now that we are committed to our Little Man, the payments are due in much larger amounts and much more quickly, so we are kicking off a fundraiser that will help bring him home, but also show him just how loved he was before he ever got on the plane!
This is how it works:
We have a 1,000 piece puzzle. Here is what it looks like!
But wait! There's more!
Each puzzle piece will put your name in a drawing for some awesome prizes! We will draw for 4 pre-paid debit cards!
Here's how that works:
1 puzzle piece ($10) = 1 entry into the drawing
2 puzzle pieces ($20) = 2 entries into the drawing
5 puzzle pieces ($50) = 5 entries into the drawing
There is no limit on how many entries you can have!
When we have 150 pieces to our puzzle we will draw for a $50 pre-paid card!
When we have 300 pieces to our puzzle we will draw for a $50 pre-paid card!
When we have 600 pieces to our puzzle we will draw for a $100 pre-paid card!
When we have 1,000 pieces to our puzzle we will draw for a $300 pre-paid card!
If you would like to participate, you can use the PayPal button on the right side of the page or send your donation directly to us (in person or in the mail) - just make sure we have your contact information so we can inform you if you win a prize!
We know that God has called us to adopt and we know that He has called us specifically to this little boy. We are incredibly thankful for all of you who are being the hands and feet of Jesus by supporting our family. We know that the Father is using YOU to make a difference in the life of this child. YOU are declaring with us, "Little One, you are an orphan NO MORE!"
So who wants to put together a puzzle?!?!
As many of you know, the average international adoption costs $30,000. Yes- that is a LOT of zeros! We have saved and raised a small portion so far but we have a LOOONG way to go to bring our son home. Now that we are committed to our Little Man, the payments are due in much larger amounts and much more quickly, so we are kicking off a fundraiser that will help bring him home, but also show him just how loved he was before he ever got on the plane!
This is how it works:
We have a 1,000 piece puzzle. Here is what it looks like!
 |
| But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you My power and that My Name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Exodus 9:16 |
When you donate $10 for a puzzle piece, we will write your name on the back of the piece. At the end of the fundraiser, we will frame the puzzle in a double-sided frame, so that Little Man will always be able to look at the names of the people who helped bring him home! What a lifelong blessing this will be to him and to our family! Names of friends, family and strangers who loved him before they even knew him!
 |
| Here is an example of what the back may look like! |
But wait! There's more!
Each puzzle piece will put your name in a drawing for some awesome prizes! We will draw for 4 pre-paid debit cards!
Here's how that works:
1 puzzle piece ($10) = 1 entry into the drawing
2 puzzle pieces ($20) = 2 entries into the drawing
5 puzzle pieces ($50) = 5 entries into the drawing
There is no limit on how many entries you can have!
When we have 150 pieces to our puzzle we will draw for a $50 pre-paid card!
When we have 300 pieces to our puzzle we will draw for a $50 pre-paid card!
When we have 600 pieces to our puzzle we will draw for a $100 pre-paid card!
When we have 1,000 pieces to our puzzle we will draw for a $300 pre-paid card!
If you would like to participate, you can use the PayPal button on the right side of the page or send your donation directly to us (in person or in the mail) - just make sure we have your contact information so we can inform you if you win a prize!
We know that God has called us to adopt and we know that He has called us specifically to this little boy. We are incredibly thankful for all of you who are being the hands and feet of Jesus by supporting our family. We know that the Father is using YOU to make a difference in the life of this child. YOU are declaring with us, "Little One, you are an orphan NO MORE!"
So who wants to put together a puzzle?!?!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
What's Next?
Now that we are officially committed to our son, we keep getting asked, "What's next?" At this point we have Little Man "on hold" for us, which means that his country has agreed that they will not allow any other families to pursue him. In the meantime, we have 6 months to have our dossier submitted to his country. If When we are approved, his country will send us an official referral for him (which we will of course accept!), and at that point we will be locked in as his potential parents until the adoption is finalized.
