So much going on!

This past week has felt like a whirlwind.  We have had so many things going on and it has been absolutely crazy!  I feel like I have so much to write about and I don't know where to start, I think I may have to separate it into different posts just to get my thoughts organized!  Please be patient.

Ok, so first... the one thing that Jason and I have been waiting for came!  Claudia's updated information with new pics!  I will share those shortly for your viewing pleasure.  These pictures and info came at just the right time!  God knew that we needed some inspiration for a difficult week!  These pictures helped us get through it.  I now have her beautiful face as the screen on my phone and I smile every time I open up my phone.  As for the medical information we were not surprised by any of the information we received but we know now more than ever that she needs to come home soon to see a cardiologist in the US.  This beautiful girls has several delays but we are primarily concerned for her little heart.  Please help us spread the word and help us get her home soon.

And now for what you really came here to see:

Isn't she just precious?  Sadly, these will probably be the last pictures we will get before we see her.  I hope we can travel soon.  I would really love to be travelling this summer but I do not know how feasible that is.  I am praying for a July travel date but our HS is only now being completed.  It would make life so much easier on us to travel during the summer since I could do the bulk of the travelling and Jason could be home working and paying our bills.  If we cannot travel until the fall, I will need to stay home :(.  I know that God can do anything and I am trusting in His timing.  Praying for paperwork to travel quickly, get into the right hands and be approved.  Our little girl needs us.

Thank you all!

I don't have any new news or updates today but I wanted to say Thank You to all of my friends and family for all of the support they are giving to us.  We could not do this without you.  I want to thank God for continuing to lead us through this adoption because it is IMPOSSIBLE without Him!  We appreciate your continued prayers and support as we continue through this journey.  It is truly unbelievable how much you can love someone that you have never met before, and to feel such a strong bond already.  I know that she probably does not even know that her mommy and daddy are trying so hard to come get their little girl.  I just want to hug her and kiss her and let her know that she is loved.  I want her to know that she has so many supporters here that are waiting to meet her.  I know that this will not be an easy road but it is the road that has been chosen for us by Him.  I would not have it any other way. 

God is so good!

God constantly proves to us that He is the one who will provide for us.  We just had to send in half of our agency fee last week.  It was so hard to do considering we don't know if we have passed our home study.  Each day we wonder how we will ever be able to pay for the adoption and every time something is due, God comes through.  Just last night Jason was able to sell his motorcycle which will cover the next bill.  It was a sad day for Jason to loose his bike but Claudia is worth SOOOOO much more than a motorcycle (right hun?!)  Please join us in praying for God to continue providing for us.

We are still working on completing our homestudy, that should be done soon and then on to UCIS paperwork.  We are also completing our online parenting classes.  I like being able to take them at home instead of driving somewhere to take them.  We are using Adoption Learning Partners.  They have a Hague package that includes 5 classes for $149.  It is a bit expensive, but it is worth it to be able to take the class in my pj's! 

Please help my friend Natalie bring her daughter home.  Natalie is adopting a little girl about a year older than our Claudia from the same country.  She also had Down syndrome.  I hope that someday they can have a play date!  Right now Natalie is doing a give-away on her blog and her father has donated a half a pig valued at approx. $200!  Go to her blog and enter for your chance to win. Natalie's Blog.

God is so good!  Lets bring these girls home :)

Clairification...

Ok, so I know that in my previous posts I discussed that we were looking to adopt more than one child from Latin America.  You may have noticed that in my recent posts I have only been talking about "our daughter."  We found out from our agency a while ago (when we were switching agencies) that during the time we work trying to work with our original agency that one of the girls had been applied for.  This was a bit sad but also was great news.  This means that we are not the only ones looking to adopt children with DS from LA!  Raising two children, about the same age with DS would have been very difficult, not that we did not take that into account before pursing the adoption but we felt that God had a plan for all of this.  He does have a plan!  Now, I am not God, I cannot even begin to guess what His plan is for us but maybe, just maybe He wanted us all along to only adopt one of these precious children?  Not only that but maybe He did not want to make us choose which one we would adopt (how hard would that have been!?!)  So, we are currently pursuing the adoption of one little girl from Latin America with Down syndrome. 

We have known for some time that we would most likely only be adopting one but today we found out which one it is.  It is bitter-sweet news, we would have been happy to adopt either one, but now we also know which one will almost definitely not be coming home with us.  We are so happy that she will have a home soon!  Now please help us pray that our home study process goes smoothly so we can announce to the world who our daughter is!