Today is a day to celebrate!
We are legally the parents of our Fish Sticks in Africa.
We passed court and received documents today that are being translated.
Every time I think about the FACT that on paper our boys are really ours - we are now a family of 10 - I just tear up.
They are not just cute little boys in a photo. They are ours. They are Fish Sticks now. Forever part of our family. I will see them blow out their birthday candles for years and years to come. I will tuck them in bed at night and read them a story and pray over them. My Man will teach them how to ride a bike (he's rolling his eyes at that one - we don't fight over that job in our family). I will hear their dreams, train their hearts to know God loves them, cry with them when they hurt and cheer for them when they succeed. I will see them graduate, send them to college and cry at their weddings. I will hold their children and rock them to sleep. They are FAMILY.
They are OURS! It's hard to grasp, yet in the papers filled with foreign words I recognized their Africa names with "Fish" as their surname. What a beautiful sight!
So now our agency will translate these documents and we will send them along with the I-600 form to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. After processing, we will forward documents to our boys' birth country and after a couple more legal appointments and papers, their homecoming will be soon after. YIPPEE!
And although you know for the safety of our kids, I can't say their country, please pray for Africa. There is not peace there in some areas and there are recent threats of future force. Pray that all presidents of not just Africa but all countries would pray this prayer for their country, like the president of Uganda just did. Read it here.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Rounding Third
We got our Fish Sticks passports today! Just another step closer. As my buddy who has gone before me said, "You are rounding 3rd base."
And the birth date that was assigned to them is the birthday of my sister. It also was the due date of #4 Fish Stick.
I wish I could show you the pictures from August and recently. When we got their photos in August we fell in love; we knew they were ours. They were totally beautiful. BUT their eyes looked sad.
We've been getting regular sets of photos and we are now a firm believer in foster care! They almost don't look like the same kids. They are smiling, laughing, healthy and totally different.
Foster care costs a bunch of money but I thank God for our foster family who has taken in our boys. I envision that she sings to them, prays over them, hugs them, kisses them, clothes them and feeds them, and tells them that their Mama and Daddy will come to get them soon. And if she is anything like I envision, she might cry when we leave with them.
Fostering is an amazing thing - so hard yet so beautiful. I know because I've watched a sweet friend do it here in my church for the last few months. If you know a foster family, give them a hug, tell them they are your hero and pray for them. I know our foster family has smoothed the way for our transition from 8 to 10 Fishes. We are truly grateful and ready to touch home plate!
And the birth date that was assigned to them is the birthday of my sister. It also was the due date of #4 Fish Stick.
I wish I could show you the pictures from August and recently. When we got their photos in August we fell in love; we knew they were ours. They were totally beautiful. BUT their eyes looked sad.
We've been getting regular sets of photos and we are now a firm believer in foster care! They almost don't look like the same kids. They are smiling, laughing, healthy and totally different.
Foster care costs a bunch of money but I thank God for our foster family who has taken in our boys. I envision that she sings to them, prays over them, hugs them, kisses them, clothes them and feeds them, and tells them that their Mama and Daddy will come to get them soon. And if she is anything like I envision, she might cry when we leave with them.
Fostering is an amazing thing - so hard yet so beautiful. I know because I've watched a sweet friend do it here in my church for the last few months. If you know a foster family, give them a hug, tell them they are your hero and pray for them. I know our foster family has smoothed the way for our transition from 8 to 10 Fishes. We are truly grateful and ready to touch home plate!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Show Hope Dinner
Last night was very special.
Our precious friends invited us to the Show Hope Fundraiser Dinner. Show Hope is precious to their family as their son married Emily Chapman, the daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman who stirred up the hearts of her family 14 years ago to adopt from China.
We were so privileged and honored to join them at this dinner.
Hearing from Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman and many others about how adoption has changed their lives and the lives of many children confirmed to us God's heart for adoption. Not only were we confirmed in what God has called us to do, but we were so blessed to be a part of it.
Francis Chan was the keynote speaker and was fabulous. He shared his own personal testimony of God stirring his family's heart to consider adoption and then he continued to point everything back to the cross.
I wish I had taken photos from my near-front row seat, but I would have been the only one flashing my iPhone, so I decided against it.
As we are in the waiting period right now, just hanging out to hear that we passed court in our country, it was perfect for us to attend this dinner and be surrounded by folks who support adoptions and to hear from people who know God's heart for adoption and desire to spread word of the need for assistance.
Little Guys, we know you are in good hands, and we have been filled with joy to see the transformation in your photos over the last few months as you've experienced a family through foster care. We are so grateful that you are being hugged and kisses each night, fed daily, nutritious meals, and clothed with clean outfits. Your faces show us you are healthy and happy. We can't wait to bring you home and pray that it will be soon!
Our precious friends invited us to the Show Hope Fundraiser Dinner. Show Hope is precious to their family as their son married Emily Chapman, the daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman who stirred up the hearts of her family 14 years ago to adopt from China.
We were so privileged and honored to join them at this dinner.
Hearing from Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman and many others about how adoption has changed their lives and the lives of many children confirmed to us God's heart for adoption. Not only were we confirmed in what God has called us to do, but we were so blessed to be a part of it.
Francis Chan was the keynote speaker and was fabulous. He shared his own personal testimony of God stirring his family's heart to consider adoption and then he continued to point everything back to the cross.
I wish I had taken photos from my near-front row seat, but I would have been the only one flashing my iPhone, so I decided against it.
As we are in the waiting period right now, just hanging out to hear that we passed court in our country, it was perfect for us to attend this dinner and be surrounded by folks who support adoptions and to hear from people who know God's heart for adoption and desire to spread word of the need for assistance.
Little Guys, we know you are in good hands, and we have been filled with joy to see the transformation in your photos over the last few months as you've experienced a family through foster care. We are so grateful that you are being hugged and kisses each night, fed daily, nutritious meals, and clothed with clean outfits. Your faces show us you are healthy and happy. We can't wait to bring you home and pray that it will be soon!
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