A GIANT leap forward

Days that feel like months I have been sitting around waiting and waiting for some kind of forward motion on our adoption. I had reached the limit of things that I had under my control to complete. I stalked the websites of various agencies and would find and print many of the forms that I would need to complete, applied for passports, wrote nurture and care plans for the boys, we wrote ridiculously long autobiographies and sent them on ahead to our social worker so she would be very well informed on just about everything there ever is to know about us.....would anyone else like to know how many times I pee everyday?....No?...Ok, lemme know if you change your mind...we had our physicals done, gotten tax and income information together...I'm tellin ya, I did everything I could do on my end and then I waited. I waited for about 4 whole days....4 looonnnggg days. Funny how four short days feels like four very long years when it is all you think about every second of the day and everything you dream about every second of the night.

We have had our eye on a couple of suhweeet boys for about a month. One is 5, one is 6. Everyday I would compulsively check on the Yaho* group that they were listed under and see if there was any chatter about them. Was anyone expressing interest? Were they matched that day? Was anyone advocating for these two that have waited way to many years for a family? Nothing. Each day, nothing.So I waited, and I prayed. And through my very impatient flesh I was being constantly reminded that no one could have them if they were ours. No one. God is too big for that.

Well today was the day. Someone at our agency decided that we are far enough along in our paperwork and home study process to be able to lock one file.(Adoption 101: once the child's file is locked, no other family is allowed to ask for him. It doesn't fully mean he's ours but it is the first thing we do to tell Ch*na that we want to be his parents.)(Adoption 102: Once a child's file is "locked" you have 3 months to get your completed dossier to Ch*na. The dossier is a compilation of tons and tons of forms, papers, immigration paper work, you name it..it's in the dossier...including my daily pee ratio...kidding.....kinda.)

So they called. And I squealed. They talked. And I squealed. They talked more and instead of listening I squealed. Whoops!. Now I have no idea what they said. Due to my squealing they sent me an email presumably with everything they were trying to tell me through my squealing. Phew.

So our first....well, technically fifth...son's file is locked in! Our name in their online system now proudly sits right next to his precious little name. We now have 48 hours to turn in a few more forms that will then be translated and sent to the Ch*na Center for Adoption Affa*rs(CCAA)...and yes, in case you were wondering, I had all of those forms ready too...fortyeight hours, shmortyeight hours! Gimme 30 minutes and I'll have em right back to ya!

He is 5 years old and has a repaired heart condition and a smile that will knock you out. We. Are. In. Love. Our agency will be asking the CCAA for our second addition once our dossier reaches Ch*na. So now we pray that they will make a HUGE exception and allow us to pursue a dual adoption.

So at this point I can hear you saying, enough already! Show me his sweet little face! Sorry! Can't do it. We can't post any photo or identifying information until we get our official Pre-Approval from the CCAA. This should take anywhere from 2-4 weeks. (Adoption 103:The pre-approval is Ch*na saying, "We've reviewed your application and your letter saying you want to adopt XXX and we say yes." That is my very dumb-down version of what it actually says but you get the gist.) So I can't post anything online until we get the approval but if you see me out and about I bet I'll have a picture in my purse!!

So now we wait. And here I sit. Sitting in absolute awe of the power and faithfulness of the Lord. He AMAZES me. Remember that yaho* group I told you that I have been checking for over a month? No one was asking about him or saying anything about him. I got home today after getting the call about the lock on his file and when I logged on there was someone requesting his video. The Lord held him for us.

We are his parents and he is our son. I am crying as a type that because somewhere on the other side of the world a little boy is just waking up to start his day having no idea that here I sit thousands of miles away sharing our news with all of you. No idea that I have poured over every inch of his photograph. That I have memorized every move he makes in his video. No idea how much he is loved by a Savior and a family that he has never met. He will be eating breakfast soon with his foster family having no idea that in a few months we will be standing before him ready to be his forever family.

Wow. What an awesome God we serve.

I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you. John 14:8