He is able.

We are waiting for our dossier documents to get authenticated and certified.  It has been almost 2 weeks so they should get back some time next week.  And, then my friends, our dossier will go to China.  DTC (dossier to China) is the next BIG step for us!!  Once that happens, China takes about 3 weeks to give us a log-in date and then we will be able to get a referral.

During this 2 weeks of waiting, we have been working on our "child desired form."  This is where we look over a list of special needs and say "yes" we would accept a child with this need or "no" we couldn't accept a child with that need.  Ouch, this is hard!  It is difficult to have to say no when you know that eliminates certain children.... and it is difficult to say yes because you know you are possibly opening up your life to all that that certain need requires.  Our stomachs were in knots as we read over the list, looked up what different medical terms mean, and read as much as we could about the different needs.

In the end, though, the Lord has given us peace with how we filled out our form.  We were honest about our limitations, but open to what God may have in store that will stretch us.  I get excited happy butterflies in my stomach about the day we will get our referral.

I'm reading Orphanology by Tony Merida (who we have met!! ate dinner with him once) and Rick Morton right now and am just cut to my core about orphan care and adoption.  I may write more about this later, but I just wanted to mention and recommend this book.  Earthly (horizontal) adoption is something that has always tugged at my heart strings because of how it points to our spiritual (vertical) adoption - similar to how the love in marriage points to Christ's love for his church.  But the more that I read earthly adoption stories, the more I am just undone (in a good way!!) by how God works through adoption to bring His children to Himself.

I've also been thinking about how the boys room will be set up.  I couldn't resist getting this painting made to put up in there.  I love it.  We kept a little boy this week who is one and it was so fun to see Daniel take on the "big brother" role with him while he was at our house.  And, Daniel loves his sisters.  In the mornings or after nap time, before he sees them, he will say "where de girls, mommy?" or he will call "siiiiiiiiiters, where arrrrrre you?"  I pray that God would knit the hearts of my four kids together in a special way - that being a brother would be a higher title than superhero and that being a sister would be a better title than princess - the Disney/fancy clothes/castle type of princess.  In fact they ARE princesses in that they are daughters of The King and that is better than anything, including earthly family!  But you get my drift. I want them to point each other to Jesus in loving sweet ways.  Just to keep it real here - you should know that my kids fight, push each other, hit each other, call each other names, and even worse things.  They are a mess!!  I pray that God will knit their hearts together because I know I can't make that happen and I know they won't do it on their own. It would have to be God at work, friends!!  He alone is able.... but He is definitely able!