Updates

Hi everyone!

I haven't written in a while - I just wanted to give an update of what is going on here in Vietnam.

Paperwork update:
I took a copy of the baby's dossier over to CIS yesterday for them to preview to make sure that everything is ok with it. They told me it looked great! That means that it is safe for me to have a G&R Ceremony! The US will issue a Visa to our new child! Now we are waiting for the Ministry of Justice here in HCMC to finish with their paperwork and set a new G&R date! They told me that it would be one day next week! I am praying that it will be early in the week so that I will have a better chance of getting home before Christmas.

Baby update:
I am visiting the baby everday in the orphanage. He is doing great!!! He is beginning to know who I am. I spend most of my time there just holding him close to me. I think this is helping us bond with each other! That is by far the best part of my day! Today I saw some families from another agency there picking up their children. It sent a pang through my heart because I want to bring my child home too. However, until we have a G&R Ceremony - that won't happen.

Personal update:
Things are good here in VN. I can honestly say that when my husband left me here alone I wasn't sure that I had strength enough to get through this alone! However, I know that I am not alone. My heavenly Father has been and will be here with me through all of this. I am becoming more and more joyful daily. I am doing things on my own that are soooo not me. For instance, I eat my meals in restaurants alone, I am starting to explore the different stores in HCMC, I am learning how to bartar for items with the locals, I ride on the back of motor bikes, I have taken control of the paperwork for this adoption, and I am trying to talk to people that I don't know. For those of you who know me, you know that all of this is completely outside of my comfort zone! I know that I couldn't do all of this if the Lord wasn't giving me strength to not only endure this trial, but begin to enjoy it as well. I know that I will come out of this a MUCH stronger person than I was in the beginning of this. Of course, I still have concerns about trying to trust this process again, trying to be a single mom while here in HCMC, and flying home by myself with a child. But, I know that if the Lord has strengthened me so much this far - I know he will give me strength to endure the rest of it!

Again, I want to thank all of you for your very encouraging comments. Also, I want to thank those who are praying for me and my family during this time. A few months ago the Lord showed me the verses Proverbs 3: 5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not lean on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and he will show you which path to take. I thought at the time He was showing me this about waiting on travel approval. Now I see that He was preparing me with those verses for this trial. Believe me, I have been repeating those verses in my heart constantly since my husband left!!!

I will write again when I have good news about the G&R Ceremony. I am trusting that it will be soon!