The journey continues!

We were BLESSED by The Lord and our hard working social worker. All of M's paperwork fell into place, and the US Embassy green lighted is to go on to round two in Johannesburg, so that is where we find ourselves today.

I almost cried leaving Lesotho. I really love it there. We had our adoption ceremony at Beautiful Gate, which was more special and precious than I could have ever imagined. 

My sweet Rosebud is home sick and is a bit needy of her mommy, but of course! She is going through so much change.

Our little M, who was described as quiet and serious, has become a noisy squeaking giggle box. I cannot believe I  blessed to participate in his life. 

I had planned on updating my blog more frequently, but I had not counted on two things. 1. Spotty Internet service. 2. My own exhaustion.

I know some of my friends that read this blog are still waiting to be matched. Please find the strength to continue. Seeing those beautiful faces....a home of 70 children (plus). May The Lord strengthen you and help preserve you or the long journey!

I was able to meet with some of the government representatives in Lesotho, and I believe they do have a heart for their orphaned children.

Please continue to lift us in prayer. For sustained health. For our meetings with the embassy here in Johannesburg. For my little Rosebud and M to continue to bond and for us to arrive safely home next week!

Hello from Maseru!!!

Things are well. We have M and he is doing as well as can be expected. We thought he was a serious guy, but he laughs and giggles a lot when comfortable. He seems to be managing his overwhelming change by sleeping a lot and needing lots of snuggles.

We have run into a few hiccups with the ole passport. We could use prayer that the situation is cleared up. We would like to be in the states as planned, but are mostly just excited about being with M.

Rosebud LOVES this baby, and a lot of our energy is spent helping her not constantly touch his face and be in his personal space.

Prayer requests:

1. That this passport thing gets sorted out.

2. That we make it through the embassy meetings without a hitch. (And for my illogical anxiety about this step).

3. For our health.

4. For the long flight home.

5. That M finds comfort in our presence and begins to bond with his new family.

Thank you all.

Here is a quick photo  or two 

Faith, Hope, and Wisdom?

(If you read nothing else, read the bottom of this page.  Many of you know adoptive families.  Read the bottom of the page to get what adoption really looks like. )

Paperwork has been a hang up for our adoption process.  And so it was no surprise to hear your court date has happened, you are his parents BUT there is a BRAND NEW process for birth certificates and passports, which will most likely hold up these vital documents. Que banging head against wall. Without these, we cannot leave the country with M.

So, needless to say, this made me cry.  I just want to go get my kid.  SO BADLY! So Michael and I were talking, and decided, Why don't we just go ahead and go?  We may end up being there longer, and we may be inviting more frustration.  But we have decided to take frustration AND have our son. We are stepping out in faith and hope.  I'm not sure if wisdom is going with us, but we are definitely praying for it!

Our agency director and in-country social worker have both been great in being open minded about this idea. The Lesotho government has been gracious and is allowing us to come over before all the i's are dotted.  We have been cautioned about the unpredictability of how quickly or slowly documents move through this system.  We feel like we are well aware of the unpredictability, and this makes us feel all the more convinced to head over and start the bonding process with our baby, while he is still a baby. 

So now we plan.  We buy tickets, we book lodging, we pray for paperwork to process. We plan to leave while it is still barely July.

Here is how you can join us in prayer :) (thanks everyone)

1. That the paperwork gets completed in a timely manner, and we are able to spend only the necessary amount of time across the ocean.

2. That we all stay healthy and safe.  That the Lord goes before us and sets our course for us.

3. That I don't go crazy as we make these plans very quickly.

4. For Rosebud, that she is ready for the large amounts of travel and intense differences in all things  familiar to her.

5. For M, that he is ready for the large amounts of travel and intense differences in all things familiar to him ;)

There is so much more to pray for, so feel free to get creative.  Honestly, there is so much, there is plenty i haven't thought of.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYER, THOUGHTS, AND SUPPORT!  It has been a long two years, and you guys have made it survivable!

SPOILER ALERT: The hard part is yet to come.  We will need even more support upon our return.  I wanted to post this because in my church and friend group there are many adoptive families. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ THIS BLOG: so you can know how to support the adoptive families in your circles:
http://sammyneric.blogspot.com/2013/07/hungry-for-truth-telling.html?m=1

A Summer of Rejoicing!

God's Love is AMAZING.  His provisions are abundant and I cannot help but have a joyful heart as I praise him today for the many gifts he has given to my friends and family!(Quick side note.  This is how I write. Not how I talk. Real world Tara would be like "Man! God rocks.  This is crazy awesome.  I can't believe this".  Just thought those of you who don't know me should know I do not write the way I speak)

Below is a prayer request from one of my January 2013 posts.  I wanted to update everyone on God's amazing answer to these prayers!!!! These families were in their adoption journey, and we joined with them in prayer for patience and endurance while they waited for their children.  Since May, this is how prayers have been answered:

1.  M & L in Missouri- BABY GIRL!
2. J  & J in Oklahoma- LITTLE GIRL AND BABY BOY!
3. K & S in Oklahoma- BABY GIRL!
4. The other Lesotho program adopting families: US, Canada, and the Netherlands.  - OUR FAMILY AND THE OTHER US FAM WE PRAY FOR HAVE BOTH HAD MATCHES!!! THE OTHER FAMILY HAS ALREADY PICKED UP THEIR LITTLE GIRL!

I know many families who fall under #4 continue to wait.  Please continue to lift them up.

