Today, I woke up excited knowing that I was going to the post office to put a precious piece of cargo in the mail. We finished up the final piece of our Haiti dossier on Friday (Thank you, Jesus!!!). We had originally planned to put it in the mail on Saturday, but at the last minute, decided to wait until Monday. Just like when we went through this process with our paperwork for Ethiopia, I managed to miss every deadline for finishing this dossier that I set for myself. Three of them, in fact. I think God probably loves that. He is always having to remind me that He is in control, and that things actually DO work on His timeline, not mine.
There have been so many conversations in our house during these last few months as we have worked through the paperwork trail, again. But, one of the biggest challenges this go-around was that when we felt God leading us to change from Ethiopia to Haiti, we knew it was going to be another challenge to our finances. This second dossier was not something that was in our financial plan. But, we were confident that it was in His plan. As we were nearing the end of our dossier and coming up on another big payment, God made it very clear to my heart one day, just last week, that He called us to adopt, and that He would provide the finances. I felt it so clearly that I immediately burst into tears. I knew that He would provide.
So, today my little man and I made a trip to the post office and happily mailed off our dossier. With it, went a huge chunk of our savings. But, there was peace in my heart. Then, we ran a few more errands and came home to eat lunch together. As I finished my lunch, I received a text from my friend, Layla (who goes to our church and is also adopting from Haiti! How cool is that?!), and she asked if she could share my blog on her blog. Now, if you have never checked out her blog, you totally should. It's so incredible! So, laughing a little in my head at how infrequently I blog, I said "Sure!" Why not, right?
It wasn't until about an hour later, when little man was down for a nap, and I had a moment to sit down, that I decided to spend some time catching up on Layla's blog. What started as another fabulous blog post by Layla, ended with me in a puddle of tears. The very puddle I had joked about on Facebook earlier. God, in all His goodness, had laid our family on Kevin and Layla's hearts. And, we were about to be the beneficiary of a blessing we never saw coming. I will never get over it when people tell me that God has laid us on their hearts. While they were praying through their own dilemma, He was assuring me He was taking care of ours. What an absolute joy it is to be a part of the plan He has for our lives. He has already convinced me that He is writing a much better story than I could have ever dream up.
I cannot wait for you to read how God is once again revealing Himself in our adoption. Head on over to The Lettered Cottage now and read the rest of the story.
"The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." - 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Thank you for taking the journey with us!
Stacy
Monday, March 3, 2014
Monday, November 4, 2013
One Year Later
It has been one year. Not since my last post, but it has been more than a year since we lost the referral for the twins. Just typing that sentence is STILL enough to bring tears to my eyes. The term, "adoption loss" is something we have come to understand personally. It is still hard some days. I still cry sometimes. But, the one verse that God has reminded me of this last year is...
Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
I have repeated it over and over in my mind some days. And, because I believe God and His Word, I have known that He was truly going to somehow work this all for good in our lives. But, I have often asked Him how. And, I have asked Him at least 100 times, "What in the WORLD was that about?" And, honestly, this past year has been one of the quietest years that I have walked through in my relationship with God. There were no real answers. There was just a very real feeling that He was there with me in the middle of it all. But, in the past few weeks, He has started showing us some glimpses of His plan. Reminding me that nothing takes Him by surprise. Showing us that He has been working. For our GOOD. For His purposes. And, I can't wait to tell you what He has been up to.
But, first, let me back up. We lost the referral for the twins in October of last year. I will spare you the details of what all went down to make that happen, but suffice it to say, we knew our first step was to cut ties with our Home Study agency. We did, and God showed us very clearly that it was a step in the right direction. We started a Home Study update for Illinois (with a new Home Study agency), and, with the blessing of our adoption agency, we started pursuing a concurrent (two-country) adoption process, for both Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Then, God did something completely unexpected.
Neal came home the week before Christmas, and said that there was an opportunity for us to transfer (with his job) to Alabama. It wasn't "home" for us, but it was close. It would put us 2-3 hours from family and also 2 hours or so from many of our friends in Columbus, Georgia. He would have to apply and be selected, but we only had 24 hours to decide what to do. After talking about it, we decided to go for it. And, we prayed a prayer we have prayed often over the years, that if it wasn't meant to be, that God would close the door. Needless to say, a few days before our 15th Anniversary, we found out we were moving to Alabama. We. Were. THRILLED.
