Good News!

We just found out some good news!  Living Hope has been listed on the US Embassy's site that they are now reinstated.  This is not really new news for us (we already knew this from our agency) but it is now official for all to see.  We also saw news through a newspaper that the director of IHNFA is requesting that the committee that meets, would meet on a regular basis.  What wonderful news.  It continues to amaze me (even though it shouldn't by now) that when I seem to be at a low point(which was yesterday), God continues to show me when I need it "remember I (God) am in control of it all"!  In my head I had thoughts running through...is this ever going to happen...will it be this year, next or 3 years from now that we can finally hold our little one...did God just want to see if we were willing.  God, I do trust in you for all of this journey and am thankful for this time of growth in my life and know that I am becoming a stronger person in you".  I look forward to the day that we can hold our little one, I put my whole trust in you! 

On The Road Again

A few weeks ago, I posted that our situation felt like we were stuck in traffic and no one was moving.  We had no idea of how much longer it would be until the traffic started moving again.  Then, we learned that at the beginning of this year, a new director of IHNFA was appointed, so we thought that the traffic would start to move again.  We heard rumors that things were beginning to happen, but then we were pulled over to the side of the road.  The US Embassy in Tegucigalpa posted that two agencies were no longer certified to complete adoptions in Honduras.  Living Hope was one of those agencies.  All the sudden, we found our selves on the side of the road wondering if and when we could start moving again.  Our agency quickly began to work with IHNFA to resolve the issues, and we were told that everything would work out.  So we sat on the side of the road with nothing to do, but pray and wait.  We heard bits and pieces of news, and our agency reassured us that eventually things would be worked out.  Some counseled us to leave our agency and hire a new agency.  Some told us that they didn't think Honduras would ever change their position.  At the same time another couple sitting along the side of the road with us reminded us that we serve a faithful God and we should patiently trust our agency through this trial.  So we sat and prayed and waited.  Yesterday, we received word that our agency has received the renewed certification from Honduras, so we are now back on the road again.  We have not started moving yet, but we have heard rumors that others on the road ahead of us have received their referrals.  That means that the traffic way up the road has begun to move, so Lord willing it will not be long before we see progress on our journey.  Thank you for your prayers!

Please Pray!

A little update.  Samuel, the founder of our agency has been in Honduras for this week with various meetings.  I just saw on another families blog that the assignment committee is supposed to meet on Friday and I know Samuel has a meeting on Friday. 

Through communication with a few other families that have dossiers in country we ask that you join us in prayer this Friday as this could be a very important meeting for some families.  We pray that the meetings would happen, that they would be productive and children would be matched to families.  It has been along wait for many families-some even longer than ours.

Please also pray for all these children's lives that this will affect since it will bea very difficult time for them.  As we all will rejoice at the matching of children to families and uniting they will be going through a time of mourning as they leave the only life that they have ever known.  As excited as I am about this to happen, my heart breaks to know the pain that they will go through until they understand what is happening. 

Daddy's Love note

Daddy's love note

What a special Daddy you have!

This is a just a note to remind our little one of how much she is already loved by us all.  Including the animals that wanted to make their mark.  (Knocking over the rose so that the card would get wet.)
The joys of having animals!

Little one, we anxiously wait to hear the news...
"You have been accepted and here is your little one."
Praying that day comes soon and that God is preparing your heart for the upheaval of your little life!
Knowing that God has given you to us and he has given us to you!

Joyful News

Ok, so did the title make anyone else's heart skip a beat?!?  I wanted you to be able to experience the joy I had this morning as a read a fellow bloggers page.  They are on the "list"!!!  Why you might ask is that joyful news?...things are moving.  Even though I would have loved to be able to say that the joyful news was that our dossier has been finally accepted and we have our referral, this is the next best thing.  We have been waiting to hear something new since Oct. 17 since our dossier was translated at IHNFA.   Things are finally moving!

We did hear as well last Friday that our agency is in the process of Certification.  Things look like they are getting cleared up with our agency as well.  PTL!!

I do ask for specific prayer for our founder of our agency as well as at least one other who are down in Honduras this week meeting with people there.  Our prayer is that while he is there things will be all cleared up and things can continue moving for us as well.

We go from having a heavy heart  2 weeks ago to  rejoicing and praising God!

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Ps. 95:1

Breathing a Little Easier

Well, for a week that started out a bit rough it is ending a little easier.  We are breathing a bit easier as well -except for during the vigorous walks I took this week!  We received news that our agency being barred is a temporary thing.  With the change of leaders in IHNFA, Living Hope had to get new documentation saying that they are a legit agency.  We received word that that paperwork is now in Honduras and was personally handed over by our attorney.  As difficult as it was for a brief time, I look at it as God using this time to draw me (us) closer to Him. We hope that all of this will be able to be finalized so that when IHNFA is ready to start approving dossiers we will be in that pile and hopefully receiving our referral as well (that still may be quite a ways off though). 

I was encouraged on Wednesday night on GMC ( I had dvr'ed it from Tuesday night) the show "The song that changed my life". The song that they were featuring was from Steven Curtis Chapman's "When Love Takes You In" and the family was sharing that they had started their journey to adopt from China.  Four years later they received their referral of a 14 month old little girl.  The statement that really hit me was what the wife said, "She wasn't even born for most of the time we were waiting". I continue to trust that God led us to Honduras with such a passion that he has a goal for us to bring home our little girl and trust in His perfect timing.

I continue to thank God for the love He has given our family for you little one.  We continue to pray that God is bring people in to care for you and show you love as well as prepare you for the day we meet.