Gifts for our boy

We have a pretty great group of families who 

are connected via our adoptions.

We have been very blessed to get to know several of these families!  

The power of prayer is a pretty amazing thing that has made 

these families seem like family

even though we've never met many of them. 

Here's the fun thing...  

When other families travel to bring their children home,

sometimes they get to take care packages to Zaine for us.

Sometimes they are able to personally deliver them and other times 

they will leave them at the hotel for our attorney to deliver.

This past Sunday we received news that made this mama's heart smile.

We had friends that were able to visit Zaine and love on him for us.

How wonderful to hear that he's full of laughter and smiles!!!

He's happy and smiling!

They think he's around 9-10 months old given his size which goes 

along with what we were thinking from the pictures we've seen.

They said his foster mom is so sweet.

They were able to give him his care package we sent 

with our family picture album!

They were also able to take pictures of him for us.  

My heart was thrilled to know he was seen and loved on 

and then we got pictures on top of that!

We just got 2 more care packages ready and in the mail to 

more adoptive families who will be traveling soon.  

A few outfits, a fun ball (because if he likes playing ball like his brother - he'll love it), a truck, a camera for his foster family to take pictures for us and a soft monkey from his Mimi and Pop Pop for Valentine's Day.

Addison's drawing for Zaine, a teether, a few outfits, a cuddly dog blanket, another camera, a family picture and a gift and letter for his foster mom.

You'd be amazed at how much you can fit in a gallon zip-loc baggie - although, we adoptive moms have decided they should make stretchy baggies.

More bottles for his foster home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't wait until we're the family traveling and 

we're able to deliver gifts for other parents.

It's been a good week!

It's been a good week!  

Exciting news was very much welcomed this week on the adoption

 front since last week had not been the most encouraging.

We found out Monday that we passed court in Congo on

 January 28 and began our 30 day waiting period.

DRC law says we have to wait 30 days after receiving the court 

judgement before the adoption is final.

 This means that on February 28, 

Zaine will be ours in the eyes of the DRC.   

YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Addison was excited to put up two more pieces to our puzzle.  

We also received a.dor.able new pictures of our little guy! 

 I didn't get a lot done on Tuesday because 

I couldn't stop staring at his sweet face.

There are several families getting ready to travel to get their precious children who are taking gifts to Zaine for us.  Addison has been asking if she could draw a picture of our family for Zaine...  This was the finished product she brought me so I could write the names of everyone.  

I wish I had taken a picture of the top too - 

the tops says "Zaine, this is our family."  

I first looked at it and thought how special it 

was she drew this for him and then I looked closer...  

yep, she drew us with an orange marker and Zaine with a black marker.  

This made me smile.  

Yes, we are going to look different and I love it.  

Whenever I see a family that has an adopted child with them,

 it makes my heart smile.  

These children have been chosen.  

Adopted.  

Just like God adopted us into His family.

God's family doesn't look alike either.

Addison has never once mentioned the

 skin color difference in her two brothers. 

This was an opportunity for us to discuss 

how God makes each of us different and yes, 

Zaine will have a different skin color 

but he's a part of our family just like she and Xavier are.

 She looked at me like I was crazy to think any different.  

If you look closely in the picture, 

she's the only one with blue eyes in our family. 

She drew it like she sees it...  her family.  Zaine's family.

 

thoughts from my back and forth mind...

We received some difficult news yesterday for all DRC adoptions... 

This post will not be interesting to most people and honestly, I'm writing it more for myself than for others to read.  I need to process what we've learned and how I feel about it.  I also want to be able to look back over our entire journey once Zaine is home and see how God's hand was in each and EVERY step of the process.  This set back didn't surprise God and it's all in His perfect timing.  He knew this little hiccup would happen.  He knows exactly what day we will hold Zaine in our arms for the first time.  He knows when Zaine will come home to meet his brother and sister.  He knows... and I'm clinging to that today.

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In short - our process is going to take a little longer.

In long - the secretary of state office has been at the DRC embassy this week refining the adoption process.  Their goal is to keep the adoptions coming out of the DRC ethical.  We like that goal and applaud it 110% but our hearts didn't like hearing how they will carry this out.  They are going to investigate each adoption before they will issue a visa.  They are stating this will increase the wait time 3-6 months before we can bring our children home so they have enough time to investigate.

