We are finally... officially.... waiting...
After nine intense weeks of constant "paper chasing", we are finally at a point where all we can do is wait. We are waiting to hear when our appointment will be for our USCIS clearances. Then we will wait to go to the appointment. Then we will wait to get our approval - Lord willing.
After that, we will have a bit of paperwork to do again to get the rest of the dossier notarized, apostilled, and then sent overseas. And again we will wait...for our dossier to be officially submitted... and then for our appointment date in Eastern Europe.
We know who goes before us and we are so grateful. To God be the glory. Great things He hath done!
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Psalm 27:14
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
Pray with us as we wait and trust in Him for His perfect timing.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
En Route
Today, the first part of our dossier began its journey to Maeve's country. It's just a stack of papers, but these are documents we have spent weeks gathering, checking and rechecking. Hours on the phone scheduling appointments to have meetings, medical tests, and gathering information about us and our lives from officials (to make even things like the way we spell our names officially official) for documents that all had to be approved, then notarized, and then apostilled by the state. And now, two months after making the commitment to adopt this little love...
We have met so many kind and helpful people since we began the process of adoption. We enjoy meeting new folks and hearing their stories. It's amazing how much we all have in common, and how many of us are connected by just a few people in between. We have learned so much...and this is just the beginning!
During this time of working intently to compile our dossier as quickly as paperwork procedures will allow, we have been so uplifted by your prayers and your outpouring of love and support for our family.
Thank you for your kind responses to our letter.
Thank you for your encouraging words.
Thank you for your love and your prayers!
We appreciate you!!
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
we are 35 documents closer to her. We still have a few more to collect/have notarized/send off to be apostilled, and then wait for them to return, but we are getting there. Praise the Lord!!!
We have met so many kind and helpful people since we began the process of adoption. We enjoy meeting new folks and hearing their stories. It's amazing how much we all have in common, and how many of us are connected by just a few people in between. We have learned so much...and this is just the beginning!
During this time of working intently to compile our dossier as quickly as paperwork procedures will allow, we have been so uplifted by your prayers and your outpouring of love and support for our family.
Thank you for your kind responses to our letter.
Thank you for your encouraging words.
Thank you for your love and your prayers!
We appreciate you!!
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
Sunday, May 12, 2013
High Hopes in Him
Wow! Recently, we read about the first person with Down Syndrome to receive an honorary doctorate!
It's no secret that most parents want the best for their children. We dream of the day they will come into the world, or in the case of adoption, into our family forever. We imagine what they will look like, sound like, be like. We dream big dreams for them and pray over them as if their very lives depended on it...(they do).
We know some wonder what our lives will look like many years from now. So do we! But in the same way that we've always wondered. We've wondered for a long time if the Lord is coming back before we grow old. We're still wondering about that. We're looking for him because the Bible says in Hebrews 9:28,
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
There are plenty of future details to wonder about, but it is also written in Matthew 6:34, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
Still, what parent can't help but dream, hope, and pray for our little ones' days to come. Oh Lord, that they would be full of you and love to serve you!
Just as we can never predict the talents and abilities of any biological child the Lord gives us, there is no way to know what capabilities an adopted child will be blessed with. We do know that for any child, love and nurturing can foster optimal growth and development. We know that every child deserves parents whose hopes are so very high for them.
Our hopes are high because they are all in Him. Not because we have unrealistic expectations. Not because we are unaware that parenting is challenging. Our hopes are high because we serve an awesome God who is able to supply all of our needs no matter the circumstances. He is our shield and our portion, our strong tower and our fortress, our rock and our redeemer. He is our salvation! If we rest in Him, He supplies peace that surpasses all understanding and He is ALL we need.
It's no secret that most parents want the best for their children. We dream of the day they will come into the world, or in the case of adoption, into our family forever. We imagine what they will look like, sound like, be like. We dream big dreams for them and pray over them as if their very lives depended on it...(they do).
We know some wonder what our lives will look like many years from now. So do we! But in the same way that we've always wondered. We've wondered for a long time if the Lord is coming back before we grow old. We're still wondering about that. We're looking for him because the Bible says in Hebrews 9:28,
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
There are plenty of future details to wonder about, but it is also written in Matthew 6:34, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
Still, what parent can't help but dream, hope, and pray for our little ones' days to come. Oh Lord, that they would be full of you and love to serve you!
Just as we can never predict the talents and abilities of any biological child the Lord gives us, there is no way to know what capabilities an adopted child will be blessed with. We do know that for any child, love and nurturing can foster optimal growth and development. We know that every child deserves parents whose hopes are so very high for them.
