Update!

       Last Thursday Jeff and I had a very informative phone conversation with our out of country social worker from Lifeline Children's Services. She told us that our Dossier is entering three rounds of acceptance and that we would be informed as we passed each one. The first round is the legal round, followed by the social round and ending with the psychiatric round. We already have a fully accepted home study and Dossier in the U.S. but these are the Costa Rica rounds. In Costa Rica, through Lifelines, a team of lawyers and psychiatrists come together and decide if we are fit to adopt. As you can imagine this made us very nervous. Our social worker assured us by letting us know that they have never had anyone not get accepted. She said that this is the reason the Dossier process is so rigorous on the forefront on the U.S. side. She also informed us that our family is next in line to be matched with a child and as soon as the acceptance rounds were completed that we would be matched and then have 1-2 months to travel to Costa Rica. The acceptance rounds take about 2 months and then matching times can very, but being next in line is definitely exciting. Lastly she told us that if we do not travel by May 2016 (travel-meaning we are accepted and matched and headed to pick up the newest addition to our family) then we would have to update our medicals and fingerprints. (*sigh* more paperwork)

       All is good though as we are willing to do loads of paperwork and whatever else it takes to get this little one home. We know God's timing is perfect in all things, and He has so much to teach us through the process.

       Lastly I would love to share our website with those of you who are following the adoption updates. It explains what all we are doing in regards to the adoption and fundraising, as well as other things like beekeeping, home schooling, homesteading, ministry and more. Just follow this link: www.handswideopen5.com

Thanks for taking the time to read this update!