Our adoption

We have created this blog to keep our friends and family updated about our adoption. We have wanted to adopt for years. We didn't know when this might occur or where from. In February we felt a very strong leading to adopt now and from a country that I had never expected... Rwanda! Before February we didn't even know it was possible to adopt from Rwanda. At some point I will relate the whole story of how all of this fell into place. Long story short, we are adopting a baby girl! She will likely be 18 months or younger at the time of her referal.
All of our adoption paperwork arrived in Rwanda on 7/17/09. We have been waiting for approval from the minstry of gender and family promotion in Rwanda. Things seemed to be slowing down more and more and I was discouraged because it looked like the soonest we might travel would be May. Then yesterday we were thrilled to receive the email we've been waiting for saying that we are approved. We were at Greg's uncles house in Tennesee. I asked Greg to check our email even though it was Saturday and unlikely to be anything there. I left the room and when I returned Greg had this silly smile on his face and motioned for me to come to the computer. I thought he had to be joking. I immediately had an adrenaline rush and was afraid that he was kidding. As soon as I saw it I started to shake and cry. I was so overcome with emotion. I was very relieved because we were concerned that the approval could still be a long way in coming. Also no one seemed to know exactly how Rwanda would react to us having a foster child the same age as the child we are requesting. Such a relief. I was so joyful and full of praise. I drove the whole way home on cloud nine, yet I still didn't know just how wonderful the news really was. When I got home and had a change to look at our "non-objection letter" more closely I realized that the approval was dated Oct. 21st! We have been approved for 5 1/2 weeks and didn't even know it! Apparently there were a lot of families that for some reason the ministry had failed to inform. This puts the process so far ahead of where we thought we were. We could be very close to getting our referal and seeing our daughter's face for the first time!
I guess this just goes to show how little control and knowledge we have in this process and that we must trust in God and His perfect wisdom and timing. Here I have been stressing over how long its taking and all the while we have been approved.
God is all knowing and He is in control, therefore I don't have to be. This is a lesson I must learn over and over again. I am praising Him today for this amazing Thanksgiving blessing.
As I learn more about this blogging thing I will give more details of the process and especially how wonderfully God has lead. Right now I can tell you that I know without a shadow of doubt that He has chosen one little girl for our family and us for her. She is ours completely, not born of my womb, but born of my heart, and a part of God's master plan!