Unbelievable

Well, as of today, God’s timing is the mystery I will never be able to explain! We broke the record for being out of the courts five times in four months! Today was unbelievable. Long story short, the judge would not accept our 797-C as proof that the US government has granted us permission to adopt. Are you confused? We are too!

So, here is the break down: when you go to adopt in America, you first file the form called the I-600A. This is a “pre-approval” form for advanced processing. In other words, this form is the application for permission to bring kids into the country. So, when this form is approved, you receive another form called the 797-C. This is the official letter of approval. Now, after you receive your adoption certificate, then you file your official 600 naming the children you are adopting.

Well, when the judge asked our lawyer for proof that we had permission from our government to adopt, he gave her that form. But, the wording on the form threw her. It says, “form for advanced processing…” She took that to mean it was the application, not the approval. She did not understand that the pending part of this form was her decision to allow us to adopt Damon and Sundi specifically. So, for the second time, we have been delayed. She did give us a date to return with a letter from the embassy stating that we have permission. It’s April 4^th.

So, our new challenges are: to convince the embassy we need a letter, to convince the lawyer that she is confused, and to keep the faith. I think the latter is the hardest at times. We had such high hopes these last two weeks that we would be calling you all and telling you that God had granted us favor and the kids were legally ours. However, we choose to trust in the living God who has promised that he will be faithful to complete His work in us, and that His plans for us and our children are for good not bad, to prosper and not harm. Not sure why we are going to be here longer, maybe we will see soon, perhaps we will never know, but one things is sure, we are surrendered to Christ. Sorry to disappoint all of you again.