February 28, 2014

I have one of the sweetest friends in the whole world! We received the most beautiful ornament in the mail today, and it brought me so much joy!! I am beyond blessed to have a friend like you in my life.....and even though we may live a couple hundred miles apart, when we finally do get together, it's like no time has passed at all. And that's when you know who your best friends are :)

I love you so much, Kara Shockley, and I am so thankful for you! You bring me JOY!!

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!"

Psalm 126:3

February 20, 2014

As of Monday this week, Danniger and I have an official date set for our first Home Study visit! This first one takes place at our local office in Chicago on March 21st. Our caseworker said that it should last about 3 hours. Danniger and I will each get "interviewed" separately for 1 1/2 hours. Should be interesting....ha! After that visit is completed, our next two visits are combined into one, and that one takes place at our home. We have that one scheduled in April. Our caseworker said that after that visit, our Home Study will be completed and we can move on to the next step....immigration! We feel so blessed that things are going so smoothly (and somewhat quickly!) Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. You have no idea what it means to us.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
          His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
          His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
          His love endures forever."

Psalm 136:1-3

February 8, 2014

We received quite the surprise in the mail today! My wonderful sister has given us our very first "adoption present!!".....if that's even a thing! Haha. It was very unexpected, and very appreciated! I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me tear-up. It makes my heart ache even more for our child! I love you so much, Sarah! Your thoughtfulness has touched us both....

"I thank my God every time I remember you."
Philippians 1:3

February 7, 2014

Home Study Paperwork Complete!!

We just finished filling out the last of our Home Study commencement paperwork, so that the Home Study can finally begin! I mailed it in yesterday, and felt a big "weight" lifted off my shoulders! (Almost literally, as the stack of paperwork was about 2 inches thick!) I think we're only just beginning to understand the "paper chase".....as it's called. It made me laugh-out-loud when thinking about the post from Friday, January 17, "How to Support the Family who is Adopting & What Adoptive Families Wish you Knew," when she said:

"The amount of paper work for an adoption - especially an international adoption - is stark-raving ridiculous.  I am sure that forests have been obliterated because of that paperwork. It is enough to make us want to gauge our eyes out when we feel as if we are filling out the same thing over and over and over, and the red tape makes us want to strangle somebody. (Of course we get the reasons behind it all, and we want an ethical adoption process.) But the process is enough to make a sane, quiet person turn into an absolute lunatic."

Up until yesterday, everything was dependent on us, and how quickly we could gather all of the necessary documents so that our dossier can finally be put together. Now we -patiently- wait to hear back from Bethany as to when we can start the Home Study visits. God is good!!

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

    Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
 Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations." 

Psalm 100