A New Year – A New Season

Mabuhay (welcome/hello)!

This week we received some exciting news…we made the list! We have officially been approved by the Philippines and are on their waiting families list. This means we can now be considered for any children that become legally open for international adoption.

If I'm being honest, we ended 2019 a bit discouraged. Our personal goal was to be on the list by the end of 2019. However, we hit some delays throughout the process and, quite frankly, getting on the list by the end of 2019 was a bit of stretch goal by ordinary means. So, we weren't too surprised but certainly still disappointed when we ended 2019 having heard absolutely no update about the Philippines review of our Dossier (our application so-to-speak).

We had even been warned and prepared that the reviewing board may likely come back with questions about the information submitted in our Dossier. We knew if this was to be the case, our approval would take even longer. Our "realistic" approval date was by the end of March this year.

But, as always, God can do all things and He does show up. Low and behold, even though we didn't get the news until this week, we were officially approved on December 18, 2019. While we sat at home on New Year's Eve (both sick with the flu), discouraged that we weren't on the list, God had already answered our prayers. Even before I posted our last update (that we hadn't heard anything), we had been approved already. God's so good like that, isn't He?

Now, we're on to a season of more waiting unfortunately. We've been told that the process from this point forth will likely take 24-36 months before we bring our kiddos home. Between now and then, we'll first be matched with our amazing kiddos and then need to make all the necessary preparations to bring them home. God will continue to build our patience and our trust in Him. As we enter a new decade and a new season of our life, even in the midst of our impatience, I know God is giving us the strength to be faithful to His timing and His will.

Our prayer request this month: Lord, for whatever your plans hold for us in 2020, I pray you would continue to guide our paths and make our ways straight. May we be so bold this year to pray you would perform a miracle, Lord, and bring our kiddos home before we enter 2021. But even if you don't, help us be grateful in the waiting. Be with our precious children, Lord. Whatever they are experiencing right now, just cover them in your love, goodness, and mercy. In the scary times, in the unknown times, in the good times, and every time in between, Lord, be there with them. You are their Perfect Parent. Send them our love and wrap them in your perfect, loving embrace.

Until next time – all our love!