Provision from heaven *Dancing on the rooftops*

We are so very excited, thankful, humbled, and grateful to announce that we have received a $4000 adoption grant to pay our airfare expenses!!!!!!!!! I just can't relay in words the feeling inside when the grant commitee notifies you that indeed you have been chosen as a grant recipient. Thank you to everyone at Gift of Adoption you are helping to make our dream come true. You are providing a child with her forever family. I pray that we will be the parents God has called us to be. I pray that any expectations I may have would be laid aside as we prepare to bring Sarah home. Father God your will be done. This adoption journey is incredible! As our pastor's wife always says "God's will = God's bill".

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade Anyone?

Our dear niece Kayleen, age 8, set up a lemonade stand on behalf of Sarah's adoption. She is donating all proceeds to help bring her little cousin home from China!! How sweet is that?! Her thoughtfulness has touched our hearts! Thank you Kayleen, we love you!! We continue to feel overwhelmed and so very grateful for the support and provision that continues to follow us on this incredible journey-with God all things are possible!

A Broken Arm!!?

We received an update on Sarah. It appears that she has broken her arm while playing. She will be in a cast for three weeks. She should be getting her cast off shortly before we travel. I can only imagine what she was doing! I think we have another climber on our hands! She and Hannah will be two peas in a pod. We are all praying for quick and complete healing in that little arm. Well, at least we know specifically how to pray! I can't wait to meet her!

Praise the Lord!! LOA is here!!

Just when you think you will burst, just when you wonder if LOA's really do come, just when things appear to be slipping away from your grasp... what happens?? Janell calls and says "It's here!" These are the words my ears have been straining to hear each and every time my telephone rings. So tomorrow we will sign our LOA and get it sent back to China. They should receive it by Monday July 23rd. Then we wait approximately two weeks for our travel approval(TA)! Then we secure our consulate appointment and book our flights! It looks like we should be receiving our TA very near Sarah's birthday, August 5th. I am a bit sad not to be her mommy by her birthday but I know there must be a divine reason. I can only think that her foster family may need her to be with them for this special day. I will have a lifetime of birthdays to share with Sarah and this will be their last. We are forever grateful for the time, love, and sacrifice they have shown in caring for her and helping her to grow and thrive. Her foster mom has taken a weak and fragile baby and produced a happy, beautiful, thriving child. How can I ever thank her? I will pray the Lord will bless her, comfort her, and send her another child to love when she is ready.

W--A--I--T--I--N--G

A favorite Bible verse of mine is found in Habakkuk 2:2-3. "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming-it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time." -the message Bible-

We have been waiting 91 days for our LOA to arrive and we know God is in control of every detail. It will arrive right on time! It is hard to wait when you know a child is needing a family. It is hard to wait when you know you will miss your child's third birthday. It is hard to wait when you just want to GO! I am so very thankful that I can trust and rely on God to be in control and not me! I am so very thankful for updated photos and video footage of our precious Sarah! It is so encouraging to see her smiling, talking, and laughing! As with our adoption of Hannah, I know someday soon I will look back at this time of waiting and it will be just a distant memory. We continue to pray that Sarah's heart is being prepared to join our family. We pray for her foster parents-that every need they have will be met, that they will be blessed beyond measure, that God will comfort their hearts as they prepare to let Sarah go.

Another picture!!

Hannah recently came up to me, gave me a great big hug and said "Mommy, I am so excited about my new sister, Sarah". I said "Me too Hannah"! She then continued "Thank you for going all the way over to get another one"! I thought okay how old are you?! Did you hear someone else say this? I don't know if she did but I do know this has been Hannah's heart through all of our waiting. I am forever grateful to be adding Sarah to our family. I can't wait to see these two together. Sarah we can't wait to bring you home! Here is a link to a short video clip also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kReFf5HJe9o absolutely precious!!

God is so good!!

Today, I received a most wonderful gift! Our agency sent an updated picture and video of Sarah taken just one month ago! Thank you Lily, Kathy, and Janell-you are the best! Just look how much she has grown, how long her hair is, how beautiful she has become! Of course, I can't wait to actually hold her in my arms and tell her these things. Also, our LOA may be on its way. There is a package on its way from Beijing to our agency. We will know for sure if our papers are inside by the end of the week........Thank you God!