One of my biggest hesitations about Neal requesting the transfer was that it would halt our adoption process for a several months. Although we would technically still be "in the process," we wouldn't have a current Home Study until well after we were settled in our new house in Alabama, which I knew would be months, and, we wouldn't be eligible to accept a referral, should one come our way. Again, God provided confirmation. Our fingerprints that we had taken in December to work on our Illinois update, came back to us the week after our anniversary in January. They had been un-readable and needed to be re-done. (Don't even get me started on why it took 6 weeks for them to determine this. SERIOUSLY.) This had never happened to either of us before in the process. For me, it was added confirmation.
We spent the next few months preparing to move, selling our house, looking for a new house, living in a hotel for a month (enough said), and finally, moving into a new house. All the while, our adoption agency continued to prove themselves supportive, patient, and understanding. There was no pressure from them at all. However, they also made the decision in the middle of all of this to stop issuing wait list numbers. So, if you are wondering what happened with that or what number we are, there's your answer. We were #77 in April, and that's the last we know. :)
Fast forward to August. It's almost time for school to start, and we feel like it is time to start the Home Study update. At this point, to be honest, it had a lot to do with the fact that our Immigration paperwork was coming up on a deadline, and it really came down to the fact that we felt like we just needed to be obedient to what we believe God has called us to do. People adopt for a lot of reasons. Some have great stories to go with their reasons. Neal and I will tell you every single time that we simply believe God intervened in our contentedly 3-children-are-enough-for-us life and put adoption on our hearts. It's just our story. But, at this point, when I would think about our process, the loss of the referral, and the mountain it felt like that was still in front of us, I have to say that a lot of days, I honestly just didn't want to do it. But, at the end of the day, we knew God was still telling us it was time to move forward.
So, we started our Alabama Home Study update. And, it was exactly as much fun (ZERO), as it had been the last two times we had started a Home Study except for the fact that this time our Home Study agency has been wonderful! But, for me, this step forward was crucial in my relationship with God. It didn't get easy. But, I felt God very quietly speaking to me again. And, I felt like during those few weeks, He began helping me process and make some sense of the last year of our lives and showing me ways that He had been in the details. He began to show me that, even in the loss, even in the move, even in the extended wait, and even in quiet, that He had been working.
Over and over again throughout this process, so many people have asked us "Why Ethiopia?" or "How did you choose a country?" And, our answer has always been, "We wanted to go to a country where there was great need." That, for us, was the requirement. What you also must understand is that very often, in international adoption, countries just rule themselves out because they each have their own unique requirements for adoptive parents. We started with an initial list of countries that tugged on our hearts, but we slowly began crossing countries off the list for various reasons (i.e. we weren't old enough, we had too many biological children, we couldn't be in another country for months, etc.). So, at that time, we very happily ended up in Ethiopia. But, what we learned at our home visit a few weeks ago is that due to some recent changes, we now met the requirements for Haiti. For HAITI. Some of you who know us well can probably imagine how quickly our ears perked up when we heard that news. Haiti was the first country to be crossed off our list initially. We were ruled out by THREE requirements at the time. By the end of this year, we will meet them all.
So, the next few days were spent talking, praying, and investigating the possibilities. After all of that, we felt God opening the door for us to move forward, all the while praying, again, for Him to shut it if it was not meant to be. Suffice it to say, He has very clearly opened the doors for us to move forward. So, as of last week, we officially terminated our Ethiopian adoption process and transferred to our agency's new Haiti adoption program. We are EXCITED.
Over and over again throughout this process, so many people have asked us "Why Ethiopia?" or "How did you choose a country?" And, our answer has always been, "We wanted to go to a country where there was great need." That, for us, was the requirement. What you also must understand is that very often, in international adoption, countries just rule themselves out because they each have their own unique requirements for adoptive parents. We started with an initial list of countries that tugged on our hearts, but we slowly began crossing countries off the list for various reasons (i.e. we weren't old enough, we had too many biological children, we couldn't be in another country for months, etc.). So, at that time, we very happily ended up in Ethiopia. But, what we learned at our home visit a few weeks ago is that due to some recent changes, we now met the requirements for Haiti. For HAITI. Some of you who know us well can probably imagine how quickly our ears perked up when we heard that news. Haiti was the first country to be crossed off our list initially. We were ruled out by THREE requirements at the time. By the end of this year, we will meet them all.
So, the next few days were spent talking, praying, and investigating the possibilities. After all of that, we felt God opening the door for us to move forward, all the while praying, again, for Him to shut it if it was not meant to be. Suffice it to say, He has very clearly opened the doors for us to move forward. So, as of last week, we officially terminated our Ethiopian adoption process and transferred to our agency's new Haiti adoption program. We are EXCITED.
