Progress and Presents!

Yesterday we FINALLY got to mail our I-600A form to the USCIS (for all our friends new to the adoption process, this is basically our application to the US government for their approval to adopt). It feels very momentous! It was not without a number of frustrating delays and setbacks - none that were anyone's fault, but annoying nonetheless. It honestly felt like there was some Satanic opposition in getting that stinkin' paper out of the door! Everything from the ridiculous ice storm that basically shut down our city for 5 days, to my social worker's e-mails suddenly going to my spam account without any explanation, to minuscule errors on our home study (ok, that was completely my fault), to my printer inexplicably being out of ink...every delay felt like someone was doing their very best to frustrate our efforts to get our baby home as soon as possible! It was a good opportunity to be reminded that God is so much bigger than this - that He is the One who called us to this, that it is all in His perfect timing, that His purposes will stand in spite of however it may seem on the surface. And despite all the setbacks & frustrating delays, the I-600A is in the mail and we are one step closer to our baby girl! For those who have asked what is next, we wait for a letter telling us when & where to get fingerprinted, then wait some more for our official approval from USCIS. Then, we can mail our dossier to Ethiopia & officially be on the referral list! It's so close I can taste it! But our experience has shown me that I need to be patient...this may take some time. We would appreciate prayers that there would not be any unnecessary delays & that we can move on to the next phase of this process - the true waiting. 

It has occurred to me the past few weeks that our baby girl may be born soon! Since we don't know exactly when we will get to bring her home, and we are going on the assumption that it is possible we could bring her home about a year from now (which may or may not be accurate!), and since we have requested a baby from 0-12 months old, it would follow that if she is not born yet, she will be soon. So many unknowns...it is hard to wrap my mind around it. I am trying not to dwell on the things I will be missing, and get excited about what is to come. 

Speaking of what is to come, I spent last weekend loving on my newest nephew, Becket. I resisted the urge to give into sadness that I won't get those snuggly moments with my newborn baby this time around - truly, I just enjoyed every moment of it. And, being the selfless person she is, I went to see my sister's new baby, and she gave ME gifts! I just had to share - 

 Isn't this necklace awesome?!? My sister ordered it through www.thevintagepearl.com. I'm a fan!

 Our first gift for our sweet baby girl! These are the softest blankets you will ever touch - have I said yet that my sister is amazing? Our baby girl will be so loved - and already is.

This one is actually from Corey (I might have hinted a bit that it would make a good Valentine's gift!)- you might just see a whole lot of adoption/Africa gear from me from here on out! I love the shirts from www.147millionorphans.com. I know many of you are familiar with them, but if you're not, check out their story and their products - they are truly inspiring and amazing women who are making an unbelievable difference in the lives of people in need. Plus, as a bonus, these are unbelievably soft & comfy! 

And after reading about all these products I just plugged, I should totally be getting paid for this :). 

God is good!

Julia here. So, I'm a little behind in posting this photo of our amazing night with some of our friends who are also adopting from Africa. I found out a few days later I had the flu, so I think I have a bit of an excuse (and I profusely apologize if anyone else got sick - I definitely wouldn't have come if I thought the flu was on its way!)! Anyway, I think all these precious friends posted this at least a week ago, but I just have to include it on our blog as well.

When we began this journey to adopt, I think we had some vague knowledge of one or two of these families adopting. As we became more serious about pursuing international adoption, we were blown away to find out that so many of our college friends were on this same path! It had been years since we had really been in touch with these friends, but reading the words they had written on their blogs resonated deeply within me. These are true kindred spirits - they understand in a way no one else can what this road is really like. So to have an opportunity to sit around & catch up with them, meet their children, and get to talk about our children who we have yet to meet was thrilling! The McCuistons, Jacobs, Cheathams and Tidmores are incredible families and I am so thankful to have them in our lives. Seriously, I keep looking at this photo and thinking, "God, you are SO good!" He didn't have to give us so many friends with the same heart for adoption. He didn't have to surround us with people whose families will look like ours! But His grace covers us, and His love continues to be so evident. I have no idea what the future looks like, but I'm pretty sure I will be depending on these friends for moral support in the days to come. I can't wait to see what this photo looks like in a year!

On a totally unrelated note, we are going on day 2 of being home for a snow day! And we just found out school has been called off tomorrow - I sure hope we survive so much togetherness :). But I have been more thankful than ever for a warm house and plenty of food to eat! The snow has kept us out of school, but much worse than that, it has kept us from being able to finalize our home study. We are waiting on a document from one of our doctors, which is ready, but which I am unable to get out to pick up...yet another frustrating delay in this long process! Hopefully next week we can get all the details covered & be able to send off our I-600A (our government approval form). S-L-O-W seems to be the most descriptive word for our paper pregnancy! I'm really trying to see this as an opportunity to be taught by the Lord, to not waste a moment - and I know I have a lot to learn. But we're coming baby girl! We think of her & pray for her often. She is constantly on our minds - every bit as much a part of our family as if she were growing in my tummy like her sisters did. It will just take a little longer to see her sweet face. But faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see. And we have faith - in Jesus, and in His good plan for our family!