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| 9/9/2007
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Yes, we are in prayer mode for Joshua, his foster family, and Guatemala as a whole. I have to admit, I really felt like we would get preapproval today. I almost felt confident about it. (For whatever reason, it tends to come more on the weekends than during the week these days.) And some people who had DNA done at the same time we did have gotten it. But for whatever reason, it is not our time. And it could still be a while. But we will not be entering PGN (yes, the dreaded place...) without it. :( So we pray. (And we continue to pray but we do know that it will not happen tomorrow either...apparently the day after an election is a holiday in Guatemala! No word on elections today in Guatemala yet. I really don't know the people running so I won't know what results are "good". The president will more than likely be a run-off, but it is actually the Congress members who influence adoption (though the current president has tried many times). And I don't know much about those running. Again, I just pray. Someone actually signed the guestbook tonight! I am so glad to know it is working. :) As for us, we had a good day of worship then enjoyed lunch with my parents and my dad's cousin and his family. It was a very nice afternoon. Maria has actually been pretty delightful. Oh, yes, she still has a breakdown or two...her frustration level with ANYTHING is about zilch. But evenings have been SO much better and enjoyable for all of us! We are praising God for that! Reba |
| 9/8/2007
Not much room to write today, but I just wanted to stop in and say hello. I have to give a praise...last night for the first time in a VERY long time, Maria did not have a temper tantrum before bed. She was quite pleased with herself. I don't know if that will happen again, but we take the gifts God gives, no matter how small. Our big prayer request right now is for preapproval from the US Embassy to adopt Joshua. I have seen some others with timelines similar to ours getting theirs, so either a) we are close or b) there is a problem with ours. After this step, if there are no issues with the adoption system in Guatemala, we will enter PGN. Please pray for our attorney, for Joshua's foster family, for the Embassy and PGN, and for us while we wait. Thank you! |
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| If you return to the Main Page, we hope that you will sign our guestbook. We hope to share the encouragement and kind words with Maria someday. |
| PRAISE the LORD!
9/10/2007 Psalm 9:1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. This morning, just as the school day was starting, I noticed that I had an e-mail alert on my phone from my agency...I could see the title...we received pre-approval for Joshua from the US Embassy this morning! I had hoped and hoped for it over the weekend, but it hadn't come. Then today I wasn't really expecting it (though always hoping) and there it was! I thought they were closed today, but apparently someone was working. We are so very thankful for this blessing. Hopefully soon we will moving into PGN. If you were with us through Maria's adoption, you remember PGN...it is where they look over our paperwork with a fine tooth comb. It is the last major stage before the adoption is finalized. Unfortunately, it is the most unpredictable. It can take 8 weeks or 8 months. You just never know. So our next big prayer request is that we will get just the right PGN reviewer for our case and that our case will move to approval in GOD'S timing (and that we will accept that timing :). I also have another prayer request, though this is minor in comparison. Joshua's foster mom could use a stroller. Joshua is getting pretty heavy, and she also takes care of another child. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to get around. I don't think she needs anything fancy, just a good stroller. However, Guatemala is not like the US where we can just buy one on-line then have it shipped. (If we had been thinking, we would have taken one to her when we went) But our attorney is really busy right now and probably cannot buy one even if we send the money. So we are trying to figure out our options. We hate to ask anyone to take one or buy one there for us; it is a lot of trouble. We have considered seeing if the Marriott where we stayed can get one, let us pay them, and then have her pick it up...I just don't know if that will work. Please pray that we will figure it out. Have a great evening! Reba |
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| 9/11/2007
Yes, I remember...I was in the classroom teaching when my teaching partner, this big teddy bear of a guy, came to my door and told me the news. It seemed so unreal. Lauren was a baby, barely four months old. We had just gone to a football game the night before...the weather was so pleasant and life felt...peaceful and complete. I had someone watch my class for a minute when I walked into the lounge. The t.v. was on and I just stared in disbelief. Life was not the same. Suddenly it felt very unsafe...I was suspicious of anyone. Nothing felt right yet. I called out to God, just begging Him to show Himself, but instead, I felt so alone. Then I had to dry my tears and walk back into that classroom and teach. I couldn't tell the students...didn't feel like it was my place. And why should any five year old have to think that the world they live in is not the world they thought it was? As soon as I could, I got over to my mother's house to pick up the kids, and just held them in my arms. My job is to protect them, but I couldn't protect them from what happened that day and what changed in our world forever... I still can't. All I can do is call upon the Lord and pray for their protection. No, I have not forgotten...I doubt I ever will. |
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| Missing Joshua |
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