connection, gratitude, update, and pictures

So my goodness. Last week was just packed full of good stuff y'all. I was so happy {and busy} that I just didn't have time to even blog about it all. But that's okay. I'm here now.

Last weekend {3.9-10.12}, we were still flying high from the news of the grant and how the Lord had provided for our needs financially. I mean, we just couldn't get over it. Still can't, honestly. But even with that on the forefront of my mind, I couldn't help but hope for more.

Do you ever do that?

Are you so bold as to hear great news or see with your own eyes the goodness of God in your life and dare to ask for more? I confess, I'm selfish. And so I wasn't done with my asking. I know, who has the right, given what we had just been told about the grant, to ask for something more of the Lord? Still, I believe He stands ready to bless us...and so I am going to continue to ask until He says "no."

My prayers for the little prince have always been three fold.

1. For his heart and health. Of course, this goes without saying. 


 2. For favor with the two governments that we must comply with to bring him home and for speedy approvals from both at the various levels we will go through. 


 3. Continued financial provision from the Lord. 


So there you have it.

Health.


Favor.


Provision. 

Seems so easy, doesn't it? Not for us. But surely for Him. This is easy peasy stuff. He's holding the entire world in balance at this very moment. He's causing my heart to beat and air to move through my lungs. Surely, He can cause these three little things to happen. Of course, the question is never "Can He?"...it is always, "Will He?" And even though I know that God is not obligated to answer with a resounding YES, I continue to ask anyway. Knowing that He alone is able to do this and that no matter the outcome or however long it takes or how hard it is...He is good.

So back to the story. We were happy, ecstatic, elated that provision has come. In a BIG way. Thank you, Lord. But I was also hopeful that we would hear news of the little prince soon. Several people had been praying with us to that end.

We had requested an update twice. And none came. On a whim, several weeks before, I posted a question on an online group forum to see if anyone would be traveling to his orphanage {SWI} soon or if anyone had traveled there recently.

I got one reply.

And that was just enough.

A sweet woman, "M", emailed me back and said that she would be traveling there the weekend of the 9th-11th. She asked me to send  her the important info...his name, birthdate, etc. I did that immediately and she promised to do the best she could. She also said that she would email me as soon as she could on Sunday. I assumed that "M" was an adoptive mother and that she would be traveling there to bring her own child home. So I tried not to get my hopes up too much because many adoptive parents end up not visiting their child's SWI while in China. Over the course of a few emails, I learned that she was not going to the SWI to adopt...but to foster.

Oh my heavens. How wonderful. She was FOR SURE going to the SWI. She is living in another part of China and is a foster parent. I couldn't believe it. Connecting with her could prove to be huge. Still, there were no guarantees she'd get to see him or even if she did, if she'd be allowed to take pictures or get updated information to share with us.

But we continued to pray and hope for news.

On Sunday, no email came. I was a little sad but figured that she had been traveling back to her home and I knew she had two foster babies in tow. Who could blame her for not dropping everything to email me back? I went to bed, again hopeful for something, anything about our little prince to be waiting in my inbox.

At 5am, I woke up to pray.

I'm not an early riser. But since we began this process...I've been awoken each day, either in the middle of the night or the very early morning to pray. I just wake up and my first thought is "I need to pray." I can only assume it is the Lord. Because again, I don't typically have this urgency. I'm just keepin' it real. I'm in no way saying that He listens more at this time of day or night, or that the super spiritual people do this. Only that this is what is happening to me. For whatever reason...to make me depend on Him more fully. To grow me into His likeness. Or to keep my foot from slipping...I have no idea. It's just what happens. And when it does, I go beside our bed in the floor and ask.

That Monday morning, I awoke at 5 and on a whim, checked my phone for an email before I knelt down. Imagine my surprise, and slight fear, when the first email listed was from "M". It was sent a mere 15 minutes earlier and it read...

Hi Kam! 

I saw your little guy! He is NOT in the orphanage. He is in an amazing smaller home run by a nurse who is a believer. The nannies were wonderful, and he is getting such great care. I have pictures to send to you!

It is very cold in Henan now, and so he has a little cold. He can stand (and maybe walk) alone, and he LOVES to be held. He is precious, and he is being well-loved until you can get him in your arms.  The nurse loves, loves your sweet boy.

