Living on a Roller Coaster

For months I didn't post on this blog because our case was at a standstill.

Now I haven't posted on this blog because the status of our situation changes almost daily.

I don't know if I should tell you everything that has happened in the past month or just say it's been nuts.  I think your eyes would glaze over with my adoption lingo and I might start ranting or sobbing or both so let's just fast forward to our present situation.

The biggest most wonderful news (which you probably already know, but I will proclaim loudly again) is that we meet the criteria to leave the country with our boys.  It's a sad situation with many details but the country is temporarily closed for finalizing and leaving the country with adopted kiddos.  The only ones who may complete the process for the time are those who meet a criteria and we happen to be in that bunch.  We are confident God ordained this time to be for us to go!

One of our big hurdles upon entering country will be to go through a 3 step process with the government.  Drop off papers, be interviewed, and then receive papers to leave country with boys.  Some who meet that criteria have completed these 3 steps in a timely fashion.  Some who meet this criteria have been waiting in country a month and a half without knowing why they are waiting. 

For us personally, we knew we should purchase tickets when we are granted our sons' visas from the embassy there.  There was some misunderstanding last week and we thought we had the visa when we did not.  A flight was booked for tomorrow.  Then canceled.  Then re-booked for Friday.  This morning canceled.  We will re-book when we have that visa in hand, otherwise we feel we will be in country longer than is necessary.

We hope to leave within 7-10 days but will be ready to hop a flight at the end of this week if the Lord performs an international miracle and our sons' visas are granted early.

We are so, so blessed by our family of believers rallying around us during this time and offering to help.  We are blessed and feel loved!!  Thank you.  Thank you.  My Man's precious parents have offered to stay in our home and keep all 6 Fish Sticks while we are away.  This will help tremendously keeping them in their home with their siblings as a family.  My folks will be helping by taking the Fish Sticks for visits.  We have not been away from our kids for more than a couple of nights so this is a pretty big deal for us.  We hope that our process of picking up the boys will be 3-4 weeks, but totally understand that nothing is sure.

Here are some solid ways you can pray specifically for our family right now:

1.  That we would receive confirmation on the boys' visas ASAP.
2.  Safe travels on our 24 hour trip.
3.  That our Fish Sticks will be a blessing to their grandparents in our absence, that things would go smoothly and that their time away from us won't be too difficult for either of us.
4.  That the families stuck in country now will be granted proper paperwork to leave as families.
5.  That we will be able to complete the 3 step process in country in a timely manner and that we will be able to return (the 4 of us) all together in time for Christmas.

There are many more, but I will leave it with 5 practical ones right now.  Thank you so much for the encouragement, love, prayers and support we have felt during this roller coaster process.