A New Number

Yesterday, we learned that we have a new number. We have moved up two positions to number 72. Although it is good to know that there is movement, we were disappointed that in one months time, we only moved up to 72. We were really hoping to move into the 60's. It is difficult to leave the process in the hands of others. This process has been a real eye-opener for me to realize how much I want to be in control. This process has forced me on numerous occasions to hand over control to others - agencies, government, lawyers, etc. I struggle with handing over the control...ultimately, this has challenged me to reflect on my relationship with God. I know that I cannot save myself, and that my condition before God as a rebellious sinner is only dealt with through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 3:16; John 14:6, Acts 4:12), yet in the day to day walk of life, I am constantly struggling with God for control. Why do I have to be so stubborn and thick-headed? Lord, help me to learn this lesson of the Christian walk so that I can glorify you in my life daily!

Waiting

Well, there still is no news. We are just hoping that we hear soon from our social worker that we have gotten a new number soon. It is hard to believe that it has been 1 yr & 5 months since we officially started this journey.It has been a while since we have written. We were hoping to be able to update that we got a new number. We have heard some updates though in the time. We have heard that yes, we will need to make 2 trips. The first being no more than 1 week and the second trip being anywhere from 1-2 weeks or 15-20 days (we still don't know if this is business days or just days). We have been told that the reason for the two different timelines is that it depends on the case. We are trying to look at this as a blessing that we will have that special time to spend with our daughter without normal everyday interruptions. The down side is that we were hoping to take our other girls with us on this second trip. Now it just will be a little more working through the logistics to figure out what we will do so that they can still go on one of the trips, let alone longer time scenario, 4 weeks is a long time to be away from our daughters here. We are totally trusting in God for all of this. We also are looking at the reality that things are definitely not moving as quickly as we were hoping. My prayer especially is that we don't get discouraged in this wait and know that our daughter is not "ready" yet. The other biggy...the cost. It obviously will cost quite a bit more than we were figuring. Thus the wait is a little easier in knowing that we have more time to save to go get our daughter. Praying that we are able to update with a new number! Thanks again for reading and praying!

We Have a Number

We just received word from our agency that we have received a waitlist number. We are in line and holding the number "74". We know that the wait will still be a number of months, probably 12 to 18 months, but it is good to have a number. Our yard sale went well last week. We raised $200 form the yard sale, and because God has graciously given us enough at this point to complete our adoption, we are planning to pass the money from our yard sale on to another family adopting from Honduras. Thank you for your prayers.

Yard Sale This Weekend & prayers

Well, we are preparing for our second adoption yard sale.  This time around the money we raise will be given to another family who is in the process of adopting as well.  We have been so blessed by others generosity in our journey that we are so excited to be able to help out friends that are also on this same journey. So if you are in the area this Saturday and want to stop in and check out we will have our yard sale from 8-1pm.  Great things will be here.  Furniture, electronics, cross stitch frames children's items, household items & baked goods.  The list goes on.

As we are preparing for this day I also want to ask people to be praying specifically on this Saturday with this possible opportunity that we have about sharing about our journey and maybe a seed can be planted.  I recently heard the new Casting Crowns song "So Far to Find You"  what an awesome song in tying together adopting and the picture we see in the Bible of God reaching down and adopting us as His sons and daughters.


What an amazing song!

Have a wonderful day!

Happy & Heavy Heart

Well, we received some really good news.  It looks like we have been approved by IHNFA.  Our paperwork now gets presented to the next group to get assigned a number-The General Secretary of Honduras.  We have been told this could take 1-2 weeks (but as we are seeing this could always take more time).  With knowing this, this is where the heavy heart comes in.  We probably wont receive our referral until next summer if we are lucky.  This really was what we have fully been expecting as I have been following my bloggy friends on this same journey, numbers are quite high.  I fully expect that our number will be somewhere in the 70's.  If it is lower then we will totally be thrilled.  I did hear through another blog the assignment committee did meet last week so we wait to see if referrals were accepted and if the numbers move.

As I was telling Andy what I found out while on the phone with our social worker, I could tell tears were welling up with happiness that we were approved and yet tears of sorrow to know that we have  a much longer wait than we originally hoped for.  My arms do ache to hold this little one, whom ever she is.  What made it even more difficult to watch though was to see our older daughter as I shared with her that our wait was probably much longer you could see the tears well up.  She was so disappointed.  I know she is looking at it that that means less time that she will be around to watch her grow up as she looks at the fact that she starts high school this next year. Yet, one of the first AWANA verses we helped the girls learn comes to mind..."we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose". Romans 8:28

Please know that as you may hear me say..."I know that it is all in God's timing.  It has been our prayer from the beginning that it would be all about Him".  I don't say this as a pat comment.  This is truly what gets me through this journey.  I do trust in God for this whole journey and pray that He continues to give us peace and patience through this journey so that He can be glorified through all of this

"...For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a 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 your heart.  I will be found by you," declares the Lord...  Jeremiah 29:11-14a

As you read this we beg of you to continue to pray for our little one, her birth mother (I can't even imagine what pain she had or will have to go through to give her up-a little window of this reality came to me through reading  the book "Daddy Come Get Me"-I highly recommend this read), the assignment committee as they have to make to selections of what children to refer to which family, as well as the transition our daughter will go through as she will join our family and that our number would be a lower number than we expect and the time goes quick to get our referral.

One last note, if you are in the area we will be having a yard sale  fundraiser this coming Saturday-June 9 to raise funds for our adoption as well as to help others out on their journey to adopt!  If you would like to donate items  or baked good or drinks to sell please let us know.