As for us,  our documents have made it through court!  We are M's Parents :)  We are so thrilled.  I tear up every time I think about it.  We can't wait to go wrap our arms around him!!! All that is left is getting his birth certificate and passport.  Once our social worker has secured those, we will be headed to Lesotho. We are hoping to travel at the end of this month!

Hoping to see Maseru in real life soon :)

Prayer requests:

1. That the paperwork make its way swiftly back to our social worker.
2. That the Lord travels before us, making our journey blessed and without major incident.
3. For me.  I'm naturally an anxious gal.  I'm going to need some peace.  For Rosebud, she is naturally a momma's girl. She is going to need some understanding.  For Michael. He has to take care of me. He is going to need wisdom ;) And for my sister Caitlin.  She is going as Rosebud's nanny.  She is going to need a good mix of everything the Holy Spirit can gift her with :)
4. FOR M!  For the BIG CHANGE coming up in his life.  For his heart to be open to his new family.  For the time he will have with me in the early months of his time here to attach, bond, and settle into a whole new continent, family, routine, etc.

Thank you for joining me in this joy and praise!  and for lifting our fam and son up in prayer!

Breaking News...

I am going to attempt to keep this brief :) I just want to say, this step reads like a minor one, but I can assure you, it felt like it would never get here!  And here it finally is!!!  Our attorney in Lesotho has mailed us our official petition.  The legal documents have been signed and notarized and sent back to Africa.

Here is what is to follow...

1. A court date is set and occurs in which we are issued a new birth certificate for M.
2. We go get him!

There are more boring details, but that is the just of it. I can't tell you how much your prayers have meant to me, and how much they will continue to mean to our family as we wait for these last two steps... court and travel.  Please pray with us for no more snags, and smooth processes from here on out!!!  There are about a TON of things running through my mind that I need to do before we get to step 2.  I can't tell you how excited we are to finally be here.

Feeling so blessed and excited!

Tara G

Oh and because it was Father's Day, here is an adorable pic if my sweet husband and Rosebud.

Log Jams

This whole adoption process has been full of log jams.

I have been a little ridiculous about how I manage these stalls in the process. I have been observing my peers who are also adopting, paying closer attention to the women than to men. And I am just amazed at how much women can endure. These women manage with grace and faith. 

Not me. I throw fits like a child. I insist that my husband provide me with extra affection and care. I complain to my mother and sister regularly, and when people ask me how things are going, I tell the truth. My kid lives in Africa and has been waiting for five months. And for five months we have been told to make ourselves ready to meet him the next month. It's crummy.

And I guess the only reason I am writing this post is to say, if you feel like throwing fits, and crying and complaining, just know that there is a woman out there actually doing it. I can tell you it probably won't make you feel better, but it can be exhausting keeping it all together. I've had to ask The Lord repeatedly to take my (slightly melodramatic) despair, and keep me from indulging in self-pity. After all, there are way worse things than waiting.

In talking (with bouts of whining) to God about my thoughts on log jams, he gave me the sense that I will never know the reason for our wait, but that if he can let His son die for me, I can let mine wait an extra month or two for His purpose/workings. That he has always and continues to have control of my life and that of my son. That he loves my son even more than me, and he loves me even more than I can understand.

As is true in many life experiences, just when you are ready to fully give way to being utterly bummed,  a sunbeam breaks through. This week, our log jam has let a small stream through. Our paperwork has made it to our attorney in Lesotho, and we hope soon the the small stream will give way to a swifter faster current. Praying that we travel in a miraculously short amount of time.

So here is my admiration to those of you who have endured longer, endured more, or endured more gracefully! I am in awe! And my praise to my King, for sending sweet messages of encouragement from family and friends, and for loving my family in ways I can't fathom.

As always, thanks for checking in :)

Tara G

PS-thanks for reading this babel.  This felt more like a therapeutic outlet for me than a blog post.  I appreciate you indulging me in this :)

Fingerprinting and other not so interesting news with a bonus prayer request

We headed back to the Department of Homeland Security in OKC yesterday to get our second set of fingerprints. The first time, I got a long lecture from the technician because my hands were too dry to get a good read. I prepped this time with lots of lotion and by sending moisturizing thoughts toward my finger tips. It didn't work. I had three fingers fail. But, no lecture this time. My husband on the other hand, passed with flying colors. I told the technician that if I were Scarlet O'Hara, Rhett Butler would have figured me out and also rejected me. It's strangely embarrassing to be told you have really dry hands lol.

In other news, Rosebud is juggling major philosophical and spiritual concerns, like, if Jesus is in my heart, did he go through my throat? Is it dark down there?  She also asks excitedly multiple times a week of this is the day we get to go get M. I'm glad she is excited about being a big sister, and wish I could tell her yes :)

As for the adoption, we got a brief update. The upside, our paperwork had reached the highest level that it needs to. On the down side, there are some corrections that need to be made? And hopefully those can be made with minimal effort and time, then it can continue on the course that is required.

If you feel so inclined to join us in prayer, here is what we are praying:

For miracle speed in processing this paperwork! That the signatures are quickly attained, sent to our attorney, given to us, notarized and received back in Lesotho with lightening speed! That a court date is miraculously being held for us, so that our attorney can get our M adopted and we can plan for a trip in July. This would be a miracle! But we believe in a God who still performs daily miracles, and who loves an blessed his children :). 

Thank you all for your prayers! And for being here in this journey with us.