I know for some of you, this might make no sense, and for others of you, it will make perfect sense. Haiti has been heavy on our hearts since the earthquake in 2010. Neal spent 10 days in Haiti last Summer on a mission trip, and I have no doubt that he would have been back this Summer if it hadn't been for the move. And, almost two years ago, God led me to organize a group of runners to run a 5K and raise enough money to build a house in Haiti through a wonderful organization called Help One Now. And, in April of this year, we were able to raise money for a second house! You can read the story of those houses here. It's fairly safe to say that Haiti has had our hearts for a while. And, now, it looks like we have a child there as well. And, for my "Run for a Reason" friends, I think you should know that the orphanage where will we go one day to pick up our child is in the SAME VILLAGE as our first Run for a Reason house. How's that for AWESOME? It honestly feels like its a story only God could write.
I know that for those who have walked this journey with us from the beginning, that the change is a lot to process. It is for us as well. To answer the number one question that I am sure will come our way, the timeline is about 2-3 years. From now. But, that's honestly what I believe we still had left to go in our Ethiopia process. Y'all just sit tight. It's going to be a ride. Like, a LONG ride. We are currently finishing our home study update for Alabama and working on our Haiti dossier. We are hoping to be done in the next few weeks with all of the above, but nothing about our process has moved on our timeline, so we shall see. I tell everyone who asks about our adoption that ours will probably be the longest process you have ever heard of. But, I can tell you for sure that God is the One moving us forward. I was reminded of this verse in the first few days we were contemplating a transfer to Haiti -
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." - Proverbs 16:9
We feel like God is definitely guiding our steps. We are beyond grateful to all who have walked beside us, cheering us on in our journey, especially this last year. It has meant the world to us. Please pray for us as we move forward. There are a LOT of unknowns in Haiti's adoption process right now. A lot of the details about the timeline are not firm. And, there are some things about the timeline that are going to be HARD. But, I will share more about those as we come to them. But, friends, it looks like we are going to Haiti somewhere between 2-3 times in the next 2-3 years. Isn't that just as clear as mud? And, if you ever secretly wonder if we have lost our minds, just know that there are days when we wonder that out loud. ;)
With much love,
Stacy
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Our first heartbreak...
I have purposely put off writing this blog entry. I knew it would eventually have to be written. When I made the commitment to blog about our adoption journey, I made the commitment to be transparent - in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Well, that's easier said than done, I've discovered. But, since the last few months will likely mark the rest of the journey, it's a story that I need to share. I had hoped that by the time that I would write this, that I could tell you what it means in our life and in our adoption journey. I had hoped it would be all tied up with a big red bow. But, here we are. No pretty bow. We are still figuring it all out. But, the time has come to share this newest phase of our journey.
On September 28th, Neal and I received our monthly e-mail from our adoption agency giving us our newest number on the waitlist. We were #91. As is my monthly custom, I texted a few of my closest girlfriends with the update. One of my dearest friends (who is also in the adoption process herself) texted me back a typical, "That's awesome! So happy for you!" response, and then, she said something like this, "There's a set of infant, twin boys in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There is nobody who meets their criteria, but I think you guys do. I just felt like I was supposed to tell you about them." My first thought was a very profound, "HUH?" Now, let me tell you, that this is one of my dearest friends. She is wise beyond her years, and her husband was our (much beloved!) pastor for several years when we lived in Alabama. And, when she speaks (or texts), I listen. ;) She is just THAT kind of friend. So, we started a conversation back and forth about these boys. How could WE be a match? We have a Home Study and Dossier for 1 child, not 2. And, they are for Ethiopia, not DRC. However, she really did think we could be a match for them. So, when Neal came home, I hit him with the news. His questions were all the same as mine. We talked about it. We didn't understand ANY of it, but we came to the conclusion that we were open to hear more...
