Most of you know me well enough to know that I HAVE NEVER RUN A MARATHON. So it begs the question . . . Is the last mile of a marathon the longest and the hardest of all? I don't know.
I never will =)!
However, I can assure you that for our family,in this adoption marathon,
the last mile has been the longest and the hardest.
These last two months have been so unpredictable. . . unbelievable actually.
Shocking and disappointing.
Surprising and Amazing.
Followed by more shocking and disappointing.
If I spoke with you in person this summer, You probably heard the words, "Alyvia should almost certainly be home by the end of August. I can't believe she won't be."
While I spoke often of having her home before her birthday on September 19th,
In my heart, I REALLY THOUGHT she'd be home in August.
With Emigration Permit in hand, July was a month to sit and wait. Our Korean SW was on vacation at the beginning of the month and the last half of July our Korean agency actually moved locations-- so
no news
no progress
in July.
August is when it all went south so to speak. First (as elaborated on in my last post),
our I600 was lost . . . missing. When Alyvia's paperwork was headed to the Embassy for her VI at the beginning of August, A critical piece of paperwork was missing . . .
Then, middle of August, without a visa b/c of lost paperwork,
our Home Study expired and needed to be updated.
Cough up the cash
Clean the House
Get it Done
or your baby can't come home.
And since last we "spoke", at the end of August,
Alyvia's I600 was found~
GOOD NEWS!
Alyvia was scheduled for her Visa Interview on Monday, August 27th~
Really GOOD NEWS!
When she got to her interview, the US embassy decided they wanted more paperwork from us, hard-copies . . . originals . . . on the ground . . . in Korea~
BAD NEWS!
Following the "request for more info" came news from our agency in Korea
"TRAVEL WILL BE DELAYED"~
Really BAD NEWS.
So on Tuesday, this past week, we cranked out over 20, new, fresh pieces of paperwork for the US Embassy in Seoul. We overnighted them to our Agency in Oregon (Hello Fed ex, Bye Bye $50)who turned them around on Wednesday and sent them overnight to Korea--
which takes about 3 business days.
We are praying for our paperwork to arrive in Korea on Monday,
For our agency's visa worker to take them to the embassy on Tuesday and
For the embassy to process this new paperwork and approve Alyvia's visa on Tuesday.
We do need favor with the embassy workers.
While not legally necessary, they could ask us for more paperwork which would delay us at the very least another week. So, prayerfully, the Embassy workers will see our new paperwork and approve it and approve Lyv's visa super, duper fast.
Please, pray with us to this end.
Because after Alyvia's visa is approved, our agency will call and we can go bring our girl home.
At the beginning of this post I used the word unpredictable--this is not how international adoption journies in the Korea program usually end. Once you have your Emigration Permit (the golden ticket), it is usually smooth sailing to your Travel Call.
No one would predict 3 DELAYS AFTER EP.
That would be crazy. . . unbelievable.
When the unpredictable and unbelievable happens to you even repeatedly what do you do?
Where to do you run?
Who do you trust?
If you know me at all, you know this post if void (to this point) of any mention of God--
He cannot be and will not be left out of this post.
Because without Him there is no post.
There is no Paperwork.
There is no Adoption.
There is no Family.
Because He is . . . this is.
I love my parents. Truly and completely. They taught my 4 sisters and me so very many things that have carried us well through lives that at times have been less than simple.
The greatest gift my parents gave me/us was the knowledge of the God of the Bible-
Who He is
What He has done
What He is doing
And What He will do
With the knowledge of the One, True God comes confidence. And this confidence is what carries me through unpredictible and unbelievable times in my life.
This confidence is not in myself. Ha!
I fail daily, sometimes hourly.
This confidence is in GOD.
It is an active Trust that I have in Him.
I believe His Word when He says
I love you
I know what is best for you
I will meet your needs
I will NEVER LEAVE YOU
I Am in control
Nothing happens in your life that I did not ordain for your
Good/Christ-likeness
Nothing happens in your life that I did not ordain for My glory
Does that mean that when I600's are lost
and Home studies expire
and I864's must be updated AFTER THE VI
That the God of the Bible is all over it . . .
That He not only allowed it through His loving hand
BUT That He purposely intended it
For my Christlikeness
And for His glory??
YES,
It does
!!!!
And I trust Him.
There have been plenty times this past month, where I was EXTREMELY
(read super major and completely) frustrated with the people who have lost, not noticed what needed done and not prioritized Lyv's paperwork. I even fussed a bit more about it than I wish I had.
BUT Most of the time, that confidence (that God built deep in me through my growing up years and that He continues to develop in me tonight), that trust kept my heart peaceful.
Waiting . . . believing
that EVEN these unpredictable delays would eventually work out for God's glory
and for my Good/Christlikeness.
In moments of fear and frustration, when I run to the Word and cling to the Rock,
the peace does come.
One of my favorite Bible verses in recent years comes from the book of Isaiah
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You
all whose thoughts are fixed on You. Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is The eternal Rock.
Isaiah 26:3-4
Okay, one hour later . . .
Just trying to paint the whole picture--The whole truth is that while Lyv's stuff was lost and expired and needing redone, God was in it. He loves her and us and He is walking with us through this holding us up, meeting our needs and when we are done with this, we will look more like Him, He will get more Glory and our beautiful orphaned-no-more daughter will have a forever family where she will never lack love or a place to belong again.
So pray for us, will you pray for the Embassy to prioritize Lyv's Visa on Tuesday.
Pray for Lyv's last few weeks with her foster family whom she loves very much.
Pray for us that we would wait graciously and patiently that we would learn what we need to in order to best reflect the image of Jesus Christ and bring Him the most glory.
Noah is desperate for my help outside so . . . TTFN
no final edit -- risky
and TGBTG
We remain as always,
Simply grateful for God's continued grace in our lives. . .
we're gonna start week 6 of the 9 weeks to travel for Lyv and her 79 friends.
