- We are about thirty days from flying to China. Should be able to fly out 1/1/2016. Please pray with us for ticket prices. I just got quotes yesterday. Some looked good and some were astronomical.
- We have had to resend (AGAIN...for like the THIRD time) our paperwork concerning the waiver. I am still working on certifications of the document here in the U.S. So it is not even to CHINA yet. Much less approved. If it does not get approved then we will have to pull together an additional $5800 at the last minute. Whew...breathe, momma. PLEASE join us in praying specifically for this to come through.
- We have made room for John Preston in our family closet. Can I tell you how good that feels? Now to fill his cubbies with clothes. We have had some sweet friends send us things for him and now I need to get busy with all of the basics. I do not want to buy too much until I know for sure what size he is. Just enough to get him home.
- Excited that it is time to get his booster seat for the car. I already bought new ones for Ellie and Ethan so we can rearrange the seats to make room for our sweet boy. It is TIGHT but oh, so cozy. ;-)
- We need to start making plans for a friend to come and stay with the girls at our home while Bryan is at work each day. (Probably 6:30 am to 4:30pm) If this is something you might could help with, please let me know. My momma heart is aching at the thought of leaving MinLan especially and I want these two weeks to be as smooth as possible for her. We have poured ourselves into attachment with her for the last year and a half and are praying that we do not take huge steps backwards because Ellie and I leave for two weeks.
- I know everyone is in Christmas mode, instead of adoption fundraiser mode but I feel strongly that I need to press forward towards raising this $5800 in the event our waiver is denied. Have we done a fundraiser that you would like to see us do again? Something you missed out on? So many fundraisers have been done to death in our adoption community so I hesitate but I am willing to do whatever. I am looking for ideas that can knock this out quickly in a big way. We have very little time left and I'll be honest, that my brain is in a million different places. If we raise additional funds and then receive our waiver, we will donate to another Reece's Rainbow family adopting a little one with Down syndrome that is close to travel and not fully funded. If you want to make a tax-deductible donation, you can at any time to John Preston's Reece's Rainbow account. He is listed here as "Timothy": http://reecesrainbow.org/88597/sponsorparris-2
- In closing, we covet your prayers. For God to provide for us with this waiver, for health for all of us as we prepare to travel, for MinLan to not suffer setbacks from us being gone, for John Preston's heart to be prepared to join our family and for Bryan as he coordinates life here at home and work while I am gone.
God is faithful. He has proven it over and over again to me, even when I am filled with doubt. Today, after crunching adoption finances, is one of those doubt filled days. The devil uses days like today to weaken my resolve...to make me doubt my sanity...he is the master of lies....he wants us to believe there is no way that this will all work out...he wants us to believe that God will not provide...he wants us to believe that the addition of our son to our family will be chaos....but we know better. We know that God is a God of order and not chaos. We know that He has plans to prosper us AND John Preston...to give us hope and a future.
That future begins when we step on that plane, take John Preston's hand, and bring him home. Forever. He is a son. An heir. With all rights and privileges that come with the status as a son. He is so loved. We are racing to get to him. We are prepared to march through any hurdle the devil puts before us. This momma wants her boy home. NOW. <3
