100 Good Wishes for Sophia

I'm excited to announce that we have launched a 100 Good Wishes Campaign to support Sophia's adoption from Taiwan! Through the link to the right, you can visit our 100 Good Wishes page, and leave your good wishes for Sophia. This is based on the idea of the 100 Good Wishes quilt, a Chinese tradition that spans generations. The 100 Good Wishes folks have set up their organization specifically to help adoptive parents in their efforts to raise the necessary funds to bring home their children. Please feel free to pass along our information to any friends you might have who would be willing to support our endeavor as well. I will leave the Chip-in information posted as well; both the Chip-in and the 100 Good Wishes go to the same account.  Thanks, and God bless you!

Waiting...

We are almost at the end of week two of waiting to hear back from the orphanage in Taiwan regarding our request to be matched with "Beautiful Jade".  I know that the orphanage deliberates long and hard on their matches; they want to make sure that the "fit" between the family and child is a good one.  They really do try and cover all of their bases, which benefits the adoptive family in the long run.  However, it's a bit trying to wait, not knowing what they are thinking or even being able to prove yourself to them in some way.  Ultimately, we have left this decision in God's capable hands, and we know that His Will will be accomplished.

Until then...we wait...

God is Good

"God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good."  How often I have been reminded of this quote on this adoption journey!  Time and again God's goodness has shown through as He has been faithful to meet our needs.  And now is no exception.  We are at 29% of our anticipated need for the orphanage fee...praise God!  We have been waiting for nearly a week now on the orphanage's decision regarding our match with the little 2 1/2 year old girl we have grown to love.  As we continue to patiently await a decision, we know that God is in control.  He will continue to provide for us financially, emotionally, and spiritually as we wait for His will to be made known.  I am SO thankful to have a God like that!

Waiting and praying....praying and waiting...

Chip-In

We need to gear up our fundraising in earnest again so that we have the necessary funds for Sophia's orphanage fee when we are approved for her adoption.  God miraculously provided what we needed when we paid our homestudy fee and then our agency fee, so I know He will do the same again.  We still have many cookbooks left (see link on right) for $15 + $5 S&H.  We are also changing our donate method to a Chip-In button (also on right) so that everyone can see how quickly we are reaching our goal.  This money needs to be sent to the orphanage when we send back our referral dossier, so I am thinking positively and put an end-of-June date on the Chip-In widget.  Of course, that can always be changed!  Thanks for praying for us, and if the Lord so leads, feel free to donate and help us bring Sophia home!

Trusting God to continue to provide what we need when we need it to bring Sophia home!

Exciting Week!

What an exciting week this has been! This morning we received a list of five questions from the orphanage in Taiwan. They wanted some clarification and explanation on a variety of issues. I was able to respond this afternoon. Pray that if and when the responses are translated, they will make sense. I'm not sure if there is an English speaker on the other end or not, but I know our home study had to be translated. We have been told that a decision could take weeks to months, so we continue to wait. Yesterday, after a series of events that I will have to post about later, we really felt God's confirmation on this little girl, so we are at peace with what lies ahead.

Thanks for your prayers...until Sophia is home...

Getting Closer...

Today, Monday, May 10, might well go down in the history books for our family. It may be the day that we saw our daughter for the first time. Please pray as we have requested to be considered as the adoptive parents of a beautiful two year old little girl whose name means "Beautiful Jade". How appropriate! When we are able, we will share more details, but for now, please pray that God will grant us favor with the orphanage and those who will be making this decision on the other side of the world. Ultimately, we know that if this is God's will for our family, He will continue to move us forward. If not, He will close the door. I'm so glad He is in control!

Resting and waiting...

Still Waiting

We have been waiting for some updated information on a little girl from Taiwan for two weeks now. It's hard to wait when you know that there is a child who needs a family and you are potentially a candidate for that child, but we need to make sure that we are in God's will and right now that means we need some additional information, if it is available. Continue to pray!

Meanwhile, I have been reminded this week that God has a plan for each of us--a plan that is really a journey. And to fulfill that plan, we will have lots of ups and downs and all arounds that are all part of the journey, leading us to be better prepared for our ultimate destination. When the going gets tough, it is the knowledge that God has that plan, and has put us on the journey, that keeps us moving forward. I am reminded of Joseph and all that he endured as part of God's plan for his life, and to save the lives of his family (truly preserving God's chosen people) and the nation of Egypt. I'm sure he didn't understand what God was doing when bad things seemed to happen when he was doing the right thing, but in the end he told his brothers, "And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result..." (Genesis 50:20). What a testimony!

And so, we continue to wait on this part of our journey, resting in the fact that as we have stepped out in faith, God seems to have the adoption of another child in His plan for our lives. When, where, and how that will all happen remains to be seen, but my God is more than able!

Walking to Sophia by faith, and not by sight...