Thanksgiving

I haven't written for a while now...because nothing new has really happened. We know that our Dossier has been received by the translator that will transform our Dossier into Haitian Creole. We have been waiting to hear that it had been completed. Unfortunately we found out late last week that the translator had some type of family emergency and hasn't been able to work on it for a few days. We understand that the translator is back at it, and we will be informed when it has moved on from this stage. We pray that this won't take much longer, but we continue to be patient throughout the process.

We can't help be be thankful as we think of how the Lord has blessed us during this time of Thanksgiving. Craig and I have certainly had times of trial in our lives...particularly through the deaths of our moms, but we are amazed as we look at the profound ways that the Lord has blessed us. We were watching a documentary piece last weekend talking about this young American woman that is 21 years old and living in Uganda as a mother to 13 orphans. Her parents did not understand the drive that she had to do mission work in this way, but she knew that it was the Lord that was moving on her heart. She trusted and followed His path for her life despite other's thoughts.

After watching the video...we reflected on the unique path the Lord has brought us on. It has been incredible watching Him move in our lives and feeling the profound way that it has blessed us in the process. We are excited about this adoption in ways that are impossible to put into words, in ways that it is impossible for those that are not led on this path to fully understand. He has placed a love in our hearts for the orphan that only an adoptive parent can fully understand...and He has done this to prepare our hearts and our family.

Last weekend we decided to do something concrete that would help us to visualize this bond that we share with the two children that the Lord will choose to bring into our family. Everyone in our family put on an ankle bracelet that we will continue to wear until the adoption is final and our Haitian children are brought home.  It will be a precious reminder to pray for these children that their needs will be met while we wait for them, that they would be taught about the Lord, that they would be healthy, safe and loved.

I encourage each of you that have chosen to be prayer warriors for our family and these precious children to do something similar and then to please share that with us as it means so much to our family! We know that this is the Lord's plan for our family, but we are certain that being lifted up in prayer as we continue on this journey can only be a blessing to the process.

Last weekend we also had to go to the store for a few items and decided to look at a bedspread for the second bed in the "Boys' Room".  It was so exciting to purchase a quilt that will be for the one or two little boys that will be added to our family. We now have the mattress pad, blanket and quilt...just need to do a little sheet shopping. I guess you could say that I am nesting. I can't help but smile as I think about this.

Thank you for your faithful following of our family's adventure, thank you for the prayers that are so lovingly lifted up to the Lord on our behalf, and thank you for the support and kind words as we move through the process. Thank the Lord for His willingness to hear all of our prayers, for the tenderness He has for the orphan and the widow, for the promises that He faithfully keeps and that He, through grace, provided a way for us to enter His kingdom into eternity! I pray that each of you truly has this precious relationship with the Father in Heaven. There is no god like our God! Amen and amen!

Steps 1 and 2 are Completed!

I just finally had a moment to sit down at the computer to catch up on the day's emails and was excited to see a letter in the inbox from Erin at CAN. 

She writes, "I wanted to let you guys know that your documents have all been returned from the Secretary of State!  I've just submitted the documents for scanning so that they can be sent to the translator.  Typically, translation takes about 2 weeks. I'll notify you when the documents have been returned by the translator.  When that has been completed, a few documents will go to the consulate for legalization and then your dossier will be shipped to Haiti!"

I am not even sure if Craig is aware of this yet...I am sure that he would have shared this with me. He is at the gym and I can't wait to tell him the good news. It is fantastic to feel the process moving along. That means that we are already through steps 1 and 2 from my last blog.

Over the last weekend, I spent several hours looking through the binder of information that we were given at the LSS Adoption training weekend. It is a lot of valuable information, and I still have much to learn, but I feel that with every day I am more prepared for this transition. 

It is simply fantastic watching God at work through all of this! He knows the plans that He has for us....and we can't wait to see how He allows us to prosper through this experience!

Resting in Jesus, Rebecca