Homestudy reports approved.

I received word via email that our USCIS (immigration) filing was approved and our China homestudy report was approved. They are sending us a notarized copy to put with the rest of our dossier. Gathering all our paperwork for our dossier is quickly coming to a close, and that is a good feeling. Having two young children at home makes it quite difficult to spend hours every day getting this stuff completed. So I feel like it has taken us much longer to complete this portion of the process. I guess if God had wanted it completed any faster, He would have allowed it, so for now this will have to do. I go on Friday to get my fingerprints taken. Pray I can find the place!

Chatting

Our physical's are complete (for the third time this year!) If there is something medically wrong with us and our doctor didn't catch it after three physical's then we need a new doctor! I believe we are officially declared healthy! I get my fingerprints next Friday and Jeremiah gets his the first of June and then, as far as gathering paperwork, we will just about be finished! Just waiting on our I 171 H. Then the task of getting the paperwork certified and then off to China! So much talk about on the Yahoo groups about the extended wait time from DTC to referral. I've often contemplated why God chose this time, when we are adopting, to greatly allow the wait to be extended. I know there is a reason, possibly for our children to be a little older, possibly to allow us time to really depend on him to provide the money for the adoption, time to allow us to get a larger vehicle! Only he knows why and I have to learn to be content.

Here today...

A precious friend reminded me yesterday that we are only here for a little while. Here today, gone tomorrow. Gone in a flash. What am I doing with my time here on earth? I get so caught up in the day to day stuff, cleaning house, changing diapers, cooking dinner, schedules, routines, including my morning quiet time. But beyond my quiet time, what am I doing for God. His precious gift to me requires nothing of me to receive it. I don't have to work for my salvation, I just have to believe and ask him to be Lord of my life. But the Lord longs that I spend time with him, even beyond a morning quiet time. While my actions do not give me my salvation, I should be reaching out to others whether it is to share my faith or helping someone in need. This world makes it so easy to get caught up in myself, my family, and to forget about others. Self centeredness and worldliness are favored in the eyes of the world, not holiness and selfless devotion to God. I need to daily ask for forgiveness for my worldly actions, my lack of contentment and my constant comparisons. I have often said that I would rather take in a child without a home than give birth to another child and bring them into an already sinful, hateful world. But even in bringing another child into my home I need to be mindful of the kind of home I am providing, ensuring it is a Godly environment. My prayer is that all of my children will grow up to serve the Lord, and that is something I need to begin teaching them in their life now. Pray that God will reveal ways that I can teach my children to serve others in love and devotion to God. One of those precious children just emerged from her room, so I will need to close and be attentive to her needs. I leave you with this verse: Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your sould and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your heart. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deut. 6: 4-9

Joy

The Lord has been working things out smoothly for me. I received an email from the dossier department at my agency saying that my Guam took care of everything for me while my Birth Certificate was there. It went through all the appropriate steps so it doesn't have to go back for a second trip! I knew I liked that little island for some reason! Praises to God! On another note, I have been working on finding the joy in all things that apply to my little children. I was reminded by a wise woman in my church that I will look back on these days as the most joyous days of my life. The day she told me I thought she was crazy! I had just dealt with leaving Gracie screaming in the nursery and chasing a bare bottomed Madilyn around as she was pulling her diaper off to try and use the potty. As an exhausted mom I quickly argued back with her, saying surely she found no joy in potty training and screaming kids. But she gently reassured me these days would be the best. I woke up the next day with her words resonating in my mind and decided to look for the joy in all the situations. It really hasn't been that hard. There have been trying days, but I've enjoyed looking for joy, even in changing diapers and in discipline. If these are to be the most joyous days of my earthly life, then I want to make the best of them. My house may not stay as clean, I may not get everything done, but the women of the house are enjoying each other more! Praises to God!