So all of that means that we have to get through this paperwork as fast as possible! Our home study has been sent to our agency for approval and as soon as that is finalized (hopefully in a month or so), we will begin the paperwork for our dossier.
As for the day to day, life looks a lot like it usually does. I spend my days chasing Baby Girl around the house and waiting for Daddy to come home from work. The mental and emotional aspects are completely different though. Adoption had completely preoccupied my thoughts before, but my mind is in overdrive now. I bounce constantly between longing for him to be home and having to shut out the thoughts of fear.
What if he is hungry? Has anyone held him today? Does he know his mommy and daddy are trying to get to him as fast as we can? Does he know he is loved beyond words? Are his legs growing stronger? What if he never walks? What if God chooses not to heal him?
I knew that responding to God's call is not always easy. I knew that His calls always involve work and sacrifice. I didn't expect this though. I didn't expect it to be this hard. My son is on the other side of the world. I don't know if he has eaten today. I don't know if he has had any human contact. I don't know if he has had a clean diaper in the last 24 hours. I don't know if all of his needs have been met. And as much as I love him, I am not promised that he will ever come home to my arms. Adoption is sticky. There are the stories that families in the adoption community just fall to pieces over. Children that become sick and die before ever knowing they have a family fighting to come to them. Children who don't ever come home because of the technicalities in paperwork. These are the thoughts that the enemy brings to my mind. Every. Single. Day.
I don't type all of this out so people will feel sorry for us. In fact, I would rather people rejoice with us that God is visibly at work. He is working in our lives and in this process, and we all get to be witnesses to the great things He is doing! But in order to understand the magnitude of His majesty, you have to hear about the depths of the trenches we are kneeling in.
All of these questions leave me with no choice but to trust. I have to trust that God is with him. I have to trust that his caregivers are loving on him and meeting his needs. This journey has been all about God's faithfulness for us. He has been so faithful to secure our trust in Him. I know that each step I take is secure, because He has made all of the steps in the past secure. I know that as He leads us into the unknown, He sees the future and is in control. I know that I don't have the ability to walk this path alone, but y'all, He is so faithful. He walks with me with every single step.
He has provided every single payment we have needed so far. The money just shows up in the strangest ways. (Which is actually what I have prayed for. I don't want any of this process to ever bring glory to us or be anything we can boast in. I figure the stranger the miracle, the harder it will be for me to ever look back and say, "I did that.") Sometimes the money comes from people who just randomly hand us a check for the adoption, sometimes it comes through fundraisers, sometimes it comes from us pinching pennies and taking out of savings, and sometimes it comes from odd jobs that randomly appear for us. Even though we are only 1/3 of the way through our payments and even though they will be due MUCH sooner since God led us to him so quickly in the process, I know that He will continue to provide. So for those who have been praying or have answered His call to donate to our adoption through fundraisers or donation, THANK YOU! You are a part of the miracle He is doing and You are taking part in Him revealing His majesty.
Here are some things you can pray for:
~ Pray for his healing. Healing of his hydrocephaly. Healing from the results of his spina bifida.
~ Pray for his caregivers to love him and meet each need.
~ Pray for God to continue to provide the finances and to make the path straight and smooth in front of us.
~ Pray for our faith to be strengthened, even when our Little Man feels like a lifetime away.
So all of that means that we have to get through this paperwork as fast as possible! Our home study has been sent to our agency for approval and as soon as that is finalized (hopefully in a month or so), we will begin the paperwork for our dossier.
As for the day to day, life looks a lot like it usually does. I spend my days chasing Baby Girl around the house and waiting for Daddy to come home from work. The mental and emotional aspects are completely different though. Adoption had completely preoccupied my thoughts before, but my mind is in overdrive now. I bounce constantly between longing for him to be home and having to shut out the thoughts of fear.
What if he is hungry? Has anyone held him today? Does he know his mommy and daddy are trying to get to him as fast as we can? Does he know he is loved beyond words? Are his legs growing stronger? What if he never walks? What if God chooses not to heal him?
