It's a GIRL!!!

Sorry, loyal blog readers for leaving you in suspense!  It has been a firestorm of paperwork and prayer around here.  A week ago, someone from our agency contacted us about a little girl that had just been released for adoption in Asia.  We looked at her referral, prayed a lot, took all of her information to the pediatrician and waited to see if God opened or closed the doors.  In the past several months, God has been very clear with us about opportunities presented to us.  The doors have all closed on them.  So far, this is a go. :)  She has some special needs, but we feel educated and equipped to help her with them.
Interestingly, it was just over a year ago that Hubby and I walked out of church and hubby said, "I really felt the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart about adoption" "I'm so nervous to go forward, but I believe we are supposed to."  I had been praying for Hubby and I to be on the same page about this topic for twelve years.  I started researching adoption right after we got married.  But, it took eleven years for God to move his heart toward it.  I know it is slightly different, but if you've been praying for someone to know the Lord...don't give up.  Your wait may be long...but God is faithful.
So, the crazy thing is, that we started praying about the child we would adopt about a year ago.  And because God writes better stories than we do...our daughter was born about a week after we started praying for her.  I can't wait to someday tell you her entire story.  You'll see divinity woven throughout it.  Even through the chaos of tornadoes and tumors, someone in this family always held the vigil of prayer for her.  That is the beauty of this large family.  There is always someone to hold you up in prayer.  In the days when I had started giving up this dream, one of my children would remember "her" in prayer at bedtime and it would remind me that this wasn't MY dream...it was OUR dream.
So, when can we get this beautiful baby girl??????  It looks like it will be about six months before we can travel to bring her home.  I'll be daily stalking my social worker to finish the home study.  Then we have immigration fingerprints and paperwork followed by our documents mailed off to Asia.  After that, we wait for her government to grant us permission to travel.  Six months seems like a REALLY long time to wait for your daughter.  But, we're going to be incredibly busy with the boys and the Holidays.  So, I'm hoping that helps us get through the next few months.
And, we'll also be having bake sales, garage sales, car washes and babysitting to pay for this crazy venture.  So, stay tuned.
I want to say thank you to all of you that have faithfully prayed for us and this endeavor.  We need your continued prayers.  This baby girl is locked in with our family.  But, until we get her home, I won't have complete peace.  And since I've shared with you my most intimate thoughts and struggles, I kind of feel like we're family! :)  So, please pray for our child.  Please pray that God will protect her and keep her healthy and loved. Please pray for the transition she will have when we bring her home.  And please pray that we will all be faithful to God as we continue on this walk with Him.