Greetings Family and Friends!
Just wanted to send out this quick update (but you all know me, it's never "quick")! Ha ha!
Since our last post a month ago we PASSED our Well Water Test which then meant we finally PASSED our Homestudy!!! Praise the Lord! Just a little "extra" note....not only did we PASS the water test....there was NO (none at all) bacteria found in our water! How cool is God? Ha ha...we asked for it to just pass....and it passed with flying colors! God is so amazing to his Children!
Next we had to get our travel shots (which were a bit more pricey than we expected...ouch)! But we were both brave and took our shots (3) like two champs! Ha ha ha!
With passing the Homestudy we were able to mail out our i-600a form to the Department of State, which is the FINAL state-side paperwork! It is to request our government's permission to bring an orphan into the United States! Wow...we really cannot believe it is getting closer and closer! We just received word that our application was "checked in and received", so now we wait for a card to go be fingerprinted by Homeland Security. After fingerprinting, we will wait for our "permission slip" in the mail and then we will bundle all paperwork up and mail it off to Uganda!
On our way in the car this morning Kevin and I were talking about how "Great God Is" and how perfect HIS timing is...! Now we've always known this...but it's so amazing to see Him at work daily in our lives! I was marveling at how He cares enough about us and our "desires" to have us wait for His "PERFECT" plan! In our discussion we were talking about Moses and the Israelities and how they wandered through the desert for 40 years. Because they needed to learn that God desired His BEST for them! I said to Kevin ya know...I think 8 1/2 years is a LONG time to wait for my heart's desire...but as I reflect, I'm so grateful for the things He's shown me along the way through this trying and exciting journey of infertility and adoption! The tears I've shed... I'll tell you, Malachi is one VERY MUCH LOVED little boy already!!
Just a bit of a financial update! As of our last post, we had been blessed and only needed approximately $8,000 to finish our "estimated" budget. Well, since then God has never stopped working on that! We have received so many financial love (blessing) gifts since then. Our estimate is now down to needing approximately $5,000! Wow, in ONE month God took care of $3,000! How amazing is that? How great truly is our God! Please continue to pray with us that His will be done and that we raise the final monies we need! God is in total control!
I've been having these dreams of being in Uganda and finally getting to lay hands on our precious Son! What a day that will be when God completes the plan and dreams He's always had laid out for our family! I'm so glad that He painted our family portrait! It's so funny, somehow I just don't think this one trip is the end for our family to Africa. Whether we adopt again or perhaps do some missions work there, I truly feel God is drawing our hearts there! How neat and great is that?! I just get teary-eyed thinking of a love for a Continent that I've never even been too...definitely is God's doing!
Please be watching for more to come....!!! We are waiting with anticipation and EXPECTANCY for "THAT PHONE CALL" prayerfully one day soon!
Much love and prayers,
Kevin, Marissa and Malachi!