I knew that responding to God's call is not always easy. I knew that His calls always involve work and sacrifice. I didn't expect this though. I didn't expect it to be this hard. My son is on the other side of the world. I don't know if he has eaten today. I don't know if he has had any human contact. I don't know if he has had a clean diaper in the last 24 hours. I don't know if all of his needs have been met. And as much as I love him, I am not promised that he will ever come home to my arms. Adoption is sticky. There are the stories that families in the adoption community just fall to pieces over. Children that become sick and die before ever knowing they have a family fighting to come to them. Children who don't ever come home because of the technicalities in paperwork. These are the thoughts that the enemy brings to my mind. Every. Single. Day.
I don't type all of this out so people will feel sorry for us. In fact, I would rather people rejoice with us that God is visibly at work. He is working in our lives and in this process, and we all get to be witnesses to the great things He is doing! But in order to understand the magnitude of His majesty, you have to hear about the depths of the trenches we are kneeling in.
All of these questions leave me with no choice but to trust. I have to trust that God is with him. I have to trust that his caregivers are loving on him and meeting his needs. This journey has been all about God's faithfulness for us. He has been so faithful to secure our trust in Him. I know that each step I take is secure, because He has made all of the steps in the past secure. I know that as He leads us into the unknown, He sees the future and is in control. I know that I don't have the ability to walk this path alone, but y'all, He is so faithful. He walks with me with every single step.
He has provided every single payment we have needed so far. The money just shows up in the strangest ways. (Which is actually what I have prayed for. I don't want any of this process to ever bring glory to us or be anything we can boast in. I figure the stranger the miracle, the harder it will be for me to ever look back and say, "I did that.") Sometimes the money comes from people who just randomly hand us a check for the adoption, sometimes it comes through fundraisers, sometimes it comes from us pinching pennies and taking out of savings, and sometimes it comes from odd jobs that randomly appear for us. Even though we are only 1/3 of the way through our payments and even though they will be due MUCH sooner since God led us to him so quickly in the process, I know that He will continue to provide. So for those who have been praying or have answered His call to donate to our adoption through fundraisers or donation, THANK YOU! You are a part of the miracle He is doing and You are taking part in Him revealing His majesty.
Here are some things you can pray for:
~ Pray for his healing. Healing of his hydrocephaly. Healing from the results of his spina bifida.
~ Pray for his caregivers to love him and meet each need.
~ Pray for God to continue to provide the finances and to make the path straight and smooth in front of us.
~ Pray for our faith to be strengthened, even when our Little Man feels like a lifetime away.
Hello My Name Is...
Everyone has been asking to hear the story, so here it is! We saw his picture on a Friday, prayed and fell in love with him before we even saw his file on that Monday. Some of his medical conditions were very scary so we had an adoption medical specialist look over his files. Her news was not totally positive, but we knew that he was the one God had been preparing our hearts for. From the first time we saw his picture to submitting commitment papers was exactly one week. God confirmed over and over that he was the one for us. He had been working in our hearts for the last two months about totally releasing all of our "specifications" on our medical needs list. Ultimately, we would never have been matched with our son if we had not surrendered to His plan, as he didn't meet our "specifications" medically or age-wise.
The last 30 hours have been a complete roller coaster! I didn't even get through his first video without weeping like a baby at him calling for 'mama.' We should hear back from the international adoption doctor by this time tomorrow. I think in my heart, I am already calling him mine, but I know my logical side must be satisfied with all the facts. We know we must make the decision God chooses, not what we think is right. We will meet with our pastor tomorrow in an attempt to find complete clarity. Despite all the emotions, I sat down to listen to some worship music to quiet my heart. I landed on "Came to My Rescue" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAMbEPZfWCY
) and was just ushered into the presence of Jesus. Everything else faded away and all I could think was of everything He has done for me and how I wanted to share His story with this little boy. I heard His familiar whisper as I prayed.
- What about his medical issues? Surely we aren't prepared to handle them.
- I am the Healer.
- What about his age? He is older than Baby Girl.
- I create families.
