Divine

I am in tears, I can NOT thank those of you who have prayed for our baby, our family and this crazy journey.

I do have to laugh at how crazy this journey has gone.

We were in a race in the beginning and asked for major prayers to meet a deadline we didn't think possible except with God's divine intervention.

And we ended this race again knowing that without God's divine intervention it would be impossible.

Well, He did it once again.

While most consulate dates are scheduling the first 2 weeks in Dec ours is

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NOV 29th at 10 am!!

The last possible appt for us to travel over Thanksgiving.

So many praises over this

Tristan will only miss one week of school
AND of all the weeks of the year it is one of the least intensive.
He will only miss 6 days so we won't have to reenroll him for school.

My husband won't be as stressed trying to juggle Holiday sales and 4 kids and school and activities.
(although we did have help for this THANKS Aunt Cindy for offering to come out!) 

I don't have to reschedule all of Griffen's Dr appts I made months ago.

We will be able to celebrate Christmas for real this year!

The kids will be in school for 2 1/2 weeks once we return so we can get acclimated and poor Griffen will have some time to adjust to our crazy family before they are home for Christmas break.

OH and jsut encase the China rep asked me if I wanted to get Griffen on Sunday or Monday - um let see
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Oh YEAH!  Sunday!

Our expected Calendar for this month!

Filled!

 We got it!

Our travel approval to bring home our baby boy came today!

grrr it was dated 11/2

Tomorrow (hopefully) we will find out exactly when our last chair will be filled.

Please if you think about it would you pray that God works a miracle and we can somehow get a spot still the end of November.

Many people are looking at consulate dates the first 2 weeks in December.  

I worry about my husband as this will place us traveling Black Friday and beyond -

 for the retail world the WORST possible time.

My oldest missed 3 days of school this week because of being really sick,

plus two more weeks if we don't travel until after Thanksgiving is hard.

We know this is God's journey, and we will follow His lead.

But selfishly I am still going to ask for prayers.

And while your at it, please pray for our Griffen - that his heart is already being opened to the changes soon to occur.  My heart breaks even thinking of tearing him away from his current foster family, the week his orphanage requires he spend alone before we travel.  Fill him with the Holy Spirit and love that so many of you already have for him.

Falling Short

Be glad my friends you don't live in our house LOL!

My humanness is so flawed, I try to keep my eyes on the Lord, knowing that this is his plan.

But oh I jsut want to have this baby in my arms.
I want to be on the plane
I want to know when I am leaving

I am so tired of the paperwork,
Tired of people's excuses,
Tired of watching others speed past us as we stand in the wrong line at the checkout.

Let's jsut say that I lack patience
My husband says that is why God keeps trying to teach me this virtue LOL!

I emailed our agency - again cc'ing in the director.
it's Wednesday - they said this was the drop dead date whether we could travel on the 16th.
Now they said it's still possible
IF
IF
IF

So my crazed self did all the kids laundry
packed Griffen's clothes
Repacked Griffen's clothes,
went and bought new suitcases (that would be easier for Tristan to push two)

This was about the time I talked to the travel agent
who informed me there were no more consulate appts in Nov ?!?!
WTH,
had some chocolate
and repacked Griffen's clothes one more time.

Yeah real effective use of my day LOL!

My soul keeps saying to Be still and trust
and my humanness keeps failing.
I see his sad face and my heart weeps
my arms ache

Heartbroken

I finally got a call this morning from our agency.  

First let me say that the director has been gone, 

BUT we found out our article 5 dates were NOT correct.  No one knows or is willing to admit to why this standard 2 week process took us a month rather then the standard 2 weeks.

Our article 5 paperwork was not even delivered to the CCCWA until 10/22 (a full month after being cabled) - the latest I expected our TA was 10/23 - knowledge is power - if I had jsut been told the truth I wouldn't have been waking up at 2am checking email, being stuck to a phone for the last 3 weeks and incessantly checking every airfare possibility.

Let me jsut say I was not at my best on the phone.

AND then I went upstairs and saw these ~

UGLY cry LOL!

Baby Griffen's shoes still sitting without an owner,

Even the stuffing breaks my heart,

and the pristine newness.

They should be scuffed,

and worn,

and dirty by now.

Two little shoes,

Two aching arms.

I awoke last night at 2:31 feeling something was wrong.

I checked each bed,

tucked in each child,

and my heart broke for my one child who I can't tuck in, I don't know anything about other than a report now 2 years old and 5 sentences from March.

This afternoon I walked into Fei and Griffen's room and smiled at what I found.  All of his treasures sent from across the country.  Lovingly made by hand for a very special little boy.  So many prayers for him.  A tiny little boy so unwanted he waited for over a year to be chosen, and a leap of faith.  

I won't be traveling when I thought but I just need to hold onto that God's timing is perfect.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

30 days of Thanksgiving - day 3

I haven't shared a ton about some of the relationships I have lost through the process of adoption. Suffice it to say I should have created boundaries years ago and Cav and Fei or the journey helped me to see this. HOWEVER, I have gained a ton of other relationships of Godly people who love our crazy family for our craziness.  Who send us hugs, love and pray for us constantly.  And believe me we need lots of prayers LOL!  

Although Griffen is #6 he is still our newest baby and we are so excited to celebrate him.  Today I opened a package we got this week (some amazing child of mine must have seen it on the doorstep and placed it in the dining room without notice).  All I can say is I lifted off the tissue paper and cried.  Cried for the losses, cried for the gains, and cried because someone very special went out of their way to show she thought Griffen is as special as we do!  

Besides a lamby who sings Jesus lives me in her voice, she also made loves for Grif, a prayer pillow case ( my other kids treasure theirs) and a handmade quilt that is incredible!  

So today, especially, I am Thankful for

my Aunt who has filled a void, loved all

of our kids, and prays incessantly for us !

I'll post a pic tomorrow as my iPad is having pic issues 

30 days of Thanksgiving - day 2

I was beyond blessed today.  Cav has had some issues with his prosthetic (the longer leg) hurting.  We were afraid we needed to go back up to Denver.  Today I talked to Cav's PT and she helped me figure out, he must have had a charlie horse in his calf.  While she was rubbing it she realized how many sensory issues he has.

Our appt should have ended at 11 am - we walked out at 11:39 with a ton of information on sensory issues and how to deal with it.  We now know to use deep pressure and to "ground" the joint when holding his limb.  We are going to try earphones at the next group outing.  We learned that swinging for 5 mintues will calm him, and to place pressure on his shoulders (downward) will help him control his body.  She told us why he overly touches some people and seeks out inappropriate situations.

She gave me tools, understanding and hope.  I am beyond thankful for those who love their job and are willing to go above and beyond!

30 days of Thanksgiving - day 1

These are not particular order as we truly are blessed - and even when I want to sit and bawl (yep 3 weeks no TA), all I know is in the end I am truly blessed.

And God reminds me of His incredible love through beauty!