Here's the *Hopeful* News I Was Telling You About

But First.......

A few days ago we received W's January Update from C4C with new photos of our boy--yes!  I know you all want to see photos, but lemme just say that he is one handsome, cool little dude.  After all, he is 7 goin' on big time!

He is growing so tall -- only 3 or 4 more inches and he will be caught up to big sister Noelle -- but he is skinny.  He weighs about 15 pounds less than Noelle, and Noelle is thin.  I just want to go hug him, put him on my lap and feed him lots of {all natural made from scratch} chocolate chip cookies and cold {organic GMO and hormone free} whole milk.  That will surely fix things!

Anyhoo, I digress.

His update partially says: W is one of the best soccer players in the crèche because he is getting very strong and runs fast.   He is also having a tough time with the other boys teasing him.  He goes to [a particular staff member at the creche] for help with that, and [this man] often has to go have a talk with the other boys.  Despite some of his social challenges right now, [he is smart and] continues to work hard in school.

I hate to hear that the bigger boys are giving him a hard time...  I know this is normal kid stuff and he has to learn to work these things out and learn to be confident in who he is.  But I hate that Eric and I aren't the ones to talk and pray with him and comfort him.  I am very glad to hear that this particular man seems to be taking an interest in W.  I have been praying intentionally for several months that God would bring a kind adult into his life to love on him, care for him and develop a healthy relationship with him...and one who loves Jesus would be even better.  W needs that.  Having a healthy, loving and trusting relationship with an adult will help him attach better to us.  When a child learns to trust in an adult (particularly a caregiver) and feels that person's unconditional love, the child learns to feel safe, secure, confident and in turn, learns how to attach and reciprocate love.  Will you join us in praying for W to have that kind of relationship?  It will provide him with hope and courage while we are far away AND help him adjust better to his new life when he comes home.

Along with that prayer, Eric and I continually ask God to prepare our hearts and home, prepare us physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially to be his mom and dad.  We also pray for God's Holy Spirit to go before us and prepare W's heart, mind and emotions to join our family.  This is important.  This is big.  You've heard me say it before.  We serve a great, big God!

Okay...on to the HOPEFUL NEWS.

The January Update also said:  W’s file has been signed by the mayor, approved by the judge and sent back to IBESR for referral!  We expect this referral to be made fairly quickly since the family dossier was submitted to IBESR so long ago.  IBESR is trying to process them in order of the family dossiers submissions, as the children’s dossiers are approved by the judge.

Then Chareyl, our adoption agency rep, told me this:  Wastch's Haiti rep was at IBESR [last] Friday [to check on the status of Wasatch families files], and he was told that Wasatch has several dossier's that are near completion and will be ready for official referral/match.  I hope yours is one of them!

This is exciting, realizing that any day (or any week,,,) now, we could receive THAT EMAIL that tells us we officially have a son named W______.  I admit that I now stalk my phone for emails from our agency and my heart skips a beat every time I see a new one come in.  So far nothing exciting, but one of these days, it will be THE email from Chareyl. 

Now what really has gotten me squirming with hopefulness is that 2 other families from C4C creche have been given hopeful news from their respective adoption agencies.  One family was told that their referral is being worked on this week!!  And another C4C family was told by their agency that their referral paperwork is being completed and they should receive their referral by the end of this week!!!!!!

This looks very, very good for ALL of us families at C4C that have completed files, sitting on a desk at IBESR, merely waiting for that official approval paperwork!

My birthday is Saturday...I have reminded God that getting W's referral would be a really super duper great birthday present! ;-) ;-) ;-)