At this point I'm remembering that without God there is no concept of family. He created it. Who am I to tell Him how to put mine together? I am feeling like a sheep who has been tapped with a Shepard's crook and nudged back in line. Of course, I am ashamed at my disrespect and lack of trust until I hear His sweet voice again.
- Oh, Beloved. Follow Me.
I don't know if this answers our questions, but it fills me with such peace. There is such an overwhelming satisfaction in simply being still and knowing that He is God. What an amazing gift to be loved by Him. Instead of agonizing over what we are supposed to do, I find myself excited to just see what He will do. I do love this little boy and I desperately hope we make the right decisions. If we became pregnant, there would be no room for doubt because God would have already given life. It is much harder to think you are responsible for making the right or wrong choice.
One thing I have found particularly interesting is that his birth mother and I were pregnant at the same time. When I was pregnant and convinced God was bringing us a son, was I right? Was He preparing me from the beginning? This mother's heart has peace knowing that the Good and Perfect Father orchestrates all things according to His perfect plan.
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.' Isaiah 30:21"
So with all of those fears laid to rest, we are thrilled to announce that Baby Girl is now a sister to a big brother! He is 2 years old and we can't wait to bring him home. Adoption has so many similarities to spiritual salvation, it is hard to not draw comparisons from there. Just as the Father seeks us, brings us to His table and heals our brokenness, He also makes us a new creation. And for our sweetie, a new life means a new name too. For us, we couldn't see a greater way to express our love than to give him the name of his father. What a precious thought to know he is fatherless no more! His birth name is very special to us and will still be used in our house also. However, for privacy reasons, we will not be posting either.
We are hoping to travel to meet him sometime in early Spring, and hopefully we will all be home together by this time next year!
Here are some specific prayer requests:
~ Pray for Little Man to develop strength in his trunk and legs. He was born with spina bifida which has affected his development greatly.
~ Pray for his hydrocephaly to heal completely so he will no longer need a shunt.
~ Pray for God's glory to be shown to his caregivers.
~ Pray for our hearts to prepare for him and his heart to be prepared for us.
~ Pray for God to provide all of the funds necessary to complete his adoption without delays. Our fees will be due much faster than we originally planned, since our timeline is much shorter, and we still have a loooong way to go on our fees. But God has provided for every need so far and we have no doubt that He will continue to do so.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
BIG NEWS!
We have a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT! That's right, this is THE announcement!
Yesterday we received word that we were officially committed to a child!
As most of you know, we were planning on going the referral route for this adoption, which meant a 2-5 year process. If you have followed the blog, you know that last month, no matches were currently available and this lead to much heartache. We continued to pray and felt that God was nudging us to trust Him even more with our checklist "selections". So we increased our age range. Still no match.
At that point, I just decided to just rest in God's timing. I knew that we couldn't rush what He had planned and knew that He would send us a match in His time, even if it wasn't what I wanted.
Almost two weeks ago, I checked the waiting list (which is something I had not been keeping up with since we were praying for a match from our list). One picture stopped me dead in my tracks. I called the hubs immediately and told him I knew I wanted to pull a medical file. He agreed without even seeing the picture. Of course I missed our agency closing by about 3 minutes. So we waited. All. Weekend.
In hindsight this was best, because we were able to pray without the pressure of seeing everything in this sweet kiddo's file. Our Pastor asked us on Sunday if there had been any progress in the adoption, to which the hubs replied, "Actually, we've been meaning to talk to you about something..."
I called our social worker first thing Monday morning and she sent over the file. I think despite all of the fear, we knew immediately this child was ours. We prayed and laughed and cried over all of the information we had. (Side note- if you ever plan on adoption for your family, just prepared that the words emotional roller coaster don't even begin to scratch the surface of this process. Totally worth every minute though.) We had an adoption medical specialist review the files and sat down with our Pastor that Wednesday. We told him everything, all of our feelings, fears, and all of the ways God had confirmed what we were thinking. He rejoiced with us as we surrendered to what we all knew was the Father's will. I told him that I expected God to give us peace with the right decision, but I never expected the pure JOY that would come with knowing we were going to be the parents of this child. The emotions are simply overwhelming.
