One step closer... but so many more to go!

I am finally recovered from the last week. I think!
We had our home study interview a week ago Wednesday. Our social worker is so sweet and we had a great talk. Everything took about 3 hours and she was on her way by 8:30pm. We only have a few documents we are waiting for from DE and NJ and our home study and dossier list should be complete! Now to wait for the completed home study write up so we can get our I800a out to Immigrations for approval. 
We are moving along relatively well in the process compared to some but it feels like it is taking forever! Please pray that our social worker can have the home study completed and approved (by our adoption agency) before she has her own baby! I am amazed at how hard she is working to help us and she herself is due to have her own baby in just a couple weeks! (She is due near my birthday, so that would be a fun coincidence. :)

The next day after our home study interview I was up at 2am and off to Georgia for the PCA Women's Leadership Conference in Atlanta. What a blessed weekend! There were over 250 women in attendance and such a great line up of speakers. I learned so much more and connected with some really great people! What a blessing to be reminded that we need to simplify our lives and focus on eternal thinking. Asking "How is what I am doing today furthering God's kingdom in the lives of the people I am in contact with?" Also, in reading 1 Timothy 4 - keeping watch on your life with Christ, how you invest your time, where you set your hope, what you talk about, who you love and how you show it, and how you develop your spiritual gifts. Then Ellen talked about our Treasures. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13. We are called to share our treasures. God has entrusted to us His treasure to be held in fragile clay pots. He has given us his Holy Spirit. We are to treasure our Treasures. Treasure the weaknesses, struggles and limitations. "Through our shattering we can see the glory of God in us." We are weak, but He is strong.

There are so many times I think that I am not strong enough, or good enough to be an adoptive mom. And I am not! But God shows me that He is strong enough and good enough to equip me with what our daughter needs. We have love and willingness to let go of our comfort zone to be a family of 5. This journey is a long one, and there are good days and bad days. God is sovereign over all and he is equipping us each and every day to live for Him. 

After getting home Saturday night I was not feeling well, but thankfully I was able to rest and feel better by Monday. Jared was sick with a fever for most of this week! We are praying the rest of us can stay healthy through the rest of this winter. God is good. 

I pray that each and every one of you who reads this blog knows Jesus as your Lord and Savior and know that through each weakness, trial and pain, it points our eyes to the one who will redeem every tear and make us whole for Eternity! I look forward to that day, but I know that my time here on earth is not done yet. I still have a job to do and pray that each day I can do it well.  If you don't know Jesus but want to know more about him ask me! Also, pick up a Bible and start reading. God's word is living.

1 John 3:16-18

¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

We want to thank everyone who has so graciously and generously helped fund this process! It truly is a blessing and we appreciate every bit of help. It is crazy how this process is so expensive, but priceless at the same time. God has truly been showing us daily how He is providing in every way. We are just so thankful!