Changes For Vietnam.........

We got word from our agency on Tuesday that USCIS has changed the procedure in which to file your I600. In the past when you arrived in Vietnam you would have your Visa appointment after your Giving & Receiving Ceremony and that is when you would turn in the paperwork to get your child's Visa to come home. Agencies have just been notified that effective October 29th you will no longer be able to do this, that you will mail your I600 application to Vietnam with certain documents and it will take 60 days for processing. After you receive a favorable determination then you will wait for your travel date.

J assures me that this will not affect us in anyway. Clearly we will not be traveling within 60 days so it will give us plenty of time to do this. So for the families like us that have just accepted referrals or that are waiting for referrals this could be a good thing because it will cut down the in country stay by as much as 1 week. So instead of being in Vietnam for 3 weeks it could possibly be 2 weeks.

The big question right now is what happens to the families that have their visas, their airline reservations and are ready to travel. I feel sure that our USCIS will make provisions for these cases but am very interested in finding out what is decided here.

Please pray for some very dear friends of mine who are waiting any day now to get their travel call to bring home their precious children. Our prayer is that this new policy change will not delay their pick up trips. Thank you so much for all your prayers!

Prayers Answered

In the last 2 weeks I have had friends to bring their children home from Guatemala.
We are just thanking the Lord for answering so many prayers brought to Him in regards to bringing these 3 precious children home. R, R, and M are home and very much enjoying life with their families. PRAISE THE LORD! GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!

Adoption.....A Leap of Faith

When I first started this blog a few months ago and I announced that we were starting a Vietnam adoption, I made the comment that we would be stepping out on FAITH because we honestly did not have the money to adopt again so soon after bringing Chloe home. But that I knew if it was the Lord's will then He would surely provide. Well, nothing has really changed there. We still don't have the money that we need to complete Zane's adoption and I am still beleiving with all my heart that God is going to provide. I beleive this for a number of reasons, first of all I don't think He would have laid it on our hearts if we were not going to bring our son home. I don't think He would have spoken to Daniel the night he did, when Daniel was confused about whether we were doing the right thing, and I don't think He would have spoken to me the day that we accepted Zane's referral and said "But he is available right now". Those are just some of the reasons that I know that God is going to provide what we need. I am saying all that to say this, I could use your prayers. I have applied for some grants and the only one we have heard from told us that they had so many applicants that they could not help us at this time. I have to admit that I have been alittle down since getting that letter but then I pray for my son and I feel peace and I know that somehow someway everything is going to come out to glorify our Lord & Savior.
Zane is 8 months old today. I know that it is going to be March, April or May before we bring him home, I know that and I am okay with that. My prayer is that the Lord continues to keep His hand on him, to keep him safe, healthy, and protected until He chooses to bring this precious baby home. Please join me in praying this same prayer!
Thank you so much!

The Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper not harm, to give you a hope and a future. In the days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me earnestly, you will find me. I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the land where I sent you and bring you home.
Jeremiah 29:11-14

Praise The Lord!

Nothing Better Than Being a MOMMY.....

God has blessed me in so many ways and I thank Him everyday all day long for His many blessings. Aside from Him saving me and making me one of His children, the very best gift He has given me is the awesome responsiblility of being a MOMMY.

When I got home yesterday Daniel said, I don't know what's wrong with Chloe, she has been crying and complaining with her tummy for about an hour now. This is not like her at all, see if you can do anything with her. I sat down on the sofa and put her in my arms, she laid there for about 5 minutes with her eyes closed, I looked down and she opened those big button eyes and said "I feel better now, my belly was hurting because I was missing my mommy." She looked over at her daddy and said, my mommy's home now my belly doesn't hurt anymore."

I wanted to cry! The love I have for this child is so overwhelming that there are no words to even describe it. The love I feel from this little being is like none I have ever experienced. This is the same frightened little girl that came home from Guatemala at almost 15 months old, and so many well wishers (sarcasm there) would tell me all the horrors of bringing one home that age. The attachment & bonding has been so miraculous that my little girl thinks just by mommy coming home will fix everything.

Yesterday God everso gently reminded me why He chose Zane for us. I am giving once again the priviledge of bringing home an older baby and I feel truly BLESSED!

Chloe gets her US Passport

After almost 5 months I am so happy to report that Chloe received her US Passport in the mail on friday and all the original paperwork that we had to send in with the application came back safe & sound. I was really worried about that, I did not like having to send in her Guatemala passport, Guatemala BC, PGN decree, US BC, US adoption decree, well you get the idea, everything had to go with that application.
Now my sweet baby girl can travel to Vietnam with us to get her baby brother when the time comes! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

Phillipians 1:6 "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:24 "The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it."

Thank you my new friend & sister in the Lord L for reminding me of these scriptures!

Good News Just Keeps Coming!!!!!!

Today was a wonderful day for many answered prayers!
Our caseworker let me know that she hopes to have our dossier in Vietnam in the next few weeks because the next baby boy born is ours. I am so very excited and I just can't hardly believe it. Realistically I know that the next 5 babies brought to the baby home could be girls, but it doesn't matter just knowing that we are moving up both lists is great news.
Please pray for our finances. Satan has tried to attack me all day reminding me that we do not have the money, and I just keep telling Him that God is in control and that He is the one that has led us to this journey, HE WILL SURELY PROVIDE.
My friends Lara & Jimmy also found out that they will be traveling in November to pick their beautiful baby boy & girl in Vietnam up. PRAISE THE LORD!
My friend K found out that she is PINK and her embassy appointment is Oct. 16th, in less than 2 weeks she will have her precious son with her and never ever have to give him back. GOD IS SO GOOD!
Lastly, my friend K found out that her daughter's 2nd DNA test was sent to the embassy today and she should get PINK anyday. Another baby coming home from Guatemala. We are just praising our Lord & Savior tonight for all that He has done today. Please keep the children in Guatemala and their adooptive families in your prayers.