The e-mail ... "Hey Joseph & Erica, time for a quick call today? Got an update from our attorneys in Brazil yesterday and want to chat."
We expected that there had been a change in laws or a new step added to the process. Nothing could have prepared us for the call on Friday at lunch.
The phone call ... "Hey guys, are you sitting down? ... Our attorneys received a request from the home that we have worked with before. They have a sibling group that you might be interested in. Only thing is, it is 4 siblings! ..."
I'm going to hear that silence for a long time. The jolt of my heart skipping a beat. The sharp intake of air through an impulsive, involuntary, and permanent smile. The eye contact with my wife. Her mouth almost as wide as her eyes ... "WHAT!!??!!"
But my heart had already said yes.
We said yes when we started this process in October. Yes to moving forward. Yes to God's timing. Yes to God's plan. Yes to God's kids. So, we did the responsible thing and said that we would pray about it over the weekend. There is some technical report to send over, pictures ... something.
Then we opened the pictures.
L is a 6 year old boy. Oldest of 4. Wants to leave the group home and find a real family.
M is 5. She has pierced ears (won't her sisters be jealous!). When she smiled for the picture it looks like Eden and Gracie when we ask them to pose ... sincerely happy, but horribly forced and posing.
L is 3. He looks like a bundle of energy that just pretends to be shy so he can get away with more stuff.
R is 1. He has eyes as wide as dinner plates to match his smile. A sweater vest and a cowlick of the front curl of his hair. (Just like me, actually.)
Now I'm crying again ... Big sigh. Keep breathing.
Here's the update: Erica and I will be submitting a letter of intent this week that we would like to proceed for the specific purpose of adopting this group of siblings. Their file will remain "open" in the meanwhile and we will move forward with legal paperwork, dossier prep, passports, travel plans, fundraising, etc. CEJA (the State Judiciary Commission on Adoption in Brazil) will watch for our documents as we submit them and if everything goes as we are praying it will go, we could be home with these four (4) precious children by Christmas.
I sincerely believe that God has led us to this point. He arranged our homestudy to be a month early. He arranged for the timing of a recent positive review at my job. He arranged for the support of employers regarding time off and away out of the country. He has provided funds for the process every step of the way.
If these four are the kids he wants for us to care for and love and shepherd, then He will continue to open doors and smooth paths. If He has a better home for these four, and a better match for our family, He will arrange that also; and this is a necessary step to spur us on toward prompt action.
We have gone from easy-going and waiting for a month or so for final homestudy to intense paperwork prep mode. That extra adrenaline in us has helped propel us forward, whether these become our children or not.
Pray for God's will to be done and for us to obey immediately without questioning. Thank you so much for your support! Lots more opportunities to support through fundraising and donations later this year as well. Thank you!
We expected that there had been a change in laws or a new step added to the process. Nothing could have prepared us for the call on Friday at lunch.
The phone call ... "Hey guys, are you sitting down? ... Our attorneys received a request from the home that we have worked with before. They have a sibling group that you might be interested in. Only thing is, it is 4 siblings! ..."
I'm going to hear that silence for a long time. The jolt of my heart skipping a beat. The sharp intake of air through an impulsive, involuntary, and permanent smile. The eye contact with my wife. Her mouth almost as wide as her eyes ... "WHAT!!??!!"
But my heart had already said yes.
We said yes when we started this process in October. Yes to moving forward. Yes to God's timing. Yes to God's plan. Yes to God's kids. So, we did the responsible thing and said that we would pray about it over the weekend. There is some technical report to send over, pictures ... something.
Then we opened the pictures.
L is a 6 year old boy. Oldest of 4. Wants to leave the group home and find a real family.
M is 5. She has pierced ears (won't her sisters be jealous!). When she smiled for the picture it looks like Eden and Gracie when we ask them to pose ... sincerely happy, but horribly forced and posing.
L is 3. He looks like a bundle of energy that just pretends to be shy so he can get away with more stuff.
R is 1. He has eyes as wide as dinner plates to match his smile. A sweater vest and a cowlick of the front curl of his hair. (Just like me, actually.)
Now I'm crying again ... Big sigh. Keep breathing.
Here's the update: Erica and I will be submitting a letter of intent this week that we would like to proceed for the specific purpose of adopting this group of siblings. Their file will remain "open" in the meanwhile and we will move forward with legal paperwork, dossier prep, passports, travel plans, fundraising, etc. CEJA (the State Judiciary Commission on Adoption in Brazil) will watch for our documents as we submit them and if everything goes as we are praying it will go, we could be home with these four (4) precious children by Christmas.
I sincerely believe that God has led us to this point. He arranged our homestudy to be a month early. He arranged for the timing of a recent positive review at my job. He arranged for the support of employers regarding time off and away out of the country. He has provided funds for the process every step of the way.
If these four are the kids he wants for us to care for and love and shepherd, then He will continue to open doors and smooth paths. If He has a better home for these four, and a better match for our family, He will arrange that also; and this is a necessary step to spur us on toward prompt action.
We have gone from easy-going and waiting for a month or so for final homestudy to intense paperwork prep mode. That extra adrenaline in us has helped propel us forward, whether these become our children or not.
Pray for God's will to be done and for us to obey immediately without questioning. Thank you so much for your support! Lots more opportunities to support through fundraising and donations later this year as well. Thank you!
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