Pushing through the wait

I can't believe it's been almost 3 months since I've posted. My sincere apologies for not keeping up. Sadly, not much has happened with our adoption. Which is probably why, although I've thought of blogging many times, I simply haven't. I want big news, something exciting, that next step to arrive so I can scream it from the mountaintop. So everyone can know that the pennies and dollars you invested went somewhere. That your many, loving prayers are moving mountains and soon our little girl will be home. But, reality is that there's no big news. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean your money invested and prayers AREN'T moving mountains! They are getting us somewhere and every day I am so blessed to know that we have so many partnering with us. It is your gracious, giving hearts that keep us going, keep us fighting for our little girl. So what is happening???

Well, today I am driving an hour and a half to pick up our home study update. This is needed to renew our USCIS approval, which is necessary to adopt. Our approval expires on Christmas day and USCIS must receive our renewal packet before that date. There was a hiccup in the processing so we are cutting it close. Not ideal, but God is using it to increase our faith. A reminder that worrying about what we can't control only creates negativity which passes around to others and simply is NOT necessary. Just lay it down and let Him do the work. He will. He did. And so today I will FedEx our documents, to assure they arrive on time.

Our previous USCIS approval stated we were looking to adopt a girl ages 24-48 months.  Since over a year has passed since that approval, we have shifted the age to state 3-5 years. We know God already knows who our daughter is and continue to believe that Jayla is longing for her twin.

So what happens next is we hopefully receive a new approval letter, with no complications and then we continue to wait. Yep. More waiting. We are believing that God will connect us with our daughter during the first half of 2016, that we will travel to meet and hold her, and she will be home for Christmas next year. That is our prayer, our desire, what our hearts long for. We have more funding to raise and continue to pray about what that looks like. We had planned to do a fundraiser in November, but the doors kept closing. It didn't make sense to us, knowing the amount we have left to raise, but we are trusting in Him. He promised he would provide every penny and so we put our faith in the only one who can do immeasurably more than we could ever imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

Please don't stop praying for us and for our little girl, Eve.

My Heart's Longing

My heart longs to hold you

Tightly in my arms

To love and protect you

Keep you safe from harm

But there’s time and space between us

And much more, we’ll never know

But oh how my heart longs

To see your face aglow

Our hearts are being knit together

Every string woven with love

As God prepares our family

As only he can do from above

The many joys and trials

I imagine you are facing

Keep us hoping and praying

For that moment we are embracing

Your eyes, I bet, will sparkle

Like stars up in the sky

Your hands a perfect size

As with mine they intertwine

So soft and sweet your smile

Yet sassy like your sister

The two of you a perfect blend

Creating and conquering disaster

Your brothers will adore you

And show you many wonders

Naively you will follow them

And love them as they blunder

The memories we will create

Among many trials we will endure

It’s worth every second of waiting

Knowing you are here

My daughter, we are praying

We are fighting time and space

There will be no ceasing

Until we see your precious face