Waiting with a Grateful Heart

Adoption is a HUGE lesson in waiting and patience.  Since receiving our LOA (Letter of Approval) on August 6th, we've been waiting on approval from the USCIS (immigration).  Today we got a letter in the mail stating they have our paperwork, so HOPEFULLY next week it will be approved.  But then more waiting will happen for additional steps that need to take place before we begin more waiting on Travel Approval.  So at this point in time, we're still hoping to travel to China at the beginning of November.  Thankfully September and October are SUPER BUSY months for our family, which will help the time go by quickly, because I am SO VERY READY to jump on a plane and head east to bring my sweet Jenna HOME!!!

However, during these long days of waiting, I have a grateful heart.  The wonderful people at Lifeline, our adoption agency, are such HUGE blessings to us and are walking hand-in-hand with us through this long journey.  In fact, many times when the kids hear my cell phone ring, they ask "Is it Lifeline?" because they know we are waiting on further approvals until we can bring their sister home.

Speaking of my kids, I have been SO VERY BLESSED, especially lately, with their hearts being so open and ready to having Jenna at home with us.  There are many times when Andrew comes up to me and kisses the picture of Jenna that I wear on the necklace around my neck...and not a prayer time goes by that he doesn't remind us to pray for her!  Although Nathan doesn't say a whole lot (that's just his personality), he gets so excited when we get the next update/approval and I know he's looking forward to the day Jenna is here with us.  Then tonight at Shelby's school open house, this math worksheet was hanging up on the wall and the fact that she put 6 people in our family MELTED MY HEART!!!!!

So as we continue to wait for further paperwork to be completed and approvals from both the U.S. and China, I have a grateful heart.