D.E.L.A.Y.E.D...

I owe everyone an update to our adoption story. This has been the most emotional roller coaster of a ride.  As of my last update, we were waiting on our last document to finish out our packet for final submission. The stressor was the deadline of July 14^th in which the U.S. was changing its rules for international adoption. We needed to get our approval before July 14^th or we would face possibly having to start all over with a new homestudy. Thankfully we got our approval in the mail with about 2 weeks to spare.

            As fast as I could, we got the document notarized, certified, and apostilled, found a family traveling to the country to hand carry it for us, and overnighted (in Hawaii, the best you can get is 2^nd day) it to them. All of our documents are currently sitting over in little Koen’s country just waiting to be submitted to the court.

            You want to know why God is so cool? Because the country that Koen is in is currently taking a 2-week holiday and not accepting new dossier submissions. Why would that be so cool knowing that this is a delay in our process? Because I just got an email today saying that Koen’s birthday was wrong and that he actually doesn’t turn 5 until November! (He is not available for international adoption until his 5^th birthday.) If we hadn’t had this delay, our paperwork would’ve been submitted and we would not be able to adopt Koen as he would not have been available!!! Can I get an AMEN??!?!?!

            So where does this leave us? Basically, we’re waiting. Our awesome facilitation team will hold our paperwork until just before it is set to expire and then try to time it for us to get our initial court date (referred to as DAP) when Koen turns five or just after.

            It is hard knowing that this little boy is going to have to wait just a little bit longer before we can go get him, but in the mean time, we’re going to move to California, find a house, get moved in and be READY for this little boy to come home and join our family! We were trusting that God would provide the timing.  Our move in Aug/Sept and not having a house identified yet is unnerving enough, but not knowing when I would be traveling to get Koen and if it would be exactly when Paki started school, house hold goods were showing up, and with three munchkins underfoot, it was something we didn’t even want to think about.  And then the trumpet sounded (in my head) and God said, “I’ve got this, trust in me.” This delay, as frustrating as it is (and as freaked out as I was that my paperwork was going to expire before we could travel), is all part of God’s plan and by His gentle kindnesses, we will have a home ready for Koen.

            As always, please keep us in your prayers. Thank you!