One More Down .... One To Go

On Wednesday at 3 am I got an email from Guangzhou China telling us our Article 5 had been issued. The Chinese Consulate needed to review Ellie's visa application, make sure it met the qualifications for immigrant visa and then it was signed off on in order to complete her adoption.  Did I really just type that .... complete her adoption.  I just can't even believe we are almost to our sweet girl.  Our Article 5 will be delivered to the CCCWA for Travel Approval (TA)!  After our Travel Approval is in our hand we can start booking or trip to our baby girl.  Right now Travel Approvals are taking 2-3 weeks to come in.

Last Sunday we had an amazing church service that met me right where I was at.  The series at our church right now is "Hostage" ... What things in life take us hostage.  Last week it was on worry.  Our pastor talked about how we fill ourselves with worry at times to the point of overflowing.  We say we trust God but in the next breath take it all back by worrying or take matter into our own hands .  We worry instead of trust and in the process we are making ourselves bigger and God smaller.

Our pastor stated, "There are things that God wants you to do ... things he has set aside just for you. But so many of us can't do them.  We can't put them in our "Me"box, because it is already full to overflow with worry.  Christ tells us not worry about everyday life, but to focus on what's eternal, but so many of us do just the opposite; we fail to ever focus on the eternal, because we are too busy worrying about today. So what do you want to fill your life with? More of God? His will, His call, His blessings, His promises. "

  This hit me square in the eyes this week and on this journey of adoption.  There is so much I want to try to control, so much that is out of my hands. The list is endless of the things I can let myself worry about .... is Ellie being loved, is she healthy, how is her care, are her nannies gentle and loving, how is her little heart, when will we get to her, how are all the details going to fall into place for travel, is it going to be a good time for Eric to leave for 16 days, all the details of the kid's lives while we are gone, how are the kids going to do .. especially Max or how are my parents going to fare for that matter.  This is just one tiny piece of my life that I need to let go of and trust.  Daily I need to wrap all those things I am tempted to worry about up and lay them at his feet.  I love the "Me" box that is sitting on my table that I see everyday ... daily it is a reminder to me that I want more ... I want to fill my "Me" box with more of him and what he has for me and less of me, less worry, less of the things of this world.  God continues to stretch me and reveal himself to me on our journey to Ellie! I feel like I have a new perspective this week ... this journey isn't mine ... it was his from the beginning ... I am just along for the ride.