What followed was a weekend full of communication. We talked to each other, we talked to my friend, we talked to the person who had the referral for the twins, we talked to others with info, and we talked all in between about what this could mean for our family. After all the talking was done and we had as much information as we could get, and after discovering that pursuing the referral for the twins would (hear "should) only mean two minor changes in our Home Study (from 1 child to 2; and from Ethiopia to DRC), we decided to pursue them. Now, for you who think that is weird or crazy or irrational or whatever, let me just explain something. Adoption is a journey. For us, it is about being obedient to follow God however He leads us. You CANNOT enter the adoption journey thinking that your path will look a certain way, land you in a certain country, or that you will arrive at a certain time. It is MUCH more organic than that. It has twists and turns, ups and downs, and sometimes those death-defying spins that make you feel like you are going to throw up and possibly want to slap somebody. True story. We KNEW that before, but we BELIEVE it now. The other thing that I must explain to you is that few years ago, I heard a sermon by David Platt (who is one of my favorite preachers/authors). In that sermon, he said that any time that we are presented an opportunity or a need (be it the mission field, a mission trip, adoption, someone in need, etc.,) that our first response should never be "no." Our first response, if possible, should be to go prayerfully to God and ASK Him what we are to do about what has been presented to us. Because, often our first response is based on feelings, insecurity, and a lack of faith. And, I was greatly impacted by that sermon. So, that's basically what we said from the beginning. We will talk about it and pray about it and see where God leads us. So, that's what we did. We got all the info, and we felt STRONGLY that God was leading us to take the next step.
The next two weeks, for me, were some of the hardest in my life. Neal and I pursued these twin boys as hard as we could. I had, very ironically, lost my voice during the middle of all of this, so the burden of most of the fighting fell on Neal. The very next day, we found out that the "simple changes" that needed to be made to our Home Study were not going to be simple. THAT should not have come as such a shock to us, because NOTHING about our original Home Study was simple. Our Home Study took 8 months to complete when the average is 2-4 months. And, this is where I cannot get to deep into details, but we came up against a force that I cannot even describe. This was a battle that was more than just between us and the bureaucracy of the adoption world. This was a spiritual battle. We fought hard for these boys, and we believed with everything in us that we were to be their parents, and they were to be our sons. But, at the end of the day, bureaucracy won, and we lost the referral. And, our hearts were BROKEN.
One of the first decisions that we made almost as soon as we received the referral information for the twins was that we would not look at their pictures until we knew they were going to be ours. We also did not want to tell our biological kids (and they still don't know). Both were good decisions. However, God used the decision not to look at their pictures to teach me a very important lesson. For the entire time that we have been in this adoption process, I have wondered how I would ever love an adopted child they way that I love the three biological children that He gave us. I have heard people I trust, who know from experience, say that I will. And, I have believed them. But, at the same time, I have still just wondered and not understood how that would even be possible. However, in those two weeks, God showed me the answer. I will love whatever child or children He brings into our family through adoption exactly the same as I love the three He has already given us. I know, because over the course of those two weeks of fighting for the twins, Neal and I fell in love with them.
Up until this point in our marriage, we have not experienced any significant losses. Not to say that our life has been easy or without hardship. It has not. However, we have not lost a parent, a sibling, a child, or had a miscarriage. This was our first real heartbreak. And, for those of you who have experienced one of the other losses, I am not saying they are the same. And, I cannot even explain to you, in a way that makes any sense, the loss that we have felt over losing two little boys we have never met. But, I can tell you it is REAL. And, we aren't over it. I really, really wish we were. But, some days, I am just not sure we ever will be.
I heard it said one time that God "entrusts us" with sorrow. I don't know why He entrusted this to us. But, I have NO doubt that He will one day use it for His glory. I pray and hope that He will. It has altered us forever. I have no doubt that in twenty years, that I will still have tears in my eyes on some days when I think about those sweet little boys. We are still neither one great at talking about it. I can still get tears in my eyes just driving down the road, if I hear a certain song or something reminds me of them. But, one thing that God has proven in our lives is that He is Jehovah Rophe - The God who heals. And, He has already started the process of healing in our hearts. It is not going as fast as I would like it to go, but I am convinced that these boys were meant to be part of our adoption story. Please pray for us as we continue to move forward. It's very tough to keep going when you know that your first loss might not be your last. There may be more pain ahead for us. There could be another dream that falls through. Please pray for us that we would continue to be faithful no matter what lies ahead.
Not only has this experience impacted our hearts, it has impacted our adoption journey. Through these two little boys, we started a process of learning about a country called The Democratic Republic of the Congo. I went from not being able to find it on a map of Africa to having my heart broken for what is one of the saddest places on the planet and the 4th poorest country in the world. The DRC has seen an unbelievable loss of life in recent years, and the Second Congo War was the deadliest war in the history of the world, second only to WWII. The DRC is an extremely dangerous place for women, boys, and girls, and has earned the unlovely title of "The Rape Capitol of the World." And, currently, the eastern DRC has been overtaken by a rebel force called M23 that is again reaking havoc on a very poor and unstable government and its innocent people, and it once again is very dangerous place to be.
