In my prayer journal, I keep a running list of prayer
requests. As God answers specific requests, I like to highlight them in neon
colors. This is my visual way of seeing the transformation from requests to praises. I
am so thrilled to share that I have highlighted every single one of my adoption
requests this month! So, let me brag about our good God and share each praise.
Many of you know that we left our lovely home in Hawaii on
July 1. While residing in the Hale Koa before our departure, we completed our
dossier. The Lord provided all the needed documentation just in time. We
quickly made six copies of our 100+ packet of papework and spent one entire
naptime in our hotel lobby collating our dossier! What a fun memory. We sent
our dossier to our agency two days before flying out of Hawaii. Praise #1!
The following week, after landing on the mainland, we
received our USCIS approval letter. It’s hard for me to explain how significant
this letter is. Please just trust me-
this was HUGE. When the USCIS agent in Honolulu took my fingerprints, he told me I might
have to be finger printed again because there was a little glitch with my
fingerprints. I was afraid I would be called back to USCIS in Honolulu after
moving! So, I was very thankful for this approval. Praise #2!
Our third week on the mainland, I was driving across the
plains of Wyoming to Nebraska when I received a phone call from Elise, our family coordinator at AWA. She gave me great news: India approved our home study! Our home
study had been uploaded to India’s system June 1. We weren’t sure they would
approve us the first time and were totally prepared for rejection. But this
approval left us ecstatic. Praise #3!
At this point, we were just waiting for a match. A child! A
face! A daughter! Praying for a match was the most exciting request. Families
can wait days or months after their home study is approved. As a high risk
family (with young biological children), we knew we could wait a while for a
match.
God didn't make us wait long.
This past Friday, Elise called us again with unbelievable
news. She had matched us to a 5-month old. After
giving us what little info she knew about the little girl, she left us to
discuss the referral and accept or deny the match. We prayed that God would
guard our hearts as we looked at her picture (she’s so cute!), knowing that
there’s no guarantee CARA will approve this match. Over the weekend, we prayed constantly
and spoke with family and friends. David and I have not been sleeping well
because we can’t get this little girl out of our minds!
(Sorry, no picture until she is officially ours!)
Let me just say that this match is truly a miracle. If
you’ve been following our story, you know that we have to get matched to a baby
because Brooks is so young, and India will most likely only approve a match to
a child younger than Brooks. And in the past, it’s been very rare to see babies
matched to American families. So we are truly astonished. Praise #4!
A match does not guarantee we get to adopt this precious
girl. CARA (India's Central Adoption Resource Agency) also has to approve the match.
David and I both feel that God is guarding our hearts until
this referral is for certain. We can compare our emotions to when we first
found out we were expecting. My attachment and excitement were more reserved
until I heard that first heartbeat and saw that first sonogram. Then the
floodgates of attachment and excitement flew open! So until CARA approves this
match, we will remain cautiously excited.
The majority of this blog has been full of praises, which is awesome. I love to bless God's name. However, I must close with some new requests and give God opportunity for more glory:
1.
Pray that CARA will approve this match (this can
take around 8 weeks)
2.
Pray for our fundraising and grant applications-
We need to raise $8,000 in the next couple of weeks to cover our referral fees.
Since we just recently submitted our dossier, our adoption savings is wiped!
3.
Pray for a family for this precious girl- whether she
becomes a Lycan or joins another blessed family, pray that this little girl
will leave the orphanage SOON! Lord willing, this will be her new home:
Thank you for praying. God is working mightily!
So Grateful,
Melissa
