Immeasurably More

***This post was originally written 11/19...we were just slow to get it published.  So please don't be confused by the timing mentioned below.  We'll have some exciting updates posted in the coming week.***

Wow!  I'm not even sure where to start!  We've had a few amazing days around here!  We've been surprised by exciting news and received approvals we never thought we'd see so soon.  And for that, we give God ALL the glory!  I know these events aren't really surprises...they are simply part of his amazing and perfect plan!  Now, prepare yourself for a lengthy post...

The excitement started last Wednesday when we received approval to tell our girls about the adoption!  We NEVER expected to be able to tell them so soon and were overjoyed!  We actually didn't expect to be the ones who would deliver the news either, so you can imagine the excitement we felt.

We called the girls on Saturday in hopes of telling all 3 of them together over the phone.  As it turns out, V wasn't home because she's in the hospital.  That news shook us a bit, but our understanding is that she is okay.  Through the explanations we received, we think she probably has pneumonia.  By all accounts, she is doing well and the medicine is working.  However, it's taking everything in me not to hop on a plane to go see her.  That's what mommies do - they take care of their sick babies.  But I'm comforted, and again reminded, that God is a far superior caretaker than I could ever be, and for that I'm thankful.

So with only 2 girls home, we hoped to tell them over speaker phone, however the speaker doesn't work on the phone they have.  So, alas, we decided to tell Z first.  Since she is the oldest and has the strongest English, we thought she would best understand what we were saying and then could help everyone else understand.  I left most of the initial talking to Matthew because I knew I would just boo-hoo through it all and be incoherent.  He did an amazing job setting it up - reminding the girls how much we love them, how much we've told them we want to have them back in our home, and how much we've told them they feel like our family.  And when he told sweet Z that we had been working for a long time on the paperwork to adopt all 3 of them, she just gasped...the most precious gasp of disbelief and surprise.  (Thankfully, we have it all recorded for me to listen to over and over again!)  She let us continue to talk and when Matthew asked her if that is what she wants, she said over and over again, "Yes! I'm so happy!"  

After explaining some more of the technicalities and timing to Z, we asked to talk to S and again went through the same conversation.  She told us, "I like!  This is nice!"  And in a way that perfectly sums up S, she immediately followed up with, "How goes the dogs?" (i.e. How are the dogs?)  Matthew and I laughed hysterically at her timing and were reminded that she is, indeed, just a child.  A child, who in one moment can agree to one of the biggest things that will forever change her life and in the very next breath ask about her furry friends.  Precious and perfect!  (To clarify, I made sure she understood what we were offering, and she stressed that she understood and it was good!)

We talked a little more with Z and gave her permission to share the big news with V when they went to see her at the hospital.  I hate that we missed her response, even if we could have only heard it over the phone.  I had been daydreaming of her squeal and little girl antics at the news.  I'm sure we'll get a little bit of that the next time we talk to her, though.

Sharing the news with the girls was such a joy.  It was an honor and privilege to get to speak truth into their lives to tell them they are special, loved, and wanted.  We've been about to burst to tell them the full extent of our love for them, and it felt great to just let it all out!  And their response was equally exciting!  We felt confident that they wanted to be a family just as much as we did, but you just never know how these things will go.  It was such a relief and blessing to hear their excitement on the other end.  I told Matthew that it was almost like proposing, or as close to it as I'll ever get.  Whew, glad to have the "yes" part taken care of!   

I can't imagine what the girls must be feeling right now - excitement for the future, hope and love for a family, fear of leaving their friends and all they've ever known...it's so much for their little hearts and minds to process.  I know they've wanted a family for a long time and I have to wonder if they are able to truly wrap their head around it.  I'm sure they will have lots of questions as they process it all.

As if this post wasn't long enough, we have more news to share.  After celebrating the big news on Saturday, I got to attend a fun little trunk show party at my friend Lindsay's house for Noonday Collection.  These products are amazing, and they each have a cool story of helping people in need earn a fair wage.  And to my surprise, Lindsay set the party up as an adoption fundraiser, so we earned 20% of all the sales from the afternoon!  What a blessing!  You should really check these products out...they are fabulous.  I would be more than happy to connect you to the ambassador from our area if you want to buy something or host your own party.  She's an adoptive mommy, too!

And then to top off the series of events, I went to the mailbox today, and guess what was there?!?!  US Immigration approval!!!  Seriously, I just told you in my last post that we hadn't been assigned to a caseworker as of last Wednesday, but the document shows we were approved on Friday!  Amazing!  God's timing is so perfect!  And just like the family we heard of before, our case was approved in 32 days.  Unheard of!  I had been preparing myself that we would get lost in the shuffle over the holidays and not receive approval for several more weeks.  We are still reeling with excitement.  Now, we'll have all of our paperwork certified in Little Rock (seriously, it gets a gold seal sticker...don't tell Lyla!), and then we'll send it off to Latvia! It should take about 3 weeks for it to get translated, and then we should all buckle up because things should move quickly from there.  If things progress as they should, I think we will probably travel to get the girls in January!  So exciting!

I can't end this post without turning the praise back to the One who deserves it all.  This whole process began and has continued because of the grace and love of our Heavenly Father...to him be ALL the glory!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21