detours and stops along the way

Have you ever had a dream in which you are trying to get somewhere, but keep finding yourself in random places or circumstances, and then wake up before you reach your intended destination? That's how this process feels at the moment. Each time I feel like I should have the clearance to go in a matter of days, something occurs. Yesterday, I received notice that there was something wrong with the fingerprints that I had done last week, and now I have to go back, but the appointment isn't until 12/30.... Also, I am waiting to be granted a court appointment. First I thought I would be home with Isaiah by Christmas, then I was thinking I would leave January 1.., now I am hoping to leave at the end of January or early February. It will be such a relief once I bring my son home.


This also reminds me of my road trip to North Dakota this summer. Whenever I take any type of a road trip, I am always eager to get to my destination ahead of time. My goal is to beat the expected time of Mapquest.... I was making good time and in great anticipation of getting to my aunt's house ahead of schedule, when I encountered road construction. This was not just any little road construction. The road was GONE..., and we had to wait for a pilot car to guide us through the non-existent road. Well you can just imagine what that did to my goal of getting to Bottineau ahead of time.... As I have travelled this adoption journey, this immigraion pre-approval feels much like the road that I had to travel through on my road trip. I'd wait for the pilot car. Slowly, travel through rough terrain. Wait for the next pilot car and do the same thing. Three pilot cars and probably an hour later, I was through the rough part and back on smooth roads. There were still incidental stops along the way, but progress kept being made. Really, there was nothing that I could do about it, but wait and move when there was opportunity. And guess what..., I did make it to my aunt's house and apparently it was at the perfect time....

For those of you looking for prayer needs, please pray for the following:

• a quick processing of the immigration paperwork and for the person taking my fingerprints can get nice clear prints.
• an appointment with an adoption favorable judge by February 1
• a quick and favorable decision by the judge
• for favor with the US embassy officials when we apply for his visa
• for the remainder $3500 to either come in through donations or that I can earn it by taking photographs of children, teens or families.
• for our (Isaiah and I) ability to communicate with each other, especially on the journey home.

The Waiting Game....

I realize it has been some time since I have posted.  Earlier this week, my sister and I drove to Tukwila to be fingerprinted as part of the pre-approval process.  Now that my prints are in the system..., I hope I don't end up being somewhere right before a crime is committed.  :)   I must say that I felt less like criminal getting these prints than I did when I was fingerprinted at the police station at the beginning of the process....  Actually, it was very quick and uneventful.

The waiting continues as we wait to get a court appointment.  I had hoped to go in January, but after talking with the attorney today, I am starting to realize that it might be in February...  sigh.   Please pray that we are assigned to a judge that is adoption friendly and acts quickly on  the cases assigned to him.   This is actually a HUGE prayer request, because once I arrive in country the process can be quite lengthy (as in months....) depending on the judge that presides over our case.

Albeit slow..., things are moving

As I am in this period of waiting for the government to process my pre-approval application, I am reminded that everything is completely under God's control and within His time frame. Because God doesn't give us the whole picture, it is easy to get discontent when the process seems to be taking longer than normal.  But as I go through this waiting period, I realize that there is so much orchestration going on behind the scenes and that it will come together when the timing is right.  Just as He spoke about so clearly to me in Psalm 113 at the beginning of this adoption journey, HE is the one that settles it. I must say this is what enables me to be settled and to rest in His plan and His timing. 

Please continue to pray for Isaiah and myself as we are moving towards becoming a family.  Pray for Isaiah's transition into the fast paced life of America, for his transition into school and for good friends for him.  Pray for me as I decide where he should go to school and for our bonding process.  There is so much more that needs God's intervention.... but I just ask that you pray as God leads you to pray.

more pictures

little update

It appears that the immigration application has emerged out of the blackhole.  It is still being processed, but at least I have received confirmation that it is indeed being processed. 

Isaiah's the name

Now that you all have come to know my son as Bush....,  I have settled on the name that he will receive from me.  While many will still call him Bush and it will likely be his nickname throughout his life, his given name will be Isaiah.

The Current Hurdle....

As I mentioned in my earlier post, there has been a delay due to a processing change of pre-approvals through US Immigration. 

My application was sent in a month ago, and nobody seems to be able to provide any information regarding where I stand and when I can expect to hear something.  It somewhat feels like the application is potentially lost in the blackhole. 

My prayer request is that my application would get processed soon, so I can know when I can make my court appointment and finalize my travel arrangements.