There is progress!!

As I reflect on this last year, I have to say that it's been a roller coaster of emotions, setbacks and struggles in regard to adoption.  We've been on this journey since January 2012 and were hoping to be farther along in the process.  But God knows the situation, the timing and us better than even we know ourselves and I believe He's working for our good.  And in the last few months, He has led us to a new agency that is helping us to proceed quickly thru the home study process.

Over the Christmas holidays, we frantically worked on filling out paperwork that has to be sent to our agency.  They included background checks from 4 countries and 3 states, child abuse checks from 3 states, FBI checks, autobiographies written, addresses of where we've lived since we were 18, tons of financial statements, and 10 hours of adoption classes.  And there's still more to be done, such as bloodwork for all of us, full medicals, and references.  All these things take quite a bit of time and we've discovered, resources.

And the very best news of all is that we finally have a date for the home study interview with the social worker.  Our date is scheduled for Feb. 8-10.  We are flying a social worker from Virginia to Quebec to do our interviews.  This will be an intense weekend of interviews, home inspection, looking at our finances, etc......  We've been trying to work this out for months and finally have a date to get this done.  Once this is done and all the paperwork turned in, then USCIS will determine if we are fit to be adoptive parents.  I would ask all of you to pray for us during that time that God would give us peace to enjoy the weekend and that we would be able to continue in the process.

And while you're praying, please pray that God would lead us to the country we are to adopt from.  For over a year now, we have thought that Haiti would be where we adopt from.  We still hope that is so, but at the moment, Haiti is unofficially closed because of reworking their adoption guidelines.  There is no guarantee of when they will be open again.  For 3 months, they have been telling agencies that they would be open, but still nothing.  And we have to make a decision by January 31st of what country to adopt from.  If we thought that Haiti would open back up soon, we would wait.  But with 3rd world countries, there is just no telling how long it could be.  Thus, on Jan. 31st, if Haiti is still closed, we will go with an African country that is open.  We are looking at a few different countries at this time.

We are still looking to adopt special needs, whether it be minor or more moderate special needs, we're not sure of yet.  We don't know who that child/children will be yet, but I believe that God knows.  We also don't   know exactly where the next payment(around $5,000) is going to come from after we pay for the home study, but again, we believe that God knows.  We are doing this on faith, that the One who is leading us is going to provide everything that we need.  It's a bit scary, but I have this incredible peace that we are doing the right thing and God is giving us each day more of an excitement and passion for it to happen.

I want to say a big thanks to each of you for your prayers, encouragement and support.  If I could, I would list all the people who have given to us and supported us thus far, but I'm afraid I would leave someone out.  You know who you are and we are so grateful for your help, but especially your friendship. And definitely, the thing we need more than anything is your prayers.  Keep them coming and we will keep you posted!