Another Step Closer....

We received our NVC Letter last week and our agency filed for our Article 5 in Guangzhou, China.  This process usually takes a standard 2 weeks from the day it was dropped off.  However, The first week of October is holiday for China and it will add an extra week of waiting for us.  After our Article 5 is issued, our paperwork will be overnighted to another part of China where we then start the wait for our travel approval.  The normal wait time for this is about 5 weeks.  We should leave about 2 weeks later.  The Article 5 that we are now waiting on is the review of Yi Lin's visa petition. They will also be making sure everything is set for the adoption to be completed.

Jeremy and I attended the "Empowered to Connect" adoption conference this past weekend in Nashville and we feel blessed to have been a part of it.  It was hosted by Show Hope.  In July, we received a $3,000.00 grant from Show Hope and we are such big fans of their organization.  They really do a lot for orphan care.  The guest speaker during the conference was Karen Purvis.  She co-authored the book The Connected Child.  If you are adopting or have adopted, I highly recommend this book.  It's not like the others in that it teaches you how to deal with problems that adoption families encounter and how to focus on healing through relationship.  It was really a wake up call for Jeremy and I.  We certainly have a lot of work to do and our prayer is that we can be consistent and stick to it.

We will be mailing off our visas tomorrow.  There is really nothing left for us to do other than prepare for our trip and live life to the fullest with Ian and Marshall.  They are both doing very well in school this year.  I am amazed at how much Marshall has improved in his spelling.  I'm so thankful for God's goodness and the grace that He has given us as we continue through this process.  I am really counting on the Lord to provide all our needs....even the ones that seem troublesome.  I have to really believe deeply that His ways are higher than ours and know that He is going to take care of the problems that we see and the ones we don't.  Sometimes I am gripped with fear and overwhelmed by what I know we are facing.  It is during those times that I have to remind myself that my God is faithful and He will give us what we need, when we need it.  Worrying  about potential problems only shows God that I don't trust Him.  I will admit, sometimes I don't fully trust Him.  I mean too, but choose not too. 

We are in the process of putting together a team of people that we will rely on when our real adoption journey begins.  Those people include doctors and therapist, close family or friends that we can trust to be an anchor for us during difficult times, and other adoption families that we can go to for advice or help.  So far, I am lacking in some of these areas.....but once again, God will provide, right?  He has already given us several families that have shared their adoption experiences with us and we have already gone to them many times with problems and they have been wonderful.  Thank you Lord!  Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for all 4 of us to travel.  Yi Lin also needs your prayers that she will stay healthy, safe, and happy.  Pray that God will prepare her heart and mind for us....and that He will continue to prepare us to be exactly what God wants us to be for her.