GREAT news!

Whew.....

Being so negative (see yesterday's post) is hard work.  : )

So, with that in mind, I want to update with something more positive.  Something MUCH more positive.

First, I failed to mention that our update email advised us (I was busy focusing on the negative, remember?) that there are children in their care who, as soon as paperwork is completed, are ready to be referred (hopefully) soon.  It seems that the process has changed up somewhat and more paperwork is required before referral than was previously the case.  This is really a good thing because of the fact that more i's have been dotted and more t's have been crossed before court and Embassy which means that there are less "hiccups" in the process once your referral is received.  In the past, families have received referrals and then waited MONTHS and MONTHS to be able to travel for court and/or Embassy -or- traveled relatively quickly for court and waited MONTHS to go back for Embassy (and bring their children home).  With the changes that are being made, the wait for a referral can potentially be longer but, once that referral is received, court and Embassy dates are hopefully much quicker and more predictable.  Good news.

With all of that said, I received a Facebook message from a fellow adoptive mom yesterday who is trapped in that timeframe between court and Embassy.  She and her husband are adopting two precious older girls who I met while in Ethiopia last July.  These girls have been longing for a family for quite some time; watching as many other children come into and out of the orphanage, bound for their forever homes.  And NOW they have a family of their own but haven't been granted an Embassy date so that they can make their way right here to Tennessee to begin living the life that they've only dreamed of until this point.  Will you do me a favor and pray for this family?  God knows who they are.  (Pray also for their mom who is experiencing some illness this week).

And speaking of prayer, I am reminded of Bartimeaus, who BOLDLY and SPECIFICALLY asked Jesus to receive his sight.  In fact, the Bible says (in Mark 10:47) that when Bartimeaus (who was blind and begging) heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, he "began to shout "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"" (note the exclamation point).  And so, taking a clue from Bartimeaus, I am praying BOLDLY and SPECIFICALLY that our daughter is one of the children who is currently in the care center, almost ready for referral.

And God, in His sovereignty, may answer that prayer.  And He may not.  And that's okay.  Because He knows best and His timing is perfect.  GREAT news.

(And, by the way, SIX children were matched with their FOREVER families in the month of May.....that's some good news, huh?).  VERY good news.


Coming soon.....a couple of "while we wait" updates.  Fun!