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
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