It seems just yesterday I was looking at his photo and file, wishing we could adopt him but knowing that it would take a miracle. Our miracle has come! God moved mountains and now all that stands between us and our new son are some squares on the calendar . . . oh . .. and a 24 hour plane ride (ha ha).
I can not think back over this adoption without counting the blessings one by one so, bear with me as I thank God for:
1. ICAB giving us permission to adopt just five months after bringing Ezekiel home (the rules say we have to wait two years before applying but due to Francis' age, the board made an exception).
2. Providing every cent needed for this endeavor through generous friends, family members, one fund raiser and our own hard work. We have paid for more than half of this adoption IN CASH with NO DEBT thanks to Dave Ramsey and Financial Peace University.
3. The wonders of technology! We have recently been granted permission to skype with Francis and
HE IS PRECIOUS. I could fill 20 blog posts with sweet, funny, serious and even tense things that we have discussed in our skypes but for now, I'm going to be like Mary and just ponder them in my heart. It somehow doesn't feel right to say too much about this subject except that skyping with Francis confirmed what we already knew - he's a great kid and he's going to fit perfectly into this family.
4. An adoption agency that stands behind us, goes to bat for us and trusts our instincts. Thank you, Christian Adoption Services, for bringing us to the final stages of a fourth Philippine adoption! There's no agency I'd rather have representing our family than CAS.
5. Teenage children with open hearts who are EXCITED about their new brother - nobody is whining about losing their place in the birth order. Nobody is griping about sharing their room or even their PARENTS with Francis. All of our kids are just as thrilled as we are that God has given us this opportunity.
I'll end the list here but it could go on and on. I'll share a photo I snapped during a recent skype session and ask a rhetorical question: "Doesn't he look like an E****vel?" One of mine, no doubt!
