Hoping, Hoping, Hoping

     Well, the celebration of the Chinese New Year should be over for those who work on the last step of this part of the journey. Had the CNY not closed many things down in China, our Article 5 (American Consulate's OK with Maggie's Visa) would have been picked up on Wed. Jan. 25th. We are now hoping that it is picked up tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 29th.
     We are still praying that we can leave Thursday, Feb. 16th. Begging for no later than Thursday, Feb. 23rd. Either way, that is less than 27 days away!!
     Maggie is now packed. Our suitcases are filled with everything but clothes. The will is being updated, 2011 taxes are being turned in this week, bills are being set to "auto pay", I could go on and on but you are probably bored already! Ha!
     This Thursday is a big day. In the afternoon we have a couple people coming to our house from Forest Hill to get our journey on video. And then at night my friends from Forest Hill Playschool are throwing me a shower! What an enormous blessing!

     These pics are of Maggie celebrating the Chinese New Year with her friends in the orphanage!

"What are you giving me woman?"

(Maggie is sitting to the right of the woman in blue)

I LOVE this one...she is the one crying.

Matt & I wonder if she is bothered by the singing.

Natalie thinks she is being squished.

Jaydn thinks they won't let her have cake. 

You have to love the outfit. Cute polka-dot coat, camo pants.

     I often tell my friend Jaclyn, "I am not good at this waiting stuff." My God hears me say that a ton. I'm not sure what I would be like without Jesus' sweet spirit. 

Strength in the W-A-I-T

     Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. The words of that song (Everlasting God) fill my mind and heart at this point of the journey. They remind me that my God is not anxious like I am; He holds my strength. And that is something I am grateful for as I sift through the frustrations of waiting.  
     We are on the 2nd to LAST step before travel! Our "Article 5" (the American consulate's OK of Maggie's visa) will be picked up next week, in China, and forwarded to the travel group we will work with while in China. Once our paperwork is with that group we will find out when we can travel. However, that can take up to 4 wks! 
     Next week is Chinese New Year so everything shuts down in China. So, there is that delay as well. HOWEVER, strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord's timing. I just have to continually ask God to remind my heart that He is not phased or moved by the CNY.

     We received these pics last week! Isn't she gorgeous? She will be 22mo tomorrow, the 20th! Every time I go down the baking isle at a grocery I think of making her a cake for her 2nd birthday on March 20th! I am so excited!

     I have been praying for her heart a lot lately. She has no idea we are coming to take her from all she has known. I have been praying comfort over her; that she would find comfort with Matt & I...and her giggle. I can't wait to hear her giggle! 

     We are praying to be able to leave Thursday, Feb. 16th. Our China rep doesn't think that will happen. I'm still praying it; sometimes begging. My good friend Breeanne said, "welcome to the 3rd trimester!" She is so right! You get to the 3rd trimester and are done. That's where both Matt and I are. Stick a fork in us...we are done with the waiting. Bring on the strength Jesus! Bring on your Maggie, that YOU have given to our hearts and family!

Different day, different me.

     For those who read my post yesterday, today my heart is in a better place. I still would like to get Maggie today, but I don't feel like 'gotcha-day" is so far off.
     I often tell God that I would love to see how it is that He changes a heart and/or a mind-set. Does he reach down and touch a person? Does he just speak and it happens?
     In my devos this morning I read through Psalm 46. Verse 6b says "he lifts his voice, the earth melts." What a great thing to ponder...the power He has to give to me through His spirit. Sign me up!!

It's the last hour...

     You know when you have been on a trip and are returning home, how the last hour always seems to take the longest? Well, that is where the state of my heart is today; in that last hour. We are on the last leg of this adoption journey for Maggie, and my days are absolutely dragging.
     Matt says it is flying for him b/c he has so much to do before hand. But, me? I feel like time is standing still. And, not knowing the exact day that we get to fly out is killing me.
     Pray for Godspeed people, pray for Godspeed. Please and thank you.

We should get her mid February!!

     Nothing is set yet, but if we are figuring the process correctly, we should be heading to China to get our sweet Maggie Mei the third week of February!!!
     I was still feeling like that is so far away, and Matt said, "Shari, that is only 6 1/2 weeks away!!! Six weeks!!!" Whohoo!!!
     Would love prayers for Natalie and Jaydn during this time. Natalie told me the other day that she is not feeling real good about Matt & I leaving. She wants us to get Maggie, but she is unsettled about us being gone for two weeks. Matt's mom will be staying with them while we are gone, so that is a HUGE blessing! But, our sweet girl is an internal thinker and will need to sense our God in a very real way. Jaydn will just run with it, but you can pray for him too!

LOA baby!!!!

     Last night I e-mailed our China rep to ask about giving her the address of where we will be for Christmas break, in case we got our LOA (Letter of Acceptance). That way I could send out all of our paperwork in Indiana, and not have to wait until we came back to Charlotte.
    SO, I was extremely happy when I received the reply this A.M. telling me that our LOA was given on Tuesday and we would have it in our hands tomorrow!!!!
     Can we say "PERFECT TIMING?" I will be able to make all my copies and send out all the paperwork tomorrow and head on to Indiana on Monday without any worries!!!

I think I danced more "happy dances" today than I ever have in my life. : )

The SURE things

     Back in November I wrote about how I felt like the Lord told me "you won't be there [Fort Wayne, IN] for Christmas." And how some days I felt such an urgency to pray for December.    
      Well, this past month has really been a mental struggle for my faith as a result of these feelings. Let me clarify - I am not struggling over whether I believe God to be real or not. I am convinced that He is real. I have been struggling over what faith truly entails.
     When the Lord told me I would "have a Maggie someday" I had to act on that. And look what happened! So, when I hear what I believe to be the same voice, I am stuck with the question of how to believe.  If I assume the voice was speaking of picking Maggie up in December, and that doesn't happen, was my faith too weak? Or did I not hear correctly? Or was God not talking about China? Does God take things away b/c our faith is limited? Because we can only imagine from what we know?
     I told Matt I am mentally tired of the struggle in my mind over December. Trying to figure out what I heard. Did I hear right? What if I'm wrong and basing hope on a time instead of God, the author of this crazy journey.
     Shame. That is what I have felt each time someone says they are praying in faith that we will get her in December. I feel ashamed because it is December 10 and we don't even have LOA yet (China's approval). After we get our LOA we still have to finish up more paperwork. So I don't know how on earth we would be there in December.
     There are a few things I am sure of...
1) When I do my daily devotions in the morning, I sacrifice my thoughts to Jesus. Good, bad, ugly, doesn't matter. When I lay them down and confess that I don't WANT to figure it out, I just want to leave it, I am filled with PEACE.
2) I am filled with JOY when I just prepare for our trip to China. (I have Maggie's suitcase almost fully packed. YAY!)
3) Our "Gotcha day" will be the exact day that God has authored. His timing is perfect. Never early; never late.
    Psalm 42:4-6 "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will YET praise him, my Savior and my God."  


These pictures are of our Maggie Mei at 20months!!