Something NEW & FUN in the works!!!

Psst!  Here's just a little hint:

China

Haiti

 

 

Taiwan

Africa

POA's in Haiti!

Hallelujah, our Power of Attorney documents are in Haiti!!

I email chatted with our agency rep today and learned that our updated POA's arrived in Haiti a couple/few days ago.  The crèche adoption rep already has his POA in hand, and our agency rep thinks the new crèche lawyer has received his POA, as well.

Our agency has requested updates for all of their families.  Hopefully we will receive some concrete news soon as to when we may enter MOI, the next BIG step of our process.  We are praying we enter SOON, as this step can take a month,,,or several months!! 

Come Home

I heard this song, Come Home (see lyrics below), this morning as part of an adoption video.  It showed the husband and wife meeting their adopted children for the first time. I've viewed this same video in the past and was once again moved by the touching and emotional images. However, this time I actually noticed the song playing in the background. I played the video about 3 times, just listening to the words. Although the song is not my typical type of music for reflection -- praise and worship music is my go-to -- it reached out and grabbed my heart today. The bittersweet words describe a heart-conversation between 2 people who are trying to find their way to one another. This is how I often feel when I think of our dear son, so far away from us. Lord Jesus, bring our Wisly home soon! 

Come Home by One Republic

Hello world, hope you're listening
Forgive me if I'm young or speaking out of turn
But there's someone I've been missing
And I think that they could be the better half of me

They're in the wrong place tryin' to make it right
But I'm tired of justifying

So I say to you, come home, come home
'Cause I've been waiting for you for so long, for so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
And the fight for you is all I've ever known
So come home

I get lost in the beauty of everything I see
The world ain't half as bad as they paint it to be
If all the sons and all the daughters stop to take it in
Well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin

It might start now, yeah

Or maybe I'm just dreaming out loud

But until then come home, come home
'Cause I've been waiting for you for so long, for so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
And the fight for you is all I've ever known, ever known
So come home, ooh

Everything I can't be is everything you should be

And that's why I need you here
Everything I cant be is everything you should be
And that's why I need you here

So hear this now, come home, come home
'Cause Ive been waiting for you for so long, for so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
And the fight for you is all I've ever known, ever known
So come home, come home.

Renewing Passports

Ten years ago when Eric and I applied for our first passports to adopt our first child, a daughter from China, we never guessed literally how far those passports would take us...to China--Taiwan--several trips to Haiti--and maybe elsewhere in the future...

Today we visited our local FedEx-Kinkos and got new photos taken.  I NEVER liked my original passport image.  I've always thought I looked a little goofy and spacey and my eyes seem to focus on some point far above and off to the side of the camera.  Not to mention, my hair was long and curly in that original photo, but for many years now I've worn my hair very short and straight.  Maybe now the immigration officials and airport security won't have to scrutinize my face to see if I'm really Me? Woohoo!! ;-)

FYI...for those of you who need to renew your passports this year, I suggest you get started ASAP.  I recently read a State Department online notice that explained they expect a much larger than usual amount of applicants this year, which could greatly extend the processing times.  

I am hoping we have a quick turnaround.  It seems like many of the steps in our adoption have been lengthy.  It would be nice for something to be Fast!  I also feel a little nervous mailing off our original passports and having them out of our hands for a few weeks.  I know,,it is standard procedure.,,but still..  I'll let ya know how it goes!

God's Delay Has a Purpose

Oh how I need these words to embed themselves in my heart!

**Come to the Fire** 

Facebook post from 2/11/16

God's Delay Has a Purpose
Sometimes the longer we wait for a promise from God to be fulfilled, the more 

glorious is His answer. 

There were 400 years between Malachi and Matthew. Those years are often called the silent years. There had been no prophet's voice, and the people began to be alarmed.

They didn't know why they had to wait. Looking back on that period, though, scholars tell us that those years were necessary. Three things were happening to prepare the world for the Messiah.

First, during those years a road system was developed that would be necessary for the spread of the Gospel.

Second, a large number of people began to speak a common language as Greek became the predominant language.

Third, much study about the Messiah brought an interest and desire for Him to appear.

Often God's purposes are not seen at the time, but if we know He has heard us pray, we can rejoice in the waiting. He knows what He is doing and why He must delay the answer to bring 

us a greater good.

Thank You, Lord, for grace to wait patiently for the fulfillment of Your promise.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:4)

"Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay" (Habakkuk 2:3)

Halted by Paperwork

Three weeks later we are still "on pause" while we wait for our Power of Attorney documents to be certified, translated and sent to Haiti.  We are waiting for an email from our agency to say they are on their way to Haiti.

I waffle back and forth between feeling at peace and trusting God with the timing, to feeling frustrated, anxious and stir crazy.  Our family was over-the-moon excited when we exited IBESR after 2+ long years, then ecstatic with receiving the amazing news of having moved quickly through court...  Now the breaks have been put on once again.  We are experiencing emotional whiplash, and it smarts!

So many people who read our blog believe in the power of prayer.  You have seen it work in the lives of people around you.  You have witnessed it in your own lives.  Eric and I would ask once again for you to lift up this situation to our Lord.  That ole devil keeps prowling around, trying to disrupt and delay Wisly coming home.  He doesn't want him, or any other orphan for that matter, to have a family, to have hope, to have a future in Christ.

Yet our God is so much bigger and so much stronger!
Adoption is HIS idea and HIS plan, and He loves Wisly more than my husband or I ever could. :)

Let us pray together, believing for swift resolution and swift movement forward so our precious son can begin his new life with his family who loves him more than words can possibly say.

Lord, we praise You and lift You up for what you are about to do and what You are already doing!