We have successfully completed ALL the paperwork, interviews, dossier work and have just received our FINAL part - our approval from USCIS stating that we are fit to adopt internationally!!! This approval, by the way, came in record time according to our agency - it took less than a week to get it - who gets anything that quickly from a government agency when you are not standing right in front of them waiting?! This means that our file, which has been waiting at our agency office for this final piece of paper, can now be sent off for translation and then on to the People's Republic of China :) This is beyond exciting. As a matter of fact I have only just now been able to sit down and write about it - it is just so big and had to sink in a little while.
I am confident that our daughter is out there and waiting for our file to arrive so that she can be chosen. So that someone will read our dossier and pick her out of a pile of beautiful children needing families and say, "this one belongs here". This process, though very difficult at times, has been full of incredible blessings. It has been full of love, hope, prayer and strengthened friendships and family bonds. It has been full of marriage strengthening discussions, personal reflection and a new commitment to our dreams. We have had so many wonderful and meaningful discussions with our boys over the decision to adopt a little sister for them. We have seen their understanding of how to love and look outside of their selves expand. I believe that the remainder of this process will be as blessed as the first. I know that God's hand is absolutely on this entire process and that His timing will be perfect.
We are big believers in God giving us signs of encouragement, words of knowledge and other such things to let you know that He is watching and, most of all, cares. This process has certainly given us our fair share of God's encouragement. It's not always an earth shattering thing or a blinking neon sign that shows up in the sky ahead of you. Often, I believe, His love is shown through other people. For instance our notary, who was recommend by a friend, who took extra effort and time to notarize all our dossier documents for us. Doesn't sound all that spectacular until you realize that she had to type out a specific phrase on most of the documents before she could even sign them. That required a typewriter in order for the wording to be typed on the original document as required - who has a typewriter sitting around???? The notary that God led us to did....she was being a blessing to us for absolutely no gain of her own and she was the perfect one! She was the one God wanted to use to bless us and keep us moving forward for his perfect timing :)
Just this past weekend we went out with the boys to find something quick to eat before joining some friends at the Blue Ash Rec Center for a "family fun night". We needed something quick, but are not big fans of fast food so we were desperately looking for a compromise. After driving around Kenwood, Blue Ash and Montgomery unable to decide on something for nearly 20 minutes we pulled into a shopping center to turn around. As we pulled in we came face to face with a sign that said "May's Chinese". Derek and I decided that sounded pretty good and it would be fairly quick. During our dinner we met the owners and chatted with them a bit. Jesse was a sweet woman who was originally from Shanghai. We discussed learning some mandarin with her and that we would be traveling to China hopefully this year to adopt our daughter. She was fascinated and wished us much luck on our journey.
As we were getting ready to leave Tanner started passing out the fortune cookies to all of us. When I opened mine and pulled the little piece of paper out of it I was delighted to read that it read, "nu er" which means "daughter" in Chinese. I do believe that God wanted us to know that he has not forgotten about us or left us to finish out this process on our own. We need to know that we are still on the right path and that this is His desire for our lives and for the lives of all those that this process is going to affect. I believe he wanted me to get that "note" (yes, I think God will even use a fortune cookie if he so chooses ;).
There are so many opportunities to be a blessing and to receive all the blessings God has for you throughout a day, a week, a month. I fear that I miss so many, but I am so grateful for the ones that I don't miss. I am so thankful for our GREAT FORTUNE!!
"Give and it shall be given to you, but not merely given back, but given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity." ~ Luke 6:38 (The Message)
Amazing. I love how your taking the time to notice the small things. I'm noticing it's all about the small things! My love to you!
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