Wednesday, November 2, 2016

One Proud Daddy!!

#nationaladoptionmonth 

Britt's phone does not work in India if he is not on Wi-Fi, so I am incredibly thankful to the Indian pastor Britt is with for keeping me updated and sending me pictures early this morning!
 
I received the first text around midnight our time (it was 10:30 am there), that they were on the way to the orphanage! He sent me some "glimpses' of her city...

 
 
It was 37 minutes before I received the next text. That was the longest 37 minutes of. my. life!! I think I was surprised at my emotions during that time. I had been and was so excited for Britt to meet our precious daughter, but in those moments began to mourn the fact that we were not meeting her together.
 
Then I got this...
(I'm sorry we can not show her beautiful face on the world wide web yet!)
 
And the tears began...actually the sobs! I prayed and prayed that she would recognize her daddy and let him hold her and here she was in his arms!! The Indian pastor text me, "She is absolutely fine and happy to be carried by her father." And more tears!!
 
The very first picture we ever saw of her and then again one that was sent early this morning reminds me so much of her big brother Matthew! I love how God gives us things like that!
 
For the next 2 hours I sat crying and hoping more pictures or videos would be sent. I wanted to see more of her, I wanted to know more about her. It was SO hard not being able to talk to my husband during that time. I'm thankful my sweet momma was up and texting with me.  
 
I finally went to sleep around 3 am, but was right back up at 5 am. I needed a coffee I.V. today!! Finally at 6:42 a.m. Britt and I were able to talk. It was a choppy phone call with lags in it, but I got to talk to him! That did my heart so good!!
 
He said the first smile that came across her sweet face was when he gave her the baby doll I picked out!
 
He went though her book with her and showed her the video her big brothers and I made. He said she just sat and looked at it all. He got to spend about 20 minutes with her before God had a divine appointment in place for him. One day I will share that story, I just can't right now. But God is moving mountains in our adoption!!
 
When the boys got up I sat them down and showed them the pictures. I just love their faces in these pictures...

 Matthew was mad because he wanted to hold my phone, haha!
 Uncle Michael, look at the thumbs up Eli is giving!
 Be still my heart!!

 
I received a few more pictures as Britt and the other men rode a cab to catch their next flight...


Britt was able to call me after their flight and getting settled at the Indian pastor's home. We were able to talk for 26 whole minutes!! He was going to be able to get a shower and a full night's sleep for the first time since they left for India.
 
We got started on her room before Britt left so he could show this picture to the orphanage. I'm going to get more done while he is gone, including getting the puzzle hung up!
 

The back is starting to look full! Thank you to those who have given!
 
Continue to pray that God will get our baby girl home real soon! And pray Britt returns home safely to us! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!
 
 


Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Happy National Adoption Month!!

 
I can not think of a better month for Britt to meet our daughter face to face! I am SO excited! As I am typing this he is in the air above India flying to our daughter's city. I know he has so many emotions going through him right now. I wish I could talk to him! I can't wait to see videos and pictures of our baby girl! Cue the tears!! She will not understand the magnitude of this yet, but she is meeting her daddy for the first time!
 
I love doing this blog to keep everyone updated, but also to have to print for her adoption book. I want her to see how God has been with her from the time she was conceived and how He has woven her story together!
 
My last blog was news we did not want to hear. We were hoping for a quick i800 approval, but USCIS is asking for more "evidence." That was on Friday, October 21. The following Monday I found out it is a form from the orphanage that is needed declaring her an orphan. We were so excited to see this e-mail from our agency on Friday, October 28...
 
 
But then about 12 hours later we get this e-mail...
 
 
 
The next day Eli and I had a booth at the Cotton Fest in Eclectic. He wanted to make something to sell to help raise money for baby sister (so sweet, right?!). We made candles and bracelets for him to sell.
 
Here is one of the bracelets...these sold out fast!
 
"And if not" comes from the book of Daniel. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood before King Nebuchadnezzar they told him that their God was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace. "And if not," God is still good! Things do not always go as we have planned, and bad things happen to good people, but our God is always good! He is worthy of our praise and our time. The bracelet is a great reminder of that.
 
 
I was e-mailing back and forth with Amanda all during the Cotton Fest. The new form has her birthdate as 5-14-14. So we need an updated Medical Exam Report (MER) and Child Study Report (CSR) with that date of birth on it. I was looking over the paperwork we have and I see 5-14-14 on one paper as the date she entered the orphanage. But the MER and CSR are quick and easy to fix. So if it means changing the birth date to a month later than so be it! We are just ready to get our girl home!
 
SO thankful when I saw this...
The orphanage has the paperwork re-done to give Britt while he is there! So praying for quick i800 approval once we get those papers to USCIS. Then pray we get quick approval for Article 5 and No Objection Certificate.
 
Britt and Lee left Eclectic at 1:00 pm yesterday (October 31) headed to Atlanta for their first flight to Qatar. I was able to track that flight...
They had 2 more flights to get them to our daughter's city around 11:00 pm (November 1) our time. So they have been traveling for 34 hours!!
 
I'm so anxious, and praying that technology will work well so I can get some pictures and videos tonight. I know I will not be able to sleep!
 
Hoping I will be able to update everyone on here at some point tomorrow or the next day about his visit with our baby girl! I will definitely have to get him to write a blog post about his trip when he gets home! Thank you to everyone that is praying for him and for those who have checked on me. It means a lot!
 
Ahhhh!!! I can't believe Britt is getting to meet our daughter tonight!!