Our dossier was submitted to Colombia since my last post. The submittal date was June 4th. So we have officially arrived at the part of the adoption process where the agonizing waiting begins. We are trying to keep busy with other things. No shortage of those anyway! We are doing fundraising including yard sales, bracelet sales, Thirty-One bag sales. I will sell anything at this point! So thankful for the amazing turnout for the yard sale. We had over $5,000 in sales. Beyond blessed.
Dakota and I worked at the VBS our church, Willowbrook Baptist, hosted. Gavin and Reese both attended. This was Reese's first year. They are still happily singing the songs from their week.
We also had some vacation time with the kids as the agency really recommends filling up the kiddos love tanks during this interim period. It was a much appreciated 5 days of relaxation. Or maybe 3 days when you deduct the 2 travel days that were NOT relaxing :) But, overall, a good trip.
This week I'm catching up on paperwork that I never manage to get done during the school year. Taxes (you heard me right), filing, prepping curriculum for the new school year. Maybe I can squeeze in some freezer meal prep?? Spend the night parties, pool time at Nannie's and closet clean out. It is a mad dash of activity before we start back to school on July 8th. Yes, July 8th. Since we will be gone for possibly two months to Colombia, we must make up some of that time by doing school in July and August. Too hot for much else anyway.
Adoption Update:
The day after we submitted our letter of intent for Little One, we were presented with the full integral report on her. We are still waiting on an updated medical, but this did provide us with much more information than we had originally received. Except, it was in Spanish. Then we found out, we would be responsible for having those 75 pages worth of documents translated into English to submit to USCIS. So what do I do when I need help? I send out a panicked Facebook plea!
A friend of mine, Wendy Johnson, mentioned she has a Colombian friend who lives RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM ME!!! What? So began a sweet friendship with Diana Prue who, although busy with 3 children under 6 and approaching her 3rd trimester of her fourth pregnancy, gladly jumped in to assist me with the translation. Not only that, but she has worked at the yard sale, hosted our family in her home for an amazing Colombian meal and volunteered to work with Dakota on Spanish lessons. And just when I was already feeling overwhelmed by the Lord's provision, it got better! At the yard sale, Diana met Brant for the first time. When she got home that evening, she sent me this message:
I was thinking I've seen your husband before, and then I told my husband that I thought he was a fireman from what you said in your blog, and then it hit me! I met your husband before!!!! We took a tour of the fire dept in spring 2012... he was so nice to the kids!!! I even sent a thank you card with a picture!!!!
Here are those pictures.
God was working all this out a very long time ago. Colombian adoption is exactly where we are supposed to be. Every time I feel uncertain, He sends me exactly what I need. Whether a scripture, words of encouragement from a friend or confirmation in strange ways like this.
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written
in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16
Continue to pray for us as we wait to hear back from ICBF and as we continue our fundraising efforts. As always, we love you all!!!
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