papers are starting to move again

"I have kind of good news" is what our SW said this morning as I spoke to her.  We heard from our lawyer
and found out that our paperwork that we sent down and was received 1 month ago tomorrow has been translated, their version of the notary completed and their version of the apostille done and should be on the way to IHNFA sometime this week.  OK, so I am hoping by next week.  You may say isn't that being a bit pessimistic -yes I   would say I am but I am trying to guard my heart.  In going over the original time line, it still could be 1-2 months before we are approved and given a wait list number.  So in my mind I am hoping to have a number by the end of August. That means the reality that I have been preparing my heart for is more like reality.  I have been praying that we would have her home by next spring. 
Now, of course, there has been silence pretty much from what it seems from all that I have been in contact with through blogs and email groups.  No one has received numbers as far as anyone knows since somewhere around the end of March or beginning of April.  In continued conversation with our agency, there is a great possibility that IHNFA is swamped with people finally getting all their updates down to them and they are trying to play catch up.  Is that our hopeful thinking...I hope not.

Well, that "kind of good news" that was spoken of earlier this morning really is good news.  As I read over the earlier part of this blog to make sure it made sense I realized that it sounded kind of "down".  Please don't interpret it that way.  We are thrilled to know that our updated paperwork is on its way to IHNFA.  Not quite as thrilling as the first batch was and yet it is.  It is one step closer to hearing who God has already ordained to be part of this family even before we were a family-from the beginning of time.  As I think on this it reminds me a chapter from Psalms I memorized when I was young Psalm 139.  ...:16 "your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  God, it amazes me to know from the beginning of time you destined our family to be who were are.  I praise you and thank you for this journey of life.

I look forward to seeing our daughters beautiful face, her little body and being able to hug and snuggle this little miracle from God like I have my other 2 daughters.  I love you little one and praying that we will get to see you soon!!!

No news yet!

Well, it has been over 3 weeks since our lawyer received our paperwork in Honduras.  We have not heard if it has gone to IHNFA or not yet.  We are hoping that it is there and maybe even have been accepted and maybe even have received a number but in reality it may still be at the lawyers.  This is when I have to keep coming back to it all being in God's timing.  It has been my prayer from the beginning that the focus would be on Him not about what we have done, as any of you that have gone through this journey you know that the journey of adoption is not an easy journey.   It is a time that God is using  to draw me closer to Him.
  Don't get me wrong, there are times that I get frustrated and discouraged and even times that I wonder..."are we really adopting?",  "God is this something that you want us to do?", "will we ever get a number?" "will we ever receive a referral?".  And then God does give me peace, to trust in Him.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord.  "They are  to plans prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. "  Jer.29:11-13

Even though we haven't heard anything, I have to trust in the fact that God does have a plan bigger than I can even imagine.

Recently I read the book The Yellow Sock:An Adoption story by Angela  Hunt.  This couples journey was a very different journey than ours and yet it was a an encouraging book and easy read.  A quote from the book "The Lord knows what he is doing.  He has promised to be with you in every difficulty, and he will not allow you to suffer beyond the limits of your endurance." really hit home.  Even though we aren't really "suffering" through this time, God must know that we can endure for a much longer time and I trust in the fact that the payoff in the end of this endurance is going to be a beautiful thing in seeing our family grow.  Looking forward to seeing our little girl and holding her in our arms!

Dump Day 2012

As you all know that have been following this blog or know us.  God has truly placed the country of Honduras on our hearts.  As we took the steps of adopting from Honduras, we knew of some of the great needs through this beautiful country and yet didn't really know the depths.  I  believe that even going there we will  never ever really know the depths of the needs.
Alexa said this morning (She had to finish reading her book for school so was up quite late-which is quite a feat for her, not the staying up late :) but the reading for a long time).  Her words  "last night as I was reading my stomach was really hungry but I figured it was too late to come down for a snack."  Not really what you might say a weird comment because how many of us will stay up late and be "hungry" (but not really) and think well I could just go downstairs and get a snack.  We have NO IDEA what true hunger really is.  This really hit me this morning as I think upon Dump Day tomorrow.  You may ask, what is Dump day?  There is this ministry in Honduras that goes to the Dump (outside of Tegucigalpa) every Wednesday to provide meals to the people there, but things don't just stop there.
http://treymorgan.net/how-to-give-on-dump-day-and-dump-day-give-aways/.  You have to check it out. What a ministry that there is there.  There was also another blog that shared about this 2 year old little boy that lives at the Dump with his mom and he had parasites but they had not been able to take him to the doctor.  Through this ministry they were able to take him to the doctor and get him the medicine that was needed. This ministry helped to save this little boy from dying.  If you go to this blog you can check out Trey's Honduras blog entries and be prepared to have your eyes opened.  The fields are ripe for harvest!

Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest?

Look, i tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

John 4:35

Not only do they feed these people with food every Wednesday they feed them with spiritual nourishment. You will find information there as to how you can help.  You can also join me tomorrow in fasting during breakfast and lunch to pray for these people of Honduras.  On the adoption front we still haven't received news that we have been approved.  Just praying that it is that we just haven't heard and we already have a number.  We continue to pray for our little one that she is cared for and that there is just something special that draws the attention of one special person that can love on her for us for the mean time until we can hold her in our arms.  Yes, my arms are starting to truly ache for her!!