Closer Still

Our agency sends needed items to the orphanages with parents traveling to pick up their children.  There are two families traveling this weekend who are taking baby formula with them.  We received an email yesterday asking for first aid supplies to send with the 3rd family that is traveling.  I forwarded the message to Joey so that he could remind me to get first aid supplies to send to this family to take to the DRC.  Then, we got the email that it is us.  We are the next family to travel!!!  We don't have approval yet, but we are next in line to go! WOW!

We are getting closer!

It has been a while since I updated the blog as to all that is going on.  Things have been happening, but we have been so busy with school starting and getting my bible study up and going that I haven't sat down long enough to get out some coherent thoughts.  Here are some updates:
Miriam received her book about our family.  Our agency videotaped the congo director reading it to her.  We could see God at work.  Papa John (this is what the kids call him) hugged Miriam as he read it to her, so she felt safe as she contemplated this new idea in her life.  He read the book with great enthusiasm which seemed to give her a sense that this was going to be ok.  In this book, we simply introduced ourselves.  The main phrase that we wrote was Tolingi Miriam which means we love you Miriam.  The first time she hears that phrase you can see a slight smile come across her lips.  By the end of the book, Papa John has Miriam waving at the camera and telling us that she loves us too.
Our I600 form has been in the hands of US Immigration for almost 4 weeks now, so hopefully we will receive our approval soon.  This week we sent a giant amount of paperwork to a family from our agency that is traveling over the weekend to the DRC.  They are taking everything that is needed for Miriam to get her visa and our embassy appointment.  I am praying for God's perfect timing in our travel and approval process and trying to trust His sovereignty while we wait.
We have also been working on Miriam's room.  It is coming together.  Here is a picture of her bed!

There is still lots to do and so many things that have to happen but we feel it...we are getting closer...our lives are getting ready to change forever...and we are so excited to be on this great adventure!

Busy Week

We had waited for a long time with nothing seeming to happen and then all of a sudden...BOOM.  Lots of things seemed to fall into place last week.  I already posted that we received our first approval from US Immigration.  That was a general approval for our family to adopt an unnamed orphan under the age of 6 from the DRC.  Then...hallelujah...we received documentation that shows our adoption in the Congo was completed on July 12th.  Now, we file the next US Immigration approval that says we can specifically adopt Miriam.  I am praying that the same person who processed our first paperwork miraculously gets this paperwork as well and then remembers us and pushes it through the system quickly. Once this approval comes through (which can take months), the last thing we have to do is get a visa for Miriam and then we are off to the DRC to pick up our sweet girl! We are praying for God's timing in all things!

Prayers for Miriam

This week a representative from our adoption agency is traveling to DRC to check on the orphanages and visit with the children.  She is taking our book we made for Miriam to introduce her to our family and let her know she is being adopted.  While Miriam is always in my thoughts and prayers, this week it seems heavier knowing how overwhelming this could be for her 4 year old heart and mind.  Here are some of the ways I am praying for her this week:

-Faithful Father, I trust that you are already at work in Miriam’s heart, mind, thoughts, and life in ways that I cannot fathom. I praise you that you are good, Your love endures forever, and Your power and sovereignty know no bounds.  You are a promise keeping God who promises to be a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows and orphans. May Miriam know you as Loving Father who will never leave her or forsake her and in this knowledge begin the process of healing the hurt of abandonment.

-Righteous King, bring your kingdom power and rule to break through any evil or darkness in Miriam’s life. Guard her heart, mind, thoughts, and body from all attacks of evil. Give her your peace, your thoughts, your safety.

-Gentle Shepherd, give Miriam a peace that passes understanding as she looks at her book and to supernaturally know that the plans you have for her are good and will not bring her harm but instead will give her hope and a future. Quench her fears by speaking to her heart, through the pictures and words on the pages, of our love for her.  As Miriam studies the pictures of her new family, begin the attachment process and give her a feeling of safety and security.

-Lord of all, we place Miriam into Your care knowing that You work all things for good for those who love You and have been called according to Your purpose.  We submit to Your will for Miriam’s life and ask that You give us wisdom and discernment as we attempt to love and parent her.  Help us to hold her with open hands trusting You in every step.

Thank you for joining us in praying for her and our family.  Know that your prayers are making a kingdom difference! 

Another Step Closer

Hooray!  Our family just got home from a fantastic trip to Alaska. After traveling for a week in this land of breath taking beauty and perpetual daylight, we were glad to be back home to sleep in our own beds. As we unpacked and sorted through our stack of mail, we were greeted with a letter from US Immigration that granted us adoption approval!! What a gift! While we waited, God was working!

Happiness

Happiness is...a visit with great friends...talking about Africa...looking at mission trip photos...singing songs with an African accent...laughing at silliness...praying for Miriam and our families!  Love this beautiful art for her wall which will remind our sweet girl that she is loved with an everlasting love!  Thank you Guerard Family!

Fingerprints...check

One more thing checked off the to do list.  We have all now had our biomedical fingerprints taken...they were the same as the others we have done so I am not sure what the biomedical part is.   It is always good to leave "The Bubble" and see what the rest of the world is up to.  We drove into Atlanta for our fingerprinting appointment.  There were people from all over the world there. Mostly, they were applying for some sort of immigration status. It was pretty cool listening to all the different languages being spoken.  I think we were the only ones there going through the adoption process. The people who worked there were friendly, helpful, and wished us well in the process of adopting Miriam.  Now that this task is done, we are back to patiently waiting and praying that our paperwork is moving through the system.