All these things should make us want to run away from this country. But, in a way I cannot explain, we are still very drawn to the DRC. However, we are currently STILL in the process to adopt from Ethiopia. Both countries have great need. Both countries have 5 million orphans EACH in need of homes. We are talking through some big decisions in our house right now. We cannot talk too much about the details just yet, but I at least wanted you to understand where we are. So, for the few friends of mine who have been brave enough to ask, "How's the adoption going?" I'm sorry for the barage of info that has been jumbled and fractured and confusing. That's just where we are right now. It honestly feels a little bit like a mess. But, we definitely still feel like God is in it and He has a plan. Pray for us as we figure out what that is.
Please pray for us as we make some decisions in the coming weeks. We are in the middle of our Home Study update with a NEW Home Study agency. That is a blessing. :) Again, I can't go into specifics, but God blessed us with a new start for this new Home Study, and we are tremendously thankful for the chance at a do-over.
More details to come soon as we figure out where this thing is headed. As I told a friend the other day, the only thing that I am certain of right now is that ONLY God knows how this will all play out. But, I am certain He knows. And, I am certain He is still in it.
Bless you for caring enough to follow our journey. So many of you have encouraged our steps on days when we needed it most. We are doing our best to follow His leading one day at a time.
Blessings,
Stacy
On September 28th, Neal and I received our monthly e-mail from our adoption agency giving us our newest number on the waitlist. We were #91. As is my monthly custom, I texted a few of my closest girlfriends with the update. One of my dearest friends (who is also in the adoption process herself) texted me back a typical, "That's awesome! So happy for you!" response, and then, she said something like this, "There's a set of infant, twin boys in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There is nobody who meets their criteria, but I think you guys do. I just felt like I was supposed to tell you about them." My first thought was a very profound, "HUH?" Now, let me tell you, that this is one of my dearest friends. She is wise beyond her years, and her husband was our (much beloved!) pastor for several years when we lived in Alabama. And, when she speaks (or texts), I listen. ;) She is just THAT kind of friend. So, we started a conversation back and forth about these boys. How could WE be a match? We have a Home Study and Dossier for 1 child, not 2. And, they are for Ethiopia, not DRC. However, she really did think we could be a match for them. So, when Neal came home, I hit him with the news. His questions were all the same as mine. We talked about it. We didn't understand ANY of it, but we came to the conclusion that we were open to hear more...
What followed was a weekend full of communication. We talked to each other, we talked to my friend, we talked to the person who had the referral for the twins, we talked to others with info, and we talked all in between about what this could mean for our family. After all the talking was done and we had as much information as we could get, and after discovering that pursuing the referral for the twins would (hear "should) only mean two minor changes in our Home Study (from 1 child to 2; and from Ethiopia to DRC), we decided to pursue them. Now, for you who think that is weird or crazy or irrational or whatever, let me just explain something. Adoption is a journey. For us, it is about being obedient to follow God however He leads us. You CANNOT enter the adoption journey thinking that your path will look a certain way, land you in a certain country, or that you will arrive at a certain time. It is MUCH more organic than that. It has twists and turns, ups and downs, and sometimes those death-defying spins that make you feel like you are going to throw up and possibly want to slap somebody. True story. We KNEW that before, but we BELIEVE it now. The other thing that I must explain to you is that few years ago, I heard a sermon by David Platt (who is one of my favorite preachers/authors). In that sermon, he said that any time that we are presented an opportunity or a need (be it the mission field, a mission trip, adoption, someone in need, etc.,) that our first response should never be "no." Our first response, if possible, should be to go prayerfully to God and ASK Him what we are to do about what has been presented to us. Because, often our first response is based on feelings, insecurity, and a lack of faith. And, I was greatly impacted by that sermon. So, that's basically what we said from the beginning. We will talk about it and pray about it and see where God leads us. So, that's what we did. We got all the info, and we felt STRONGLY that God was leading us to take the next step.
The next two weeks, for me, were some of the hardest in my life. Neal and I pursued these twin boys as hard as we could. I had, very ironically, lost my voice during the middle of all of this, so the burden of most of the fighting fell on Neal. The very next day, we found out that the "simple changes" that needed to be made to our Home Study were not going to be simple. THAT should not have come as such a shock to us, because NOTHING about our original Home Study was simple. Our Home Study took 8 months to complete when the average is 2-4 months. And, this is where I cannot get to deep into details, but we came up against a force that I cannot even describe. This was a battle that was more than just between us and the bureaucracy of the adoption world. This was a spiritual battle. We fought hard for these boys, and we believed with everything in us that we were to be their parents, and they were to be our sons. But, at the end of the day, bureaucracy won, and we lost the referral. And, our hearts were BROKEN.
