So, why are we celebrating?

Thursday was a great day- we finally received a draft of our home study.  This was an email that we had been promised a lot sooner.  The author said she'd write it and send it on to our agency ASAP and that we could just add in that we had clear FBI backgrounds when we got those reports.  Instead, she put our file somewhere to wait until the FBI reports got here, many weeks later.

So our home study made it to our agency in time for our case worker there to email me saying, "I got the rough draft, I'll forward on any changes that need to be made, and we've just given the last referral for the rest of the year- but thanks for trying."

Phil called home from work and said, "you know I've been thinking, we should celebrate finally having the home study- let's go out to eat."  We decided on Keifer's because even bittersweet news tastes better with a gyro and pita mozz. 

I went across the street to get Wilson and we got home and I started putting clean clothes on the kids for our night out.  Wilson wanted to know why we were going out to eat.  I told him we were celebrating that we had gotten the report that told the people that have our baby that we're not bad guys.  And it said that we're such good guys, we'd make a great family for our baby and to please let us come and get them.  He got excited and said, "so we can go get them now?"  To which I said, "well we're actually going to have to wait awhile before we can get them- it won't be as soon as we thought."  "So, why are we celebrating, mom?"

Oh just eat your pitta mozz and stop asking me questions. 

That's probably pretty close to what I answered.  Because at the time I didn't really have a good answer for why we were celebrating.  We had a hastily written document laced with gross grammatical & spelling errors (if I can catch them- it's REALLY bad!) that said we'd make a fit family for a baby.  But a wall was being stacked up in front of us that wasn't supposed to be there.  We'd been told we'd probably get a referral this year.  Now, the emigration permits have all been handed out (so no one else can travel to get their children until next year) so the next logical step is to suspend referrals so there is not a huge back log once the EP's get flowing again in 2011. 

Why ARE we celebrating!?

Now FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see- Hebrews 11:1

You are all sons of God through FAITH in Christ Jesus- Galatians 3:26

We live by FAITH, not by sight- 2 Corinthians 5:7

Have FAITH in God . . . if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go through yourself into the sea,' and . . . believes what he says will happen, it will be done for him- Matthew 11:22-23

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through FAITH. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.- Ephesians 3:17-19

We celebrate because we have been blessed by Jesus with the gift of FAITH.  And what a gift that that faith can be placed in a God that is all powerful, all present, and all knowing.  That that faith does not have to be placed in men with file folders or government stamps.  He has called us to bring this baby home and that day will come.  There will be trials and troubles and frustrations along the way, but what better way for the Lord to display His power as he bursts through all these walls & mountains that are placed in our way by the enemy and mere men!  Shine, Jesus, shine and don't let my frustration with your timing be a hindrance to others!

Well, I feel better.  :)  I love the image below.  It serves as a reminder to me to pray diligently for our child and for the many caregivers they will have before they reach our home.  Please join me!