Oh wow...ADOPTION..

 Well it looks like we will be on our way home in a week! (yay!) I hate that I have not updated the blog throughout our 5 weeks here so far but I'm always torn on what and when to share. Above is a picture of us with our girl!

First off I want to say that as of yesterday we have ALL the funds necessary to finish the adoption!!! We are so so thankful to everyone who has supported us over the past two years in making this a reality!

Second we want to say that, as everyone already knows, international adoption is very expensive. I have had many people ask why we decided to adopt internationally when it is so expensive and we could adopt through the U.S. foster system which is full of kids just as deserving of being adopted (we couldn't agree more). The Lord specifically called us to international adoption and we are SO THANKFUL to our many friends who foster and foster to adopt. We know these are some very real and very difficult needs to fill but we also knew that God had some specific reasons in which he wanted us to adopt internationally. We have gotten to see those reasons come alive right before our eyes as we explored and learned about Costa Rica and what the options are for these kids (specifically 9 years old and older) who age out of the orphanage here. The options, opportunities and support for kids in the system here are very sad, especially for girls. I am thankful that we live in a country that, although there are many issues in the system, still provides some means of support to kids that age out of the system.

                                                   Izzy and a toucan at La Paz.

Next I wanted to share the adoption time line while we have been here:

May 6- Meeting Day
May 19- First appointment at the embassy
May 27- Court Day (Melissa becomes a Hand!)
June 1st- We got the resolution from the court finalizing the adoption
June 3rd- We got her new birth certificate
June 7th- Immigration appointment
June 10th- Passport pick up
June 13th- Final appointment at the embassy to get the visa
June 15th- Go home!

                                                    Meli with a butterfly at La Paz.


Last I want to say that this whole process has been incredibly hard. I usually hear the same from other moms who adopt. Adoption can definitely be romanticized but I am here to tell you that it has been hard, scary, stressful and WORTH IT! These past few weeks I have witnessed my ugly sin rise to the surface and I have felt many times that I just keep falling short and keep "failing the test." I have witnessed my family face being stretched, and tested, making constant sacrifices, messing up, acting selfishly, being hurt, feeling confused, being defeated, and finally conquering sin. There have been tears and laughter and A LOT of prayer (begging) to God for His....well His everything!

There is so much pain in adoption and so much BEAUTY that comes out on the other side of all that pain and this is only the beginning. Thank you friends, so much, for praying for us, for encouraging us and for supporting us. The picture above is a beautiful moment we were able to capture today of our beautiful Meli with her family. She is a precious gift to us from our great and wonderful God!

Off we go!!

It is midnight, tomorrow we leave on our ADVENTURE to Costa Rica. Today has been so emotional. We had dinner tonight with the Strong Tower staff who also happen to be some of our closest friends. When we got home from dinner we had a beautiful folder filled with letters, prayers and scriptures to read on our journey from so many in our faith family. I've watched my kids cry and my kids friends cry because they will miss each other. I can't help but wonder what all Melissa is going through as she also packs what little she has and says good bye to her friends but not just for a little while like us, but forever.

God has shown his goodness in some very tangible ways today as well. I had an amazing experience with a teller at the bank, and with a family in Christ. All of these things wrapped together and even individually make me want to cry tears of joy but I have not shed a single tear....yet. I think I'm afraid if I start to cry I will never stop. I am holding back tears of joy, thankfulness, fear and sadness. I don't know what to expect. I am sad and happy for Melissa. I am hopeful and thankful and exceedingly grateful. I am excited and scared and anxious. Oh all the emotions!

 I hope that I will update this blog while we are in Costa Rica so that we can share with everyone what all is happening! I will try my best! Thank you so much, from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who is praying! It is much needed and we are so grateful! Oh what a journey this has been!

Meeting Day, Plane Tickets and Skype!

Wow, so much has happened since the last time we posted. We got to Skype with Melissa this past Saturday and the Saturday before. It was incredible. It was more than we could have ever hoped for.

The first time we Skyped for an hour and it was so surreal. I couldn't believe we were finally talking. IT WAS SO WONDERFUL.

The next time we talked we Skyped for 2 1/2 hours! It was so fun. I feel like we are getting to know our girl. We can't wait to have our daughter home with us. She told us she has been happy since March 15th when her social worker told her we were adopting her. She said she can't wait for us to come get her. We know this is the honeymoon phase, but we can't help being so encouraged by her words and we can't help but be head over heels in love with her!

Our meeting day is scheduled for May 6th, the day before her birthday! I am thrilled that we finally have a meeting day! We also purchased our plane tickets! It is getting really close now. All of us are so excited, including the girls.

