We covet prayers!

We know this journey will be exciting, emotional and exhausting!  Just as being pregnant is also all those things, I know this too will be rewarding.  We pray every day that God will protect these children and hold them close to him until we can get to them.  Our specific prayers are that God has gone before us and chosen the children that are perfect for our family, that God is protecting them, and that their hearts are being prepared to accept the love that we want to give them.  

Our meeting yesterday with St. Elizabeth's went well.  Really just an informational meeting on all the paperwork.  And there is a lot of paperwork.  Lots of writing about ourselves.  You know, the kind of stuff I loathe!  So after I do school with the boys, it is on to writing...about me.

Because we aren't sure how quick or slow this process will be, I have already started nesting.  Funny how things around the house seem fine one minute and the next, they have to go!  ;)  I guess it is good.  It will give me something to do while we wait.

It's Time!

Over the past few years, God has put it on our hearts to think about adopting.  After a tough two and a half years, IT IS TIME!  God has called us all to care for the widows and orphans.

 ^"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." 
                                                                                                                          James 1:26-27 

For Eric and I, that means adoption.  We are so excited to start this process.  Last week we were feeling called to do this but we didn't know where to start.  What agency, what country, how many, boy, girl?  We spoke with several of our friends who have adopted (all from different agencies and countries).  After having lunch with Mark and Wendy Foster, it was clear to us the answers to all those questions.  International Assistance Group, Russia, 2 girls - sisters.  It was definitely all an orchestration of God.  An impromptu lunch, that I went into thinking we would go to Brazil (or another Latin/South American country) for 1 little boy.  God's adventures are so fun!

So where are we in the process?  Official start date was Jan. 22 (Happy Birthday, Mom!)  We have hired IAG to assist us in the adoption process.  We have an initial meeting with our home study agency, St. Elizabeth Coleman, today!  And we have started tracking down initial documents, i.e. passports, birth certificates, marriage license, etc.

We are so anxious.  I wish we could just go hop on a plane right now!