Quick Update

Our family leaves for Michigan tomorrow, but I wanted to give a quick update before we head out!
First of all, our good friends, the DeMaio's, are in Ethiopia this week meeting their sweet little one for the first time - their court date is today, Wednesday.  Since there is a 7 hr time difference, I was up several times in the night praying for them to pass court!!
Second, our "package" is off to USCIS - we'll now wait for our fingerprinting appointments.
Third, our dossier is just about put together (at least all we can do until we officially accept our referral).  We'll finish up a couple of things and send it to our agency before we leave tomorrow!
Fourth, we'll continue to wait for medicals to come through on the little one we have an "unofficial referral" for - once we have those, she will become our official referral!  I told the gal at our agency a couple of days ago that I'm thinking it might be quicker for me just to hop on a plane, head on over there and take her to the Dr myself!  :)
We know God's timing is perfect, but we sure are excited!  We look at her picture at least a dozen times a day - we're waiting patiently (we're trying) for that day when we get to meet her face to face - unspeakable joy!!

Beautiful People

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths.  These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness and a deep loving concern.  Beautiful people do not just happen."  Elizabeth Kubler Ros
This makes me think of the song that says, "Jesus send the rain".  It's through those downpours of life that we seem to become more like Him!  

An Amazing Gift

Over the past few weeks there have been a couple of pretty major directional changes in our adoption journey - very soon, I'll be able to share more, but today, I can say this:
1.  We've changed countries from Ethiopia to the Congo (DRC)
2. We've changed adoption agencies from AWAA (which we still LOVE) to Celebrate Children International
We'll be part of a group of families who will be adopting from the Congo (through CCI) for the 1st time.  If all goes as planned, we'll be traveling to bring our little one home before the end of 2011.  WooHoo!!
So here's the part of the story I want to share with you today...The fast pace at which this process is moving is super exciting, but also challenging.  The challenge has been that we've had to come up with a very large amount of up-front money very quickly.  Impossible?  Not with God! We started praying and asking family and friends to pray along with us!  A couple of days later, we were blown away (but not surprised) by the answer God provided!
As Jeff was talking with a friend about our situation - this friend said, "up until this point our family has followed your adoption journey and have supported you with our prayers, but now - we're going to support you with our finances.  We've got it covered - all of it!"  This amazing family is fronting the full amount!
What a beautiful picture of how the body of Christ is supposed to work! God blesses us so that we can bless others!  God provides for us so that we can be His hands and feet here on earth!  This family gets it!  I'm reminded of something I read in the book Radical - it says, You and I stand on the porch of eternity. We will soon stand before God and give an account for our stewardship.  We will not wish we'd given more to living the American dream.  Instead we'll wish we'd given more to being radically obedient and generous with all God has entrusted to us!

I love that this precious family will forever be a part of our little one's story!  What an amazing gift!

The plans I have for you...

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD..." Jeremiah 29:11
God has been revealing His plans for our family at a rapid rate the past couple of weeks and I once again stand amazed at what happens when you truly surrender your plans and open your heart to His plans!

We have incredible news to share very soon, but today, which just happens to be my birthday, I will only say that my heart could not be any fuller than what it is!  God truly has chosen to pour His blessing out over the past couple of days and we are in awe of His goodness and greatness!

We also are in awe of those who choose to "live for long-term treasures that they cannot lose instead of living for short-term treasures that they cannot keep"!  You know who you are... and we are humbled and amazed by the way you have chosen to bless our family!

I have incredible stories to share over the course of the next few weeks - I can't wait!  For now, we are doing our best to walk obediently one step at a time - continually amazed at the path that God is revealing!

To be continued...