God is really showing us so much of Himself through this process. More than I could describe if we could sit down and have a 3 hour coffee date where I tried to explain it all. He is confirming through so many things that Melissa was always meant to be adopted by us. She was chosen from the beginning of time, like our bio daughters, to be ours.

Sometimes I worry about her doubting our love for her, or that we will really come get her, that we will not harm her, and that we won't abandon her but we will always be there for her! I want her to believe! I think about my relationship with God and how so often I doubt His love for me, that He is my safest place even when things seem really scary. Sometimes I even doubt that he wants the best for me, but He wants me to believe and trust His Word. That He is good. I am so thankful for His kindness and patience with me and with all of His children.

This has all been such a blessing, and I will leave you with this..those who know us, especially who know Jeff, will understand the significance of this, the word Meli means honey, and the name Melissa means honey bee. God is so sweet.

In many ways..it's like being pregnant..

We thought that we would get to Skype with Melissa tomorrow. We won't get to Skype until next week but Melissa will still have her counseling session tomorrow.

I realized just this week how much the process of adoption is like being pregnant. We have two bio children and I remember coming upon the anticipated due date. For Melissa that would be April 19th. We know it could happen sooner or later, but that's around when we're due and we are so excited as the date gets closer.

I remember with our youngest daughter going in to do those crazy 4D ultra sounds, well for us that is comparable to our first Skype session with Melissa.

In the same way that I saw my babies for the first time after giving birth and wondered, "How in the world can you love somebody so much that you don't even know," I see Melissa's pictures and videos and think the same thing.

The time is drawing near, and God has taught us so much in the waiting. He really is an amazing God!

They told her!!

Yesterday was a great day. We had two huge updates in our process. We are now getting our fingerprints refreshed before leaving to go to Costa Rica. We are also letting Melissa get in a few more counseling sessions before we go to pick her up!!

Last couple of weeks:
March 3rd- Social worker assigned to Melissa
March 3rd- I-800 form mailed to USCIS in the U.S.
March 12th- Adoption Shower!
March 15th- I-800 form approved!!
March 15th- Social worker told Melissa about our family adopting her!

It was so exciting to get the news from Melissa's social worker telling us how it went when they told her about us. Our social worker said, "Melissa is very very happy with her parents and sisters. She received the photos and gifts and smiled the whole time. She was excited about her family."

Also an update on fundraising...WE ARE ONLY 1,118.00 AWAY from the minimum amount needed to complete this adoption! Watching God provide, and making the sacrifices needed, and watching others sacrifice for this, has been truly humbling and a huge learning experience.

We are so excited and ready to go see our girl! If you would like to donate to our matching grant please follow THIS LINK TO DONATE.

Below I've included some pictures of the shower we had for the adoption. It was such an encouraging time of prayer and learning about the country, the culture and the people in Costa Rica :) We had delicious authentic Costa Rican food, we listened to Costa Rican music and learned about the country itself. It was so encouraging.

Moving Forward and Matching Grant

Last night I had a dream about my precious girl. It was so vivid and real and I told her I promised her we were coming to get her. I told her we were finalizing all the paper work, preparing all of her things and getting ready for the long trip to come and get her. She looked at me and her eyes said, I don't know if I believe that, but I believe it is possible.

Then I woke up.

My mind went immediately to my Savior. Before He ascended into heaven He said He would come back and get us, His adopted children, and He said He was going to prepare a place for us, that we may be with Him. (John 14:3) So often I think, really...the God of the universe...preparing a place for me? Sometimes I think, it's possible, but do I truly believe it?

Our package letting our daughter know that we have CHOSEN to ADOPT her got to Costa Rica this past Saturday (February 27th).

We were told her file had not been looked at by other families, probably because of her age. We learned her story and all she has been through, and how she had been abandoned.

In the package we included a card explaining everything to our girl, including pictures and some small gifts. She most likely got this package that day or a couple days later. We cannot wait to Skype with her, to go and see her, and bring her home to her forever family!

Recently we were awarded a matching grant from Life-song for Orphans  and We Care for Orphans. Please consider making a donation through this LINK TO DONATE that will be DOUBLED thanks to this generous matching grant.

We have about 30 days to raise the rest of the money needed in order to travel and go get our girl. Thank you for your consideration in helping us!

WE'RE MATCHED!!!!!!!!! Costa Rica here we come!

Well folks, we are finally matched! We officially got matched on Thursday but we didn't find out until Friday at lunchtime. We will be traveling to go pick up our girl in about 8 weeks!!! What a wonderful Valentine's gift! We couldn't be more thrilled! I will keep everyone updated on what's next! :)