Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Passports

I went to the local post office today to apply for my passport. All went smoothly, and when the pleasantly plump USPS worker as me where I plan to travel, I felt a surge of excitement as I replied, "Ethiopia".
When I returned home there was a message on my machine from the local post office. It appears that there was one more paper I need to sign since I held a passport in my maiden name some 15 years ago. One step forward and two steps back. On the bright side, when I return tomorrow maybe a kind USPS worker will once again ask me where I plan to travel. Then it will be worth it.
I also received an email from our social worker who thinks the rough draft of our home study should be ready by next week. She will then send it to our other social worker for approval and proceed to perfect the final copy. When the final copy is set to go, we will send our papers to immigration. And that my friends will be a momentous occasion.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Nearly touching ground on the other side of the home study hurdle...

We are so close to having a home study in our hot little hands. Look out immigration we are about to send you a bunch of papers! We are just waiting for our medicals to be sent to our social worker and a doctor's letter and we are on our way to getting somewhere. Yippie!
My question is how many times can you call a nurse before she gets really annoyed and decides not to send the letter out of spite? Hummm...

Sunday, October 5, 2008

He is Faithful

Today was an amazing day. I was told that I would be presented with a check during the church service this morning. I was told to give an update on the progress of the adoption. After the first couple of songs I was called to the front.

"I would like to ask Kris Andrews up front with me right now, please." So, up I went. "Kris, I would like to present your family with two checks totaling $6,997.00."I pretty much choked out, "Thank you so much!" before I started to cry and rambled on like an idiot. I knew ahead of time the approximate amount of the check. I though I had my emotions under control and I know I had lots of great things that I planned to say. But somehow, as I looked out at the wonderful group of people in our church and I saw those kind- hearted, sacrificial, amazing people... the same people who had given that check to our family...I was speechless and blubbering and amazed at the Lord's faithfulness. I managed to say something about how our adoption experience started full of fears. Fears of the unknown, fears of parenting children who have lost so much, fears of not passing our home inspection, fears of not having the money to bring our babies home, and on and on. Our God has crushed so many of those fears, and today He showed me that He goes before me and He will make a way.

After service we had a potluck (another reason you should come to our church, we know how to eat!) and chatted it up with friends. As I was about to leave, someone who I don't know very well pulled me aside. This person began asking me questions about the adoption in such a serious way that at first I though this person was going to try to talk me out of it. So, I answered this person's questions as thoroughly as I could. After we had finished our brief discussion this person handed me a large sum of cash and said, we would like you to put this toward the adoption. I was blown away... again! (and of course started to tear up and couldn't look anyone in the eye for sometime with out all out crying).

Although it seems very surreal right now, I am more than pleased to post that the Lord has provided 38% of the funds needed to bring home our children. Our Lord is faithful, and I am amazed and overwhelmed and ...speechless.