Higher than the mountains that I face...

My emotions are everywhere and I honestly am not sure I should be the one writing this post.    However you all have walked with us this far so I wanted to just lay out there where we are and what we face.  

We already updated you last post that we are #1 on the waiting list for Uganda.  A referral still appears to be quite a ways off which means maybe 6-9 months, possibly less.  We did hear back that the 4 yr old boy that we prayed about adopting did find a family.  Thank you Jesus!

There is a birth mom that the agency would like to show her our portfolio.  However we were told yesterday that basically we need to fill a $10,000 gap before they feel comfortable showing her our info.  She is due in February so a decision needs to be made quickly and the possibility of bringing a baby home is soon.  They are letting us transfer some of our funds from the international program over to domestic.  Much of what we have paid already went toward our home study and the recent update.  We also spent thousands of dollars on immigration approval, fingerprinting, birth certificates, passports, adoption education required for the home study, dr. appts, paperwork, etc, etc. 

However to finish the fees for the domestic program, the lawyer fees and traveling expenses we need to have access to almost $10,000.  The whole amount is $18,000 but through generous people and through fundraising we definitely have $8,000 readily available.

We hope/plan to do another yard sale on Sat. , Feb. 2nd.  That usually makes around $1,000. And just this morning two more friends pledged to gift us $600.:)  We are applying for an adoption grant today with a local bank.  We also are pursuing some adoption grants but unfortunately many of them don't guarantee a response for 60-90 days and they cannot be awarded once the child has come into care.  So if we are going to pursue this baby that is due in Feb, those won't work.

So we definitely need $9,400.  So will you pray with us?  We are also looking to sell some personal items...hopefully on ebay. Like my violin from high school, and my china, both Christmas and regular. The agency would really like to show this young woman our info this week but we don't want to sign paperwork until we truly feel like we have access to $10,000.  

This might be a door that closes.  Regardless we still need to raise $10,000 for travel to Uganda.  So either way that is our current goal.  I would be false if I didn't say that my heart really, really wants at least the chance for this birth mom to pick us.  I would love to bring a little one home.  But I know that the Lord has His plan and it is indeed best.  I choose to trust that and trust Him.  More than anything...truly, truly, we want Him to get great big glory!

So, so, so many of you have given sacrificially to us along this journey. THANK YOU!!!  It is not wasted, but hopefully about to bring our dream to pass.  Please hear me say we are not asking you to give again or more!! We are forever grateful!!  If someone is reading this though and feels a quickening in their spirit to help in any way though, we humbly and graciously would love for you to be part of this journey.  

I will update you as soon as we hear back from the bank about the possible grant.  We also are looking into a no-interest adoption loan to see if that would be a possibility.  We are also praying we might find someone willing to loan us a gap amount that we could repay within the year.  We potentially should get some refund money back through the adoption tax credit but it would be the beginning of next year.  So...

This is humbling and scary. I have been an emotional basketcase the past two days.  So if you see me and my eyes are glazed over, please forgive me.  I so, so hope that this is it!  But it very realistically might be another no...and that honestly makes me cry.  If the Lord fills the gap in the next few days then the birth momma will look at our stuff and we could potentially travel to get a little one in the next couple of weeks.  If that doesn't happen then we will continue to find ways to save and earn money and pray and wait for another referral.

Shew! Thanks for reading this long craziness and for journeying with us.  If you are contemplating giving, then thank you and bless you!!  If you can and will pray for us then thank you and bless you!!

This is what I know:

Higher than the mountains
That I face
Stronger than the power
Of the grave
Constant in the trial and the change
One thing remains
One thing remains

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me
(x3)
Your love

²⁰ 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, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen 
Ephesians 3:20-21