 Your family is blessed!

 Love, M

I did remove some portions of her email for privacy. Also, she shared some news that we are awaiting clarification for and I just want to wait to share it until we are certain it is true! But sufficed to say, I was pretty blown away at that moment. 

I bowed before Jesus in gratitude. Usually, I pray for the three requests concerning the little prince and then move on to specific families who are adopting {5 of them currently that I know}, then for my family and extended families' requests and finally for our student M {another M!} who is serving the Lord in SE Asia. 

But this morning, I just couldn't go through the routine of names and requests. 

All I could say was "thank you."

Over and over again. 

By 7:45, we had another email with pictures of a very dreamy little prince. I have blurred his face because we have to abide by the rules of our agency...but here are some of him sleeping. Oh, my! The ears! The boy does not have lack of ears! LOVE it! 

There were three versions of this...three different angles of him in peaceful sleep. All bundled up and rosy cheeked. My goodness. Look at those lips! Perfectly kissable! Our hearts were full. 

We went on to school and more emails came. 

I have several more that I took with my camera that I need to download and send. I also have a picture of him with his nannies. One of our friends went with us and took several more pictures too! I will get those from him on Wednesday and send them all then. 

 I don't know if the home has a specific name. The precious nurse has a great working relationship with the orphanage and takes certain children to live in her two homes. She was instrumental in getting us into the orphanage and arranging for our group to foster 4 babies. Our family brought home a 2 month old girl with downs syndrome and a 2 week old tiny, tiny baby boy. As soon as we get another helper, we hope to go back and get one or two more. 

 Thank you for your patience on the pictures. I will have them all to you on Wednesday :) 

M

and then on Wednesday...

Hi sweet Kam, 

Your little one looks incredibly healthy. He loves to be held and has the most beautiful smile. There are about 10-12 children in the children's home. The nurse has two floors with older babies on the lower floor and smaller babies on the top. We were so blessed by the tenderness and love that the nannies have for each child. It is truly a joyful home. I don't know how long he has been in the home, but I am sure that he will stay there until you come for him. 

We explained to her about Seth, and she was so compassionate towards your family. She was thrilled that this little one has a forever family! Do you have an approximate timeline for adoption/travel? 

 He looked very healthy except for the little cold. She mentioned his other health issue, and I reassured her that you were aware and still very willing to adopt him. I checked him over and kissed him a LOT! No blue lips or any other symptom that would indicate a problem. He is the cutest, most adorable little boy :) 

 I promise to send the other pictures as soon as we get them from our friend on Wednesday. I was holding babies and not taking pictures with our camera most of the time. G has some great pictures of your little one, and the picture with all of the babies and the nannies is precious. So, take a deep breath and know that your little boy is healthy and loved. He is in a wonderful place while he waits for you to come.

Love, M

Along with this news, were several pictures. {Agin edited to blur his face so that we are compliant.}

I can't tell you how good it was to see him in these. Healthy! Look at those hands all fluffy and his checks so rosy! I keep saying he is pink and plump! Perfect! I know that he is very bundled...it was freezing there. So that's part of why he looks like the Michelin M@n! But still, you can see that he looks so good. 

Does this mama's heart good too. 

The Lord continues to go before us and is answering our prayers in very specific ways.

Our little prince is not only in a small home with 10-12 other children...he is in the home of a couple who are like us. A couple who is in the family. Can you imagine? Only God. 

His health is good. His heart is stable. He is being loved and cared for. What more could we ask?

Our I-800A immigration approval came in 21 days. If that ain't favor, I don't know what is! 

Now, our dossier will be picked up by courier in DC tomorrow and be tucked into an envelope headed for Seattle. Whew. Will be so happy to know it's been delivered there...and then on to China. We should be DTC {Dossier to China} sometime next week, before April 1st. That was my goal all along and barring any trouble, it should happen. 

The next hurdle is the LID {Log in Date} where our dossier is officially logged into the system in China. That date will be the start of the longest and hardest wait, the LOA or LSC {Letter Seeking Confirmation}. We're told it could take several months. We are prayerful it won't but trust that as we have seen so far, God's plan is firmly in place! 

Rejoice with us! The little prince is doing so well and we are overwhelmed by the faithfulness of God!