Fingerprint Appointment!

On Wednesday, November  25 we mailed our 1-800A form to USCIS. 

On Monday, December 7 we got a letter of notice in the mail saying that had received our application.

On Thursday, December 17 we got a letter with our fingerprint appointment for Monday, December 28th!

I get giddy when I get to take another step in the adoption process.  Another step closer to our daughter.  

After the fingerprint appointment we will wait again to see if we have been approved or not.  If we are (which I am praying we are) then all our paperwork for the dossier has been gathered and we then have to get everything notorized (no big deal), certified (bigger deal because we drive to Harrisburg to get that done) and then authenticated (biggest deal because we have to get all of the documents to New York, wait three days, and get them). 

But the dossier is getting closer and closer to being done!  I might be looking forward to Christmas but what I am really looking forward to is getting our fingerprints on the 28th.  That is an answer to prayer because it is during Matthew's school break so he doesn't have to take any time off and we can go together while Edmund get's watched by my mom. I am so thankful for how God has worked out that timing.

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I also wanted to share how God is showing Himself to us through this adoption process.

My husband, Matthew turned on a Christmas CD and one of the songs is "All I Really Want for Christmas" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Matthew said that this song had always touched his heart.

Which reminded me of another song by Steven Curtis Chapman called, "When Love Takes You In."

As we watched the music video for "When Love Takes You In" my heart filled with a longing. 

 A longing I have so often, that aches to draw our daughter into our arms and say we love her.

 

Something that is really difficult to deal with is knowing that I am not taking care of her since conception.  I have no idea if she cries alone, or if she has a loving arms to hold her.  I have no idea if she is afraid or hurting.  The "what ifs" can paralyze my heart.  I want her to know.  To tell her, "We're coming! Keep holding on!  We love you so, so much!"  I wonder if she is feeling alone, abandoned, forgotten.... If she only knew that we were doing all we could to come to her soon.

Then a thought came to me.  My longing for my daughter is like Jesus' longing for us.  Jesus is watching us, saying, "Hold on!  I am coming soon! If you just hold on a little longer I'll be there!  Don't give up living and trying.  I'm coming!"

I can feel the longing for our daughter.  The ache and tears for her.  I cannot imagine Jesus' ache and longing for us.  I don't want her to give up or lose hope, we are coming for her! Each day we are coming for her!

And don't you give up.  Jesus is coming for you.  If it was only you He would come.  Hold on.  He is coming soon and His heart has more love for you that you could ever imagine.

This is part what adoption is teaching me.

How God Provides in Grace and Works

I posted this on blogging community I am a writer for Established In Grace.  But I wanted to share it here too. 
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Grace and Works = Grants and Jobs

You probably already know this.  Adoption is expensive.  I am not going to get into all the debate and drama that comes from that.  But let’s suffice to say that most people who adopt cannot financially do it on their own.  Many people say that they would adopt if it weren’t for the cost.

My husband, Matthew, and I are both educators.  I began staying at home with our son when he was born, so we live off of one income.  During the time I worked, we set aside some of what I was making toward adoption. So we had a “nest egg” to begin our adoption process with. Even so, we knew we would be fundraising and applying for grants.

To apply for most grants you have to have completed your home study. A home study is where your physical home is inspected and there are multiple interviews conducted with the prospective parents–as well as lots of background checks.  All of that is done to ensure that the child will be in a safe, loving home that is able to provide for their needs.  We had gone through the home study process but were waiting to hear back, so I filled out as many of the multiple grant applications as I could without having our home study.  Then I had to wait.  I prayed for the home study process to hurry, I prayed that we would get the grants when we filed them.  But one day I prayed that whatever way God wanted to provide the money for our girl to come home to us, that He would do that.

Then a temporary part-time job opportunity came up.  That I could do mostly from home.  When this happened I knew that it was from God.  He was providing adoption money.  Not through a grant this time, but through work.  And it was work that I could do while staying at home with my son.  When I estimate what I will make during my time working, it will be able to size of a medium grant. And I am humbled.  God is so good to offer me a job that would be at just the perfect time to aid in our financial needs as we work toward bringing our daughter home.


It made me think about grace and works.  Both are so essential in our walk with Christ.  The Bible speak of God adopting us.  So it is too, with our adoption that grace and works are integrated into this journey.

As I study the Bible I find that “works” is the seal of the overflowing of Jesus working in me.  So it is all Him, no matter what.  This job is like works.  It is still from God but I must do my best–working to bring glory to His Name in thanksgiving for what He has given me.  Working is a joy to do when love is the motivator.  And in our adoption as sons and daughters of God it is our joy to do the things of God.

Grace is receiving something we didn’t work for.  It is a gift.  Just like a grant is a gift.  I do not earn that money, but it is a gift toward bringing our girl home.  Grace in our Christian walk is a gift of forgiveness and new life.  Grace the foundation of our adoption as sons and daughters of God.
We received our approved home study right before Thanksgiving and I’ve applied for many grants.  I am praying that God will bless those grant applications–praying for grace.  But at the same time I am filled with such joy as I work each day in this job that God has given me.  Each day is another step closer to our girl.  One day we will bring her home because of all the glory of God in grace and works. She is deeply loved and longed for.