It is getting harder

So the visit trip high is wearing off for sure. It was so amazing to see both children, to hold them, love them, and to get a glimpse of what our family is going to look like. Now being back without them feels empty. We are parents but not really. We love these children as our own but other people are raising them. That becomes harder everyday. The realization of where we are at in the process is also becoming a bit more depressing. For some reason we continue to hit one delay after another. Just when we were getting somewhere with both children we hit another roadblock and Mateo’s file is held up in Family Court. So many people are praying to get out of PGN and we are just praying to get in! As of right now it looks like at the earliest the kids files may go into the last court ,PGN, is at the end of February. The average time in PGN is still around 12-16 weeks in PGN and then 3-6 weeks after we exit before we can travel. That really translates that if we don’t have anymore crazy delays and we are average we will not be bring the children home until June or July at the earliest. Now some cases get out in 6 weeks from PGN I just saw that someone from our agency went into PGN on 12/21 and just got out. So it does happen on occasion but I am not trying to count on it. Overall I am just struggling with the reality and uncertainty of where we are at with the adoptions. I know and believe that God has this in his timing and I and being pushed right now to see his hand at work and to trust him and him alone for the outcome. I need to wait on the Lord so that he can lift me up and put my hope in him alone. I have to continuously remind myself to not be anxious about ANYTHING (including, paperwork, lawyers, PGN, and Guatemalan officials) but in everything with prayer and petition present your requests to God.

Please join us in petitioning the Lord on behalf of these two children;
-that Mateo’s case will get out of Family Court with a CLEAN file with no mistakes
-That Ellie’s case will get approval from the US Embassy in the normal 30 day timeframe so she can get into PGN
(her 30 days should be up sometime the week of the 18th)
-That both cases will enter PGN soon so that we can start our wait there. And that we have a miracle happen and we are one of the cases that exits quickly
-For patience for both Scott and I as we pray about our families future and wait for the kids.
Thank you for partnering with us. We want to have faith that will move mountians.
Laura