Just had to get Daddy on the blog. We're so happy to have these little books in our hands once again.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Lost Passports - Found!
Just had to get Daddy on the blog. We're so happy to have these little books in our hands once again.
New Pics 2
A family from our Gaoming yahoo group just returned from a heritage tour with their daughter. They sent us these wonderful pictures of Hannah. They said she was very happy and interested in everything that was going on. She seems to have a good relationship with her nanny which will be hard on her at first, but good in the long run. I am so amazed at how big she has gotten. We did find out that they are speaking Cantonese at the orphanage. We have been learning Mandarin. Oh well, I guess there is still time to start again. I can't wait to hold her.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Answered Prayer
This morning I was calling our post office to make an appointment for tomorrow to go start our new passport processing. I decided to call UPS one last time just to see if they had any news on our lost passports, not really expecting anything after being lost for almost 2 weeks. To my utter amazement the computer voice said, "Your package is on its way to you." What? Usually I get transferred to a customer service rep who explains to me that they are investigating... I ran downstairs to my PC and looked up our tracking number on ups.com and it said it had departed California this morning!!!! I fell on my face (literally) in tearful thanksgiving to God. I know He found those passports for us at just the right time.
You may think I'm overreacting about finding the passports, but I have come to see it as a trial that is teaching me more about trusting God's hand in all things. Yesterday was a hard day. The kids were "challenging", I was tired, and we found out we needed to get yet another homestudy addendum because Hannah will turn 3 before we get her and our old homestudy only said 0-3 yrs. People are having issues with that wording in China right now, so we needed to pay another fee, get another paper, etc. etc. With all that we have been going through with the passports, I just prayed and cried myself to sleep at 9:00. I woke up early to pray and read the Bible. I had a peace about the trials. I was actually thanking God for caring enough about me to conform me to the image of Christ. (Not boasting because it is only by His Spirit) I was ready to start the day and start trying to get all those new pieces of paper, new passports, new visas, and pay the new fees. Then God gave me the gracious gift of the news that our passports had been found. Isn't He awesome? He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust. He gives me just what I need when I need it. That verse came back again "He waits to be gracious unto you and He exalts himself to show compassion to you." We still need the addendum and requested it today, but thank the Lord for his providence that we don't have start all over again with passports and visas. He is faithful.
I feel such joy and relief. It's all going to work out. There may be more bumps in the road to get her, and I'm quite sure we'll have several once she gets home. But God is guiding our path, holding our hearts, and He is going to take care of us.
You may think I'm overreacting about finding the passports, but I have come to see it as a trial that is teaching me more about trusting God's hand in all things. Yesterday was a hard day. The kids were "challenging", I was tired, and we found out we needed to get yet another homestudy addendum because Hannah will turn 3 before we get her and our old homestudy only said 0-3 yrs. People are having issues with that wording in China right now, so we needed to pay another fee, get another paper, etc. etc. With all that we have been going through with the passports, I just prayed and cried myself to sleep at 9:00. I woke up early to pray and read the Bible. I had a peace about the trials. I was actually thanking God for caring enough about me to conform me to the image of Christ. (Not boasting because it is only by His Spirit) I was ready to start the day and start trying to get all those new pieces of paper, new passports, new visas, and pay the new fees. Then God gave me the gracious gift of the news that our passports had been found. Isn't He awesome? He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust. He gives me just what I need when I need it. That verse came back again "He waits to be gracious unto you and He exalts himself to show compassion to you." We still need the addendum and requested it today, but thank the Lord for his providence that we don't have start all over again with passports and visas. He is faithful.
I feel such joy and relief. It's all going to work out. There may be more bumps in the road to get her, and I'm quite sure we'll have several once she gets home. But God is guiding our path, holding our hearts, and He is going to take care of us.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Passports and Visas!
For those of you who have ever gotten a foreign visa, didn't you have a nervous feeling in your gut when you had to send your passports away? What would happen if they got lost? I had that feeling. And now I have the fulfillment of that premonition - our passports with the Chinese visa stamps are lost on their return trip back to us!!!! Can you believe it? I can't. The courier said that he put them in the UPS box but the tracking number never hit the UPS system. What a mess! Now UPS has a trace on it, but with it never hitting their system to begin with, we might be starting all over again. UPS has another week to search for our package before considering it lost. Since we hope to be traveling in late August, we'll have to get expedited passports and visas, of course, at our own expense. Oh yes, and we have to redo all those pieces of previous paperwork that had our old passport numbers on them:-)
I know God called us to adopt Hannah. I love her already and have no doubt that we will hold her in our arms one day. God has a special plan for her. Sometimes, though, I wonder how much more paperwork, fees, bureacracy, etc. I can take. I will press on because Hannah is counting on us, but I am tired. I am encouraged because our dear friends just got their travel dates to pick up their son in China. It gives me tangible evidence that this journey will get us to Hannah eventually. I just need to keep trusting that God has it all worked out. Man, I must need a lot of work in the patience and trust department, huh? "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
I know God called us to adopt Hannah. I love her already and have no doubt that we will hold her in our arms one day. God has a special plan for her. Sometimes, though, I wonder how much more paperwork, fees, bureacracy, etc. I can take. I will press on because Hannah is counting on us, but I am tired. I am encouraged because our dear friends just got their travel dates to pick up their son in China. It gives me tangible evidence that this journey will get us to Hannah eventually. I just need to keep trusting that God has it all worked out. Man, I must need a lot of work in the patience and trust department, huh? "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
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