Dossier on its way to D.C.!!!

I talked to our caseworker yesterday and she said that everything in our dossier looked good! This is truly an answer to prayer. It was so tough to get the documents right this time...I seem to have a knack for finding notaries that don't know how to properly notarize a document. I was really expecting that the agency would find a mistake that I had overlooked. But, everything was approved and now it's all on its way to D.C. to be authenticated! Then, it will go back to our agency and be sent with their weekly shipments to Ethiopia!!! I don't know the turnaround time in D.C., but I'm hoping it may go with next week's Friday shipment to Ethiopia. Once it's on the way to Ethiopia, we are OFFICIALLY on the waiting list:) So, looks like I better find something to keep me occupied for the next 8 months or so while we wait for a referral!

Almost "out of our hands"

If all goes well, our dossier should be out of our hands and onto our agency by the weekend! Don't worry, we've never been under the illusion that any of this was actually "in our hands." Thank goodness! The only thing that gets me through the fact that gathering a handful of documents took 5 months is the fact that it's all in God's hands, not mine. His hands and His plan are far more capable than my own! As frustrating as it is to have to have documents re-done time and time again because of a wrong date, an incorrect signature, a nurse practitioner's examination versus a physician, etc - I know it is all necessary and that, in the end, we will be matched with OUR child. It may sound cheesy to some, but having been through this twice before, I believe it with all my heart. With Grayson, we waited 3 weeks longer than we expected due to families in front of us on the waiting list being delivered the terrible news that the child they had been referred had passed away. When we finally received Grayson's referral, he was only 2 weeks old...he hadn't even been born when we were so impatiently waiting to get "the call." With Abram, we waited about 4 months longer than we expected. But, once again, four months earlier, Abram had not yet been relinquished by his brother. So, we wait. To say it will be easy is a lie...but, it is a bit EASIER, knowing the outcome will be more perfect than my imperfect plan could ever imagine:)

And, someday, when we're home with our child and she's older and we're telling her our story, what a great story it will be. To be able to say to our children, "we didn't just want you...we FOUGHT for you. We went to the bank 2 and 3 times a day and asked employers to complete letters 3 different times and drove to Lafayette to have notaries fix medical documents. We wanted you and LOVED you before we even knew who you were. And, most importantly, God had stitched our family together long before any of were on this earth."

And just because it's not as fun to read if there's no picture at the end....and, because I'm left wondering where the beautiful weather disappeared to...

Adoption Update

I realize it's been months since I posted an adoption update. Quite frankly, this is the boring part...paperwork. It's so exciting to begin thinking and praying about adopting and then announcing to family and friends, but then we seem to go through a rut for several months. Sure, we're excited, but this is where I begin guarding my heart, trying not to get TOO excited, you know?

This time around the paperwork has taken FOREVER! And, it's been totally out of our hands...which is a little frustrating. One of our background checks took forever, holding up the release of our home study. Then there was Christmas, New Year's, and a million other reasons for people to be out of their offices not working on our documents:) But, we're getting very close now! We received our I-171H in the mail the other day. This is a letter from the federal government saying we've been approved to adopt internationally. Now we are double and triple-checking all our documents and getting ready to have them authenticated by the Secretary of State. After that, they will be on their way to our agency.

Once we are placed on the waiting list, we expect to wait 6-8 months for a referral. Honestly, in the world of adoption, it could turn in to 6-8 years:) So, we're excited; yet, guarded:) And, with all kinds of changes happening in country to ensure that adoptions remain ethical, the wait after referral is growing. We will certainly be leaning on God to get us through the wait!

The boys and I are really enjoying the nice, spring weather we've been getting. Our magnolia tree out front is in bloom and is so pretty! But, with the nice weather, comes the dandelions! TruGreen will be coming to the rescue soon!

Here are a couple pics of the magnolias and dandelions:)

I Heart Faces {Shadows}

This week's photo challenge at I Heart Faces is Shadows! This picture immediately came to mind. I didn't realize how cool the shadows looked in this picture until I got home and started editing! For more entries, go to I Heart Faces.