They're Back!

Just a quick update. I received a call from that nice Fedex man today to let me know that my package was back. So I dropped everything and went to get them (of course). Everything is in order and appropriately authenticated...Yay! I almost had a heart attack when he handed me the package because it was only half the thickness of the one I sent, then I realized that they had kept the copies that I had to send with the originals...whew!

Also, we received our invitation to have the biometric fingerprinting done by USCIS (Immigration/Homeland Security). We go two weeks from today for that. Then, all we will do is wait for that final approval from USCIS which could come any time between now and the end of February. Yeah, I know, it's brutal.

So, thanks for your prayers for the documents to return safely. Another step is behind us!

Fedex Holds the Key to Everything

I just left the Fedex office. The man behind the counter was very kind and very helpful. That did not make it any easier to turn over the documents which represent 5 months of work and which contain every personal and financial detail about our family. Open that envelope and you will know how much money we have in the bank, whether Joel has a criminal record (he doesn't, by the way) and what my cholesterol level is. I have carried those documents everywhere this summer, mission trips and all. And now, I've had to give them up to the nice man at Pak Mail.

There is comfort in knowing that they will be at the Chinese Embassy by 10:30 tomorrow. And, this is a huge step...the end of the paperwork phase is drawing nigh. I am very excited that we have come this far. My desire to protect and control everything is just making this step difficult for me to swallow. Thousands of children are adopted from China every year, Praise God! And, every one of those families mailed these documents to their respective Embassy or Consulate. I keep reminding myself of this.

Help us to pray that these documents will return safely to us. According to the timeline we've been given, we should get them back by the end of next week. I know that God is in this adoption, and I know that He is in control of even these finite details.