Leaving the Wilderness!!!!

This last Sunday, our awesome pastor at OBC, Scott Palmer asked us how the adoption process was going and where we were at in it. Trying to sound super spiritual and such, I likened it to the Israelites wonderings in the wilderness. After our dossier went to China, we had done everything we could at that point. There was no more paperwork, no more discussions with our adoption agency – all that was left was to wait. So that’s what we’ve been doing…. waiting and waiting and waiting… No calls from our agency – they had nothing to report. Cricket…Cricket… Families who had sent their paperwork in quite some time after us got their final approval (LOA) BEFORE us, while we waited… Tumbleweed…Tumbleweed…

Well, we are ecstatic to report that today we received word from our agency that our LOA has arrived!! Sitting in Full Moon Café eating lunch together, the moment was so surreal – kind of like we’d received our pardon from the wilderness. There was much fist-bumping, hugging and crying. Martha was even a little emotional too!

So what does this mean? Number one, it means that we have FINAL approval. No more nagging worries that we would be turned down for some stupid reason (i.e. my bald spot is too big – who knows??). Number two, it means that the wheels of the process are going to start turning again. We will rejoin the paper chase for travel approval (TA). Paperwork to be completed, visas to be obtained – all of the final steps to obtain TA. Third, it means that we can actually narrow down our timeframe for traveling to China – which is looking like it will be mid to late April.

Finally, and most importantly, we are a huge, giant step closer to being united with our son! Now we can let ourselves dream for real. We can actually picture the day we finally meet Samuel. I know he will never truly understand all of the hopes and prayers that have carried us to him, but we do. And we thank you all so much for standing in prayer with us!

Well, that’s all for now. We’re gonna go celebrate.

The promised land lies ahead!

~ Matt