We have our appointment date!

Sasha texted me at 2AM to congratulate me on our appointment date; unfortunately my phone was turned off so I did not receive the message until 7AM; but what wonderful news to wake up to!!! We started trying to call Gabrielle but did not get through for several hours. I just hung up the phone after talking with her and wish I could have recorded the screams of delight and excitement when we told her we were coming in 2 weeks! She said it had been rainy at camp and she was in a bad mood but now all that has changed! You could hear the beautiful smile on her face!

I am so pleased that the SDA in Ukraine is now processing dossiers for older children very quickly. We recieved our I797 on July 9th; our dossier was submitted on July 16th; we received our invitation to travel on July 21st and we will have our appointment on August 5th. I praise God for these changes in how they are doing things. I also praise God for my facilitator, Sasha. He has advised me all along in getting my papers error-free so there would be no delays and patiently endured my questions and worries. He reminded me today of how all the details are being orchestrated by God, even the trials and troubles we face along the way. It is all for a purpose, he said.

I am also thankful for my husband, Gabe, who has such a heart for orphans and who has so willingly obeyed God's call in caring for them. I praise God for his willingness to open his heart and embrace each of these children whom God has given us. It is such a precious time as we contemplate and discuss Gabrielle's anticipated arrival.

May God continue to be magnified in our words and in our deeds through the coming weeks. Pray for us as we decide which children will be traveling with us and how to handle the situations of those who do not.

Summer Fun

Dossier is Submitted

We started updating our homestudy in March. Here it is only July and our dossier has been submitted to the SDA in Ukraine. Everyone is so looking forward to going over there again. Even my oldest, Colton, is thinking he can go over there and get back before college classes resume. He and Alexandra both would just as well go on over there now and be waiting for us when we arrive!

We have decided on a name for our daughter-to-be. So from here on out, she shall be called Gabrielle, which means God is my Strength. Isaiah 12:2 says: Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. God has certainly been our strength; in our marriage, in our parenting, in the daily trials of life. And He has been Gabrielle's strength all these years as she has faced life without a parent to guide her. It is my prayer that He shall become her salvation, as He has become ours.

I pray that we will hear of our date soon and that we will travel soon. And yet I rest in the sovereign will of God, knowing that His timing is perfect. May Gabrielle be reminded, even as she ponders her new name, to trust and not be afraid. May she grow strong in her faith as she waits; and, as always, may God be glorified.

A new daughter, a new blog

In 2008 we adopted 2 boys, ages 11 and 16, from Ukraine. You can read all about that adventure at www.bringingourboyshome.blogspot.com. We hope to go back to Ukraine soon to adopt a 15 year old girl we met two years ago. I wanted to continue with that blog instead of starting a new one but I am not sophisticated enough to change the web address and I did not think our new daughter would appreciate the previous title. So I embark today on a new blog with a new title that can extend way into the future, no matter what it may hold. For each day in our lives is truly an adventure. We trust in the one true God to provide the adventure and to see us through it. It comes with trials, triumphs, tears, and laughter. Some days we flail about as if without an anchor. And then we realize our Anchor still holds firm and all the flailing has been for naught. Thank you for joining us on our adventure. May we bring glory to our Anchor in all we say and do.