My heart and my mind know that God is in control.  I know this is a good thing for DRC adoptions.  I just don't like what it means for us right now.  My heart and my mind are battling what I know and what I feel right now...  here are some of the conflicting things running through my head.

* This is another 3-6 months that Zaine will bond with his foster family and then we will swoop in and take him away from that.  Believe me, I am SO beyond thankful he is in a good foster home and being cared for and loved on - I just wish I was the one being able to do it.

* A friend (who has been walking a difficult foster-to-adopt road for a while) reminded me yesterday...  These children are not ours but His.  God loves Zaine more than we can.  He has a plan.

* The timing of the embassy investigation is difficult to understand.  We (our lawyer) are in court right now in Congo to adopt Zaine.  Once we have judgement from court we will have a 30 day wait and then Zaine is considered our child in Congo.  He will be ours!  The silly part is after that we  file papers from Congo court to the US embassy - that's when the US embassy will begin investigating to make sure Zaine is an orphan.  Ummm...  did I already mention that he will already be ours?!?  The embassy could choose to not issue his visa at that point which would not allow us to bring him home.  We're not concerned about this necessarily because we are working with an amazing lawyer and facilitator who have ethics at the TOP of their list and are ensuring children are true orphans before referring them and looking for red flags along the way.  Still confused about all of this though!

* Today's devos from the Jesus Calling was exactly what God knew I needed today:

Feb. 1

Follow Me one step at a time.  That is all I require of you.  In fact, that is the only way to move through this space/time world.  You see huge mountains looming, and you start wondering how you're going to scale those heights.  Meanwhile, because you're not looking where you're going, you stumble on the easy path where I am leading you now.  As I help you get back on your feet, you tell Me how worried you are about the cliffs up ahead.  But you don't know what will happen day, much less tomorrow.  Our path may take an abrupt turn, leading you away from those mountains.  There may be an easier way up the mountains than is visible from this distance.  If I do lead you up the cliffs, I will equip you thoroughly for that strenuous climb.  I will even give My angels charge over you, to preserve you in all your ways.  Keep your mind on the present journey, enjoying My presence.  Walk by faith, not by sight, trusting Me to open up the way before you.

* These extra months of waiting mean I'm going to miss more milestones of our baby boy.  He's going to crawl, talk, walk, wave, etc etc etc and I'm going to miss it.  I know that once he's in our arms, I'll be totally focused on the first that we do get to experience with him but right now my heart hurts because I know I'm going to miss more of those 1sts.

* Another sweet DRC adoptive momma friend of mine encouraged each of us to pray to FALL IN LOVE WITH HIS TIMING.  What a hard thing to pray because honestly, sometimes (like today) I don't like His timing.  But I can rest in the fact that I love Him and He loves me and He can allow me to love His timing through prayer.

* I wanted Zaine to be home this summer so we could all enjoy our summer together.  The crazy little boys running around wild in the backyard together and Addison bossing them around...  I had it all planned out perfectly in my head.  :-)

* Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you, not to harm you.  Plans for a future and a hope."  He's got this!

* If you have seen a picture of our sweet boy, you know why it has been hard to hear and grasp this news.  Having seen his picture and knowing who he is has made this so much more difficult.  It's no longer about what we "want" and "our plans" but about that precious face not being home with us for a few more months.  

My prayer when we began this adoption was that 

God would mold me and grow me through it.  

Guess what - He's working on it!   

I knew this would be a growing experience, a faith builder, a learn to rely on God like never before, a lesson of prayer and bringing me to my knees, and a journey unlike anything I had ever been on.  It's living up to those expectations!  I continue to pray for God to build us through this.  It's been a life changing journey already and we haven't even made it to Africa yet!  

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On a different note, Todd and I got our shots today for our international travel.  Addison was so excited for us because she got to put up another piece of our Africa puzzle. Still waiting on official word that we went to court last week and where we're at with that. 

Waiting to be called back for our shots.

a few Cheerios while we waited...  kinda gross it stuck there due to snot.