Waiting…

I love how God’s timing is always perfect! In a season where we are anxiously checking the mail EVERY day in hopes to receive our USCIS approval from our fingerprints–instead of standing there every day BUMMED at the mailbox…I get to pull out new Christmas cards of families we love each day. (Note to self–if there is any month to impatiently await an important adoption document in the mail–it IS December:). Photo Christmas cards of family and friends have been a sweet treat in this time of waiting and running to the mail box each day. Momma’s birthday is on the 19th…it’d be sweet if it came on that day–BUT EVEN SWEETER if it came before!

We are working on getting all of our other documents authenticated–which means they must receive the official state seal from the state the document originated in. SO–my birth certificate must go to the Secretary of State in Kentucky…my marriage certificate to Alabama…Rico’s birth certificate to Georgia…and the other 7 documents also to Georgia. BUT before my Georgia documents can get the state seal–they must get the county seal at the county it originated from. WEDNESDAY of this week is our county clerk field trip day. I’ve got some extras at my house on Tuesday so I’ll put off adoption crazy tomorrow–but be back in full gear on Wednesday meeting every county clerk with 4 littles in tow in the Atlanta area;). SOUNDS EXCITING DOESN’T IT?! CRAZY–but so worth it!

ALSO–on Wednesday and Thursday we have two families going to bat for us at the Secretary of State in Alabama AND Kentucky! THANKS to miracles on Facebook–we were able to say a shout out looking for any crazy folks in Kentucky who would be willing to hand deliver our stuff AND return it next day. God always provides!! In about 5 minutes, the Lord had provided another adoption family (THANK YOU TENGES FAMILY for sacrificing your time AND being a part of our story in this way!) SERIOUSLY–isn’t it amazing how others come alongside one another to see children home?! If any community completely has rocked my world in their sacrificial service it’s adoption families who so get the crazy you go through to see your children home! SO THANKFUL! My sweet and awesome dad is heading to Montgomery to go to bat for us in Alabama…pretty cool to see a grandpapa going to the Secretary of State and being a part of a step to get another grand baby home! WHICH MEANS–by Friday or Monday we will have EVERYTHING in our hands authenticated…and Lord willing the USCIS approval here soon to get authenticated too!

AFTER that–we will send everything off to Washington D.C. to the Chinese consulate. THEN it will all come back to us–and then finally, finally, finally be off to China and we’ll get a LID (log in date). From there we will wait any where from 30 to 200 days for our LOA–which is your official referral before they give you travel dates about 2 months after that. STILL PRAYING for a May miracle!!!

In the midst of all that crazy–Rico Suave is a traveling man…and we’ve got crazy like everyone else. Kicking myself now for signing up to do the Christmas party for American Heritage Girls tomorrow night (18 girls) and momma is making everything for it…and I’ll have 3 boys on my hip while I lead a cupcake walk and Christmas games and such. Daddies travel dates always seem to fall during nights like these;). Homeschooling littles…home study crazy…retreat preparation…the Lord always provides and trusting Him for the details for JUST TOMORROW. We are studying Moses’s life right now–and we talked today about how He always gave the Hebrews just enough. YET they complained…and in His grace and mercy He met their needs to their requests…yet they still complained. I pray I will not be like the Hebrew people and I would not complain but instead I would see His daily provision and trust Him to provide everything I need…and to be THANKFUL and rejoice in His daily provision—BEING ENOUGH.

Thank you for trusting Him with me. Love y’all in Christ Jesus!

Andrea