OUR DAUGHTER!!

We got the call!! Around noon on Friday, Amy got a call on our house phone...it was our adoption agency coordinator. He said he had some info for us -- that was quite the understatement! :) We received the referral for our daughter!

Just like with T (her soon-to-be-brother), we can't share any real details yet, so we'll just call her S. She is from the same region as T (which is a blessing, they are coincidentally in the same orphanage right now) and she is about 3 months old.

It's amazing how you can feel the effects of prayer sometimes. This was definitely one of those occasions. We know a number of people - friends, family, our church - have been praying for our children recently and it's just awesome how things have moved along so quickly in the past few months.

Now that we're getting so close to meeting our babies face-to-face, I've been thinking about this long waiting period and it's much easier to see God's perfect timing from this end. It's easy to look at something you're anticipating so much and not realize all of the other work God is doing around you. There is so much he has done in our lives during this time. I am so grateful that He gives us more than we even know to ask for...

So, now what? :) We have been told that the average duration from referral to bringing the children home is about 6 months. The next steps are the completion of all the paperwork required to request a court date, the court date request itself, and the scheduling of a court date. Since the courts will close for the rainy season, we won't even be able to request a date until after 10/6. It's conceivable that we could get an October court date, although, like every step of international adoption, nothing is guaranteed...we'll just have to wait and see.

Please pray that everyone involved in the request process completes their portion accurately and in a timely manner and, of course, please pray for T and S...that their hearts may be calmed in such a tough time, that they continue to receive love and care from the orphanage staff, and that may be under God's hand of protection as we prepare to bring them into our family.

Thanks again for all your prayers. They do have eternal significance and we are extremely blessed to have all of you in our lives.

Love,
Phil & Amy