Bummed

I've been feeling a little bummed the last couple days about the lack of progress and the lack of information on our adoption process. As far as I know, we're still in Parquet, and our kids' birth parent interviews have not occurred at the Embassy.

Please continue to pray with us that we receive Parquet approval. I have heard of a few families being sent back to IBESR from Parquet because they have biological children, or because they are not 35. They are apparently requesting that IBESR send for presidential dispensation. We understood that our dossier got dispensation while we were in IBESR, so that shouldn't be an issue for us, but who knows...

I'm also a little worried that maybe E & J's birth parents have not been able to be located to schedule the interviews. Our orphanage has birth-parent locators that have to go out and locate the birth parents, so they can schedule the interviews. Then they have to make sure they get make it to the appointment or reschedule the interviews and try again. Please pray that Elijah's mom and Josephine's dad are found and are safe and healthy and able to go to their interviews soon.

On the up-side, it's so exciting to hear about other families' progress! A couple families got through Parquet this week (the step we're waiting in now), and several families have gotten through MOI - which means they're now waiting on passports and visas to be able to bring their kids home! So, we are praying for these families, in addition to those that seem to be stuck in certain areas of their adoption process for much longer than ever imaginable.

I've also been enjoying the stories and pictures from some families who traveled earlier this month to the orphanage to see their children. So, I thought I'd share this picture I found in Terry's collection, of Baby Room 1. Josephine is in this photo - crawling on the floor, at right, behind the child in navy blue. (You can click on the photo to enlarge.)

And, some other random fun photos of E & J from my July trip, just for fun:


Thank you Katy for sharing this next verse. I continually need to be reminded of this: "Be joyful in hope, patient in tribulation, and continue steadfastly in prayer." Romans 12:12