The next step was to sign what are called "commitment papers", which basically tell our kiddo's country that we want to commit to this child and to please match us with him/her while we finish our paperwork. We were told it would take 1-2 weeks to hear back. We heard back 3 business days later. The morning of our wedding anniversary, we received the best call from our social worker: We were matched!
So now we are a family of 4! There is a precious kiddo waiting for us on the other side of the world, and we can't wait to get there! We were told that a good estimate of our first trip would be around March. So hopefully by this spring, we will be together for a week and a few months later we will all be together at HOME!
We have not told family and friends the gender and specifics about our kiddo yet. We are planning on having a reveal party this weekend so everyone can see this sweet face together!
So there you have it, folks! There will be more stories to tell in the coming weeks. This is such a condensed story, you won't even believe all of the things God has done in this process! After all of the details are revealed, I hope to type some of it out. Our Father is perfect and has orchestrated this adoption from the beginning, long before we started this adoption journey. I still have a hard time believing how many intricate pieces of this puzzle He has been putting together for YEARS. Y'all HE IS GOOD. He is so good.
Yesterday we received word that we were officially committed to a child!
As most of you know, we were planning on going the referral route for this adoption, which meant a 2-5 year process. If you have followed the blog, you know that last month, no matches were currently available and this lead to much heartache. We continued to pray and felt that God was nudging us to trust Him even more with our checklist "selections". So we increased our age range. Still no match.
At that point, I just decided to just rest in God's timing. I knew that we couldn't rush what He had planned and knew that He would send us a match in His time, even if it wasn't what I wanted.
Almost two weeks ago, I checked the waiting list (which is something I had not been keeping up with since we were praying for a match from our list). One picture stopped me dead in my tracks. I called the hubs immediately and told him I knew I wanted to pull a medical file. He agreed without even seeing the picture. Of course I missed our agency closing by about 3 minutes. So we waited. All. Weekend.
In hindsight this was best, because we were able to pray without the pressure of seeing everything in this sweet kiddo's file. Our Pastor asked us on Sunday if there had been any progress in the adoption, to which the hubs replied, "Actually, we've been meaning to talk to you about something..."
I called our social worker first thing Monday morning and she sent over the file. I think despite all of the fear, we knew immediately this child was ours. We prayed and laughed and cried over all of the information we had. (Side note- if you ever plan on adoption for your family, just prepared that the words emotional roller coaster don't even begin to scratch the surface of this process. Totally worth every minute though.) We had an adoption medical specialist review the files and sat down with our Pastor that Wednesday. We told him everything, all of our feelings, fears, and all of the ways God had confirmed what we were thinking. He rejoiced with us as we surrendered to what we all knew was the Father's will. I told him that I expected God to give us peace with the right decision, but I never expected the pure JOY that would come with knowing we were going to be the parents of this child. The emotions are simply overwhelming.
The next step was to sign what are called "commitment papers", which basically tell our kiddo's country that we want to commit to this child and to please match us with him/her while we finish our paperwork. We were told it would take 1-2 weeks to hear back. We heard back 3 business days later. The morning of our wedding anniversary, we received the best call from our social worker: We were matched!
So now we are a family of 4! There is a precious kiddo waiting for us on the other side of the world, and we can't wait to get there! We were told that a good estimate of our first trip would be around March. So hopefully by this spring, we will be together for a week and a few months later we will all be together at HOME!
We have not told family and friends the gender and specifics about our kiddo yet. We are planning on having a reveal party this weekend so everyone can see this sweet face together!
So there you have it, folks! There will be more stories to tell in the coming weeks. This is such a condensed story, you won't even believe all of the things God has done in this process! After all of the details are revealed, I hope to type some of it out. Our Father is perfect and has orchestrated this adoption from the beginning, long before we started this adoption journey. I still have a hard time believing how many intricate pieces of this puzzle He has been putting together for YEARS. Y'all HE IS GOOD. He is so good.
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