Our hopes are high because they are all in Him. Not because we have unrealistic expectations. Not because we are unaware that parenting is challenging. Our hopes are high because we serve an awesome God who is able to supply all of our needs no matter the circumstances. He is our shield and our portion, our strong tower and our fortress, our rock and our redeemer. He is our salvation! If we rest in Him, He supplies peace that surpasses all understanding and He is ALL we need.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21.
Please continue to pray for our sweet girls' health and safety. <3
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Are we there yet?
One of the first questions we get asked after sharing about our adoption is, "When can you bring her home?"
Our hearts say, "Not soon enough." Every day there instead of here is another day Maeve didn't get to be a daughter. Today, sweet Maeve didn't get to feel our arms around her or feel her big sister practice being "soft" by gently stroking her little hands.
We honestly don't know the exact conditions of her daily life at this point. We know what we have read and heard from other parents who have adopted from her country. We know that baby houses are "better" than the ADULT mental institutions they are transferred to, as early as the age of four . We know that some baby houses are better than others, depending on the directors and staff. We know that regardless of how much a nanny may care for the children, there is still a severe deprivation of human contact. There is still inadequate nutrition for their growing bodies. Some families have recently brought home one year olds wearing 6 months size clothing and three year olds fitting into 18 months and even 12 months size clothing.
Each day we pray Maeve is cared for with compassion, even if that means God miraculously softens hearts that were hardened before. It seems incredulous to most of us here in America that children could be seen as less that human, less than worthy of time and attention, proper nutrition and a chance to grow as healthily as possible. Most of us cannot understand what it is like to have had our opinions about children with special needs and disabilities formed by a society that condones the disposal of these babies the moment they are born. It is a societal expectation to sign away parental rights as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed in the hospital. The rejected babies are then squandered away, housed by the hundreds, hidden from society.
We know that our Father in heaven can do all things. We ask Him to change hearts, knowing He hears the cries of His children, that He loves us, and that He will never leave nor forsake us. We pray expectantly! We pray daily that Maeve is not hungry. As we sit down to pray over our meal, we think of her and ask the Lord to protect her from hunger. That if necessary, He supernaturally supplies her need for nourishment. We believe He will do this...because we ask as blood bought, born again children of God. We go boldly before His throne and we call on the name of Jesus, and we have peace that surpasses all understanding, including ours.
The culmination of this process will be traveling to Eastern Europe to meet Maeve, be named as her parents in court, and then finally, bring her home Lord willing. The latest that her homecoming should be is September - her birthday month! We are praying for it to happen sooner, understanding that God's timing is perfect, and desiring to remain in the center of His will for our travel plans. Please pray about these things with us.
A family for her birthday...
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matthew 7:11
Thank you for your prayers!!
Our hearts say, "Not soon enough." Every day there instead of here is another day Maeve didn't get to be a daughter. Today, sweet Maeve didn't get to feel our arms around her or feel her big sister practice being "soft" by gently stroking her little hands.
We honestly don't know the exact conditions of her daily life at this point. We know what we have read and heard from other parents who have adopted from her country. We know that baby houses are "better" than the ADULT mental institutions they are transferred to, as early as the age of four . We know that some baby houses are better than others, depending on the directors and staff. We know that regardless of how much a nanny may care for the children, there is still a severe deprivation of human contact. There is still inadequate nutrition for their growing bodies. Some families have recently brought home one year olds wearing 6 months size clothing and three year olds fitting into 18 months and even 12 months size clothing.
Each day we pray Maeve is cared for with compassion, even if that means God miraculously softens hearts that were hardened before. It seems incredulous to most of us here in America that children could be seen as less that human, less than worthy of time and attention, proper nutrition and a chance to grow as healthily as possible. Most of us cannot understand what it is like to have had our opinions about children with special needs and disabilities formed by a society that condones the disposal of these babies the moment they are born. It is a societal expectation to sign away parental rights as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed in the hospital. The rejected babies are then squandered away, housed by the hundreds, hidden from society.
We know that our Father in heaven can do all things. We ask Him to change hearts, knowing He hears the cries of His children, that He loves us, and that He will never leave nor forsake us. We pray expectantly! We pray daily that Maeve is not hungry. As we sit down to pray over our meal, we think of her and ask the Lord to protect her from hunger. That if necessary, He supernaturally supplies her need for nourishment. We believe He will do this...because we ask as blood bought, born again children of God. We go boldly before His throne and we call on the name of Jesus, and we have peace that surpasses all understanding, including ours.
The culmination of this process will be traveling to Eastern Europe to meet Maeve, be named as her parents in court, and then finally, bring her home Lord willing. The latest that her homecoming should be is September - her birthday month! We are praying for it to happen sooner, understanding that God's timing is perfect, and desiring to remain in the center of His will for our travel plans. Please pray about these things with us.
A family for her birthday...
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matthew 7:11
Thank you for your prayers!!
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