Hello All! It's been quite some time since my last post...and we've experienced a few changes! Over the last few months we packed up and moved from Cincinnati OH to Alexandria VA, where Justin is now working at Coast Guard Headquarters in DC. We celebrated Boone's third birthday, started homeschooling, hosted family and friends in our new home, found a church, enjoy exploring our new city, and are generally settling in nicely.

I had secured a new adoption agency to work with in Virginia prior to moving, so we were able to hit the ground running and begin the update of our Ohio Home Study to a Virginia approved one. It's strange to think that this is the house that we will be bringing new children into. Sometimes I find myself imagining what the couch or dinner table will look like with 3 or 4 instead of just our 2, and I pray for their little hearts while we wait. Thankfully, by the grace of God, our update was much, much less involved and expensive as we were originally told. Now we just wait for our new VA background checks to clear so we can re-apply with US Customs and Immigration for an updated approval letter.

Our completed dossier was sent (with our OH home study) to the Philippines in June, and we received a letter from the Philippine InterCountry Adoption Board via our international agency that it has been processed, approved, and we are officially in the "matching" eligible stack of families!

So, the waiting game begins again. Typically, from the time of Philippine ICAB approval of a dossier, it can take 12-18 months for them to match, or refer, a healthy child(ren) to a family. We are hoping that the time may be slightly less for us since we are open to 2 children and to some special needs. But we are trusting that God's timing is perfect, be it 6 months or 16 months. Also, we will still be receiving notifications of any children on the Waiting Child list who fit our family's profile. These children are immediately available for matching due to more significant special needs.

Whichever route a child, or more, comes to our family, we are fully trusting God's sovereign hand to be the guiding force and final authority in the outcome. Each step, we have marveled at his timely provision, the unfurling of confusing details into simple, manageable steps, and the generosity of our loving people.

Next on the horizon, much continued prayer:
*Prayer for the remaining finances to be provided, be it through fundraising, donations, grants, etc.                We have quite a chunk left to go, and are thankful for the generosity expressed towards us thus far.

*Prayer for whomever is going to be joining our family- for their continued protection physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. That they would be gently prepared to leave all they know, that their wounded hearts will be able to receive love. That the peace of the Holy Spirit would be present with them even now. The gripping reality of the deep, devastating brokenness that must exist for adoption to even be necessary is heart wrenching and often brings me to weeping. I believe a Godly sorrow for the orphaned can be purposeful when tempered with prayer. While the act of bringing more children into our home is exciting and  joyful, I don't want the sorrow, loss and grief that must accompany it to be minimized or brushed over. I personally would appreciate prayers as this is a constant, weighty presence.

*Prayer for us that God would continue to transform our family, grow us in generosity, patience, perseverance and gentleness with one another, and increase our capacity for unconditional love.

I'll be posting again soon in regards to how you can specifically join in supporting us. We have some fun things on the horizon, including an Online Art Auction and sponsored bike laps around the National Mall in DC!

As always, you can continue to use the amazon link in the above right hand corner (click on the yellow word "amazon" on the bottom of the widget box) and we get a small percentage at no cost to you. Convenient for all that holiday shopping!

Joyfully,
Stephanie