We wait...

What seems like a simple call to Russia for clarification is turning into an extraordinary test of my patience!

Isaiah 64:4
Since ancient times no one has heard,
   no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
   who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. 

Road Block!

Well, sadly, there is a road block.  Ironically, just in the past two weeks (as long as we have had the referral) a prosecutor has decided to file for "limited parental rights" even though the mother of the girls has already signed away her rights.  He is only doing this on one of the girls but it will pull them both off the adoption registry and put them into foster care.  This is a double edge sword.  I certainly don't want to take children away from their mother especially if she is just needing time to get things back together.  However, I also don't understand what the situation is and I know that a loving family is better than sitting in an orphanage or foster care a day longer than necessary.  Not to mention, that if this issue is resolved and we pursue these two girls, there are 2 more opportunities for a relative to come back and get them.  Which would mean becoming attached to the girls (which has already happened) and spending a lot of money to come home empty handed.  We certainly need God's guidance and lots of pray for a clear path.  Please pray for this process and all involved.  This is spiritual warfare at it's finest, and all we can do is pray and trust God.  Hoping to update you soon!

Mother Russia, here we come!

We received a wonderful surprise on Monday.  Our agency called with our referral (a very fun story!).  So we will be off to Russia soon to see our two beautiful little daughters.   God is so good!  His fingerprints are all over this.  So thankful for that.  Not sure I could do it if I knew God wasn't involved.

Prayer Requests:

• Safe travels
• God's perfect timing for travel, court, etc.
• Both girls remain healthy and their hearts are open to our love
• for Luke & Silas to adjust well to the crazy travel schedules as well as our new "normal" when the girls come home.
• God's glory will shine in the lives of these two precious girls

Still Waiting!

This could probably be the title for a very long time!  No news yet. 

However, I ask that you pray fervently as Christians about our parental rights.  Two very disturbing and disappointing news stories came out in the last 2 weeks.  The first being that England has declared christian couples unfit to be adoptive or foster parents (I believe this still has the opportunity to be overturned).  While initially, you may be thinking "That is another country and I don't want to adopt or foster."  However, I challenge you to think about what this really means.  This has the potential to eventually trickle down to you and your fitness as a parent.  Right now the issue is in connection with homosexuality beliefs but if Satan has his way, it won't stop there.  Remember, God tells us that Satan roams the earth looking to steal, kill and destroy.  What easier way that to take your children from you.  Also, I am not sure of the exact percentage, but around 90% of the families who choose to adopt/foster are Christians.  What will happen to all the orphaned children?  Please pray with me that England with see the error of this decision.

The second story comes from Ethiopia.  They have decided (effective last week) to cut their adoption referrals by 95%!!!!  Essentially, that is about 5 referrals a day.  I am not sure what has sparked this decision but again, what will happen to the children waiting for a loving family home?  Will they die, diseased and alone?  Will they ever find a mom and a dad to love them?

What if something awful happened and you and your spouse died?  Where would your children go?  To a relative?  What if the government decided that either your relative wasn't suitable to be a parent or that they can only process 5 children a day and there are 100's of thousands before your child?
I want nothing more than to get my two little girls safely home with me.  But I will not ignore the enormous need for other families to join me in fighting for the rights of all these orphans and our children already home with us.  I wish I could take them all in myself.  However, I can't do it alone.  Do you realize that if every christian family took in one orphan, there would be no orphans?  I am not trying to make you feel guilty or even say that you must adopt.  That is something you need to address with God.  What I do know is His commandment in James 1:27:
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.

My life goal is to get to heaven and hear God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

THE WAIT BEGINS

Our meeting with IAG in Pittsburgh went great.  We feel even more confident about working with them.  They have such an amazing story about how they got into adoption.  Also, Larisa (the head of the agency) has spent so much of her own time over the past 20 years cultivating relationships and improving the orphanages in Russia.  She has made such a difference in so many little lives.  She truly sees the children has hers and wants to find the right families for them.  Not find a child for the family.  

Now we wait....wait for our referral.  Our home study is now complete and official.  We have to send off for our I600A approval which is part of the advanced immigration process for the children we adopt.  The approval could take up to 2 months to receive.  We really can't do a whole lot until that comes back.  Our Dossier is complete as well.  We are so anxious to get a referral but we know it all has to be in God's time.  I just wish He worked a little more on my time!  ;)

We continue to pray for the girls every day (in fact it is 12:22 am as I write this, they should be fast asleep!).  We are praying for health both physically and emotionally.  I am not sure about now but at one point Russia's national religion was Atheism.  So we are praying that the girls' hearts will be open to hear and accept the message of Jesus.  Then the normal prayers of travel safety for us, finances, and our own hearts to be prepared.  Ultimately, God is in control and we have faith in God.

Another Step Closer

Last Tuesday we had the home study visit.  Everything went very well.  The rough draft of the study is done and being sent to our agency today!  God has been so good to us!  Our dossier is finished as well (except for the home study).  St. Elizabeth's and our social worker, Jo Anne, were so gracious to work on such a quick time frame.  Jo Anne, said that they normally take 4-6 weeks to get a home study done.  Ours was done in a few weeks.  Just goes to show you how inefficiently we work sometimes.  I am sure there is a reason for the time they take.  I am just glad they made an exception for us.

Our next stop is to meet with our adoption agency, IAG, this week.  After that, it will just be finalizing the home study and dossier.  And ultimately, waiting for our referral.  Besides chasing down paperwork, we have been trying to prepare for the girls.  However, I am finding that extremely difficult!  This is harder then pregnancy!  At least when you are pregnant, you know you will be getting an infant.  So, you know exactly what they need...a crib, 0-3 month clothes, and all the rest of the baby gear.  We could get girls anywhere from 9 months to 5 years old.  I guess I should just focus on getting the boys' room arranged and organized so that when the time comes, I won't be trying to do both rooms.

Life is good!  Still praying for travel safety, for the girls' hearts to be prepared, and for the four of us to be prepared as well.  Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!

Tuesday

Time for our home study!  The social worker is coming Tuesday for our home visit.  I can't believe how fast this is all moving.  I know there will be road blocks at some point but I am thanking God for each step we clear.  It is a little unnerving to have some stranger come to your home to determine your fitness as parents.  I feel like I have a thousand things to do before Tuesday.  The reality is that I know they are all meaningless.

I love how God puts little reassurances in our lives in the most unexpected places.  Last week, Eric and I were both having doubts.  Not doubts about what we are doing but doubts about if we could handle it, if we were choosing the right country, etc.   Luke gets the Secret Agent Adventures from Highlights.  Each month the adventure takes place in a different month.  This month was Russia!