One of the first decisions that we made almost as soon as we received the referral information for the twins was that we would not look at their pictures until we knew they were going to be ours. We also did not want to tell our biological kids (and they still don't know). Both were good decisions. However, God used the decision not to look at their pictures to teach me a very important lesson. For the entire time that we have been in this adoption process, I have wondered how I would ever love an adopted child they way that I love the three biological children that He gave us. I have heard people I trust, who know from experience, say that I will. And, I have believed them. But, at the same time, I have still just wondered and not understood how that would even be possible. However, in those two weeks, God showed me the answer. I will love whatever child or children He brings into our family through adoption exactly the same as I love the three He has already given us. I know, because over the course of those two weeks of fighting for the twins, Neal and I fell in love with them.
Up until this point in our marriage, we have not experienced any significant losses. Not to say that our life has been easy or without hardship. It has not. However, we have not lost a parent, a sibling, a child, or had a miscarriage. This was our first real heartbreak. And, for those of you who have experienced one of the other losses, I am not saying they are the same. And, I cannot even explain to you, in a way that makes any sense, the loss that we have felt over losing two little boys we have never met. But, I can tell you it is REAL. And, we aren't over it. I really, really wish we were. But, some days, I am just not sure we ever will be.
I heard it said one time that God "entrusts us" with sorrow. I don't know why He entrusted this to us. But, I have NO doubt that He will one day use it for His glory. I pray and hope that He will. It has altered us forever. I have no doubt that in twenty years, that I will still have tears in my eyes on some days when I think about those sweet little boys. We are still neither one great at talking about it. I can still get tears in my eyes just driving down the road, if I hear a certain song or something reminds me of them. But, one thing that God has proven in our lives is that He is Jehovah Rophe - The God who heals. And, He has already started the process of healing in our hearts. It is not going as fast as I would like it to go, but I am convinced that these boys were meant to be part of our adoption story. Please pray for us as we continue to move forward. It's very tough to keep going when you know that your first loss might not be your last. There may be more pain ahead for us. There could be another dream that falls through. Please pray for us that we would continue to be faithful no matter what lies ahead.
Not only has this experience impacted our hearts, it has impacted our adoption journey. Through these two little boys, we started a process of learning about a country called The Democratic Republic of the Congo. I went from not being able to find it on a map of Africa to having my heart broken for what is one of the saddest places on the planet and the 4th poorest country in the world. The DRC has seen an unbelievable loss of life in recent years, and the Second Congo War was the deadliest war in the history of the world, second only to WWII. The DRC is an extremely dangerous place for women, boys, and girls, and has earned the unlovely title of "The Rape Capitol of the World." And, currently, the eastern DRC has been overtaken by a rebel force called M23 that is again reaking havoc on a very poor and unstable government and its innocent people, and it once again is very dangerous place to be.
All these things should make us want to run away from this country. But, in a way I cannot explain, we are still very drawn to the DRC. However, we are currently STILL in the process to adopt from Ethiopia. Both countries have great need. Both countries have 5 million orphans EACH in need of homes. We are talking through some big decisions in our house right now. We cannot talk too much about the details just yet, but I at least wanted you to understand where we are. So, for the few friends of mine who have been brave enough to ask, "How's the adoption going?" I'm sorry for the barage of info that has been jumbled and fractured and confusing. That's just where we are right now. It honestly feels a little bit like a mess. But, we definitely still feel like God is in it and He has a plan. Pray for us as we figure out what that is.
Please pray for us as we make some decisions in the coming weeks. We are in the middle of our Home Study update with a NEW Home Study agency. That is a blessing. :) Again, I can't go into specifics, but God blessed us with a new start for this new Home Study, and we are tremendously thankful for the chance at a do-over.
More details to come soon as we figure out where this thing is headed. As I told a friend the other day, the only thing that I am certain of right now is that ONLY God knows how this will all play out. But, I am certain He knows. And, I am certain He is still in it.
Bless you for caring enough to follow our journey. So many of you have encouraged our steps on days when we needed it most. We are doing our best to follow His leading one day at a time.
Blessings,
Stacy
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