In The Thick of It

I am sitting here with such a heart of gratitude that I don't even know where to begin being thankful! God is doing amazing works and I have to stand back and watch in amazement the same way you might at a spectacular fireworks display. There are the obvious blessings like the generous donations we've received towards Francis' adoption.
I reached out with some reservation as we are not adopting a cute, cuddly baby this time around but an almost-full-grown teenager. I wondered if people would feel led to help us this time around since we were helped last time. I prayed that our vision and calling would not look like something else, something self-serving in the eyes of our friends and family. What a relief that those who know us best really DO understand.
My thankfulness goes beyond the financial realm and into the logistics of the adoption process. I found out we only need a homestudy update and not an entire new study. I discovered that our immigration paperwork will be much easier this time as we only need to file an extension of our immigration approvals and not new documents.
I am not naive enough to believe this whole process will go off without a hitch, though. This is our fourth adoption and if I've learned anything, it is to expect the unexpected. Paperwork gets lost, government offices close just when you need them most, clouds of ash or typhoons effect air travel, etc. etc. If I didn't have
full confidence that God is sovereign, there is NO way I could sign up for this process again without losing my mind. If I didn't have the pictures and paperwork of that precious young man to look at each day and to remind myself WHY we're doing this, I would not be able to fill out one more form or write one more check. But I DO have those things. I have so much more. I have the prayer and support of friends and family. I have a husband who is just as convicted as I that God has called us to this. I have a savior who "knows my name" - as we sang in church a couple of Sundays ago. He also knows our new son intimately and has decided we are the right family for him.
WOW! So much to be thankful for . . .

We're Rolling . . .

I am thrilled to report that we are getting to the end of the paperwork mountain and getting closer to having our file in The Philippines for official matching with Francis!!
We have been blessed with more financial contributions than the "chip in" button indicates as some friends have given us checks. We debated adding them to the chip in account but since it's paypal and has small fees associated with it, we felt it would be the best stewardship to keep them separate. I will keep a running tab on the blog page somewhere to indicate our progress but, for now, let me say "THANK YOU" to:
P = $100
P = $50
R/K = $300
M = $300

As the adoption process goes full steam ahead, your prayers are more important to us now than ever! It is not without fear that we open our home to this older child.
We've read the "horror stories" of older child adoptions gone wrong. We've struggled with one of our own adopted children and his issues. We know it's going to be a faith walk and we are just human. Praise God, who gives wisdom to all who ask for it. That's our prayer right now - that God would give us supernatural wisdom to
walk in His will and be His hands and feet.
Please pray for the two grant applications we have sent off this week and for two fund raisers in the works that will be orchestrated by precious sisters in Christ.
We never fail to feel so very "loved on" during the adoption process! From the wonderful notes and emails to the folks who offer to help in practical ways, we see
the body of Christ doing what it does best - serving one another. It's the type of service we know is not done for any return. Where else on Earth can you find that kind of love? Only in the family of God!

YES!!!!!

On Friday, October 1st around 9am, we received the long-awaited verdict on our request to adopt 15-year-old Francis from The Philippines. The Inter Country Adoption Board ruled in FAVOR of our family adopting him!!!!!!!! As a mother who has given birth twice and adopted three times previously, I can assure you that the thrill of that phone call is no less wonderful than watching the "little stick" reveal a "plus mark" indicating that you are, in fact, pregnant. Even though this young man is a teenager, we are as excited about the chance to add him to our family as if we were being presented with a newborn! I have known in my heart for many months that he was headed for our family but I what I did not understand was HOW. So many mountains had to move for this young man to become ours. There are still mountains to move but I can see the ground starting to shake!
This adoption is going to have to fall into place QUICKLY for us to make the age-related cut off established by US Homeland Security. The speed of this adoption is causing us to have to do one thing our pride rejects: ask for help raising funds. We know the Body of Christ stands ready and waiting to help us accomplish this task.
"With God, all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

Thank you in advance for your help, your prayers and your willingness to be a part of something "Radical".

For His Fame,
Nikki and the fam