TRAVEL APPROVAL is here!!

About 6:00 pm tonight, our long awaited email from our agency arrived - OUR TA IS HERE! 79 days after our LOA and over 6 months after we first saw Josie's precious little face - the end is finally near!!! Hopefully sometime next week, we will have actual dates for our travel. Our agency thinks it will be June but I'm still holding out hope for May........call me an optimist!
Better start packin', we're coming Josie!!!

Another week but no TA........

Another week has passed and still no TA. I've been watching the adoption forums and no one seems to be getting them. I'm still hoping for this week but generally they seem to come early in the week. This adoption journey is hard, very hard. It seems the closer we get, the further away it seems. I'm sad for Josie, I'm sad for us but I know God is taking care of her.

The good news is that we've been staying busy. Baseball is in full swing for all the boys and Noah is also in track. Here are a couple pics from the last week or so. Trent is pitching in the top picture. He did a great job and only gave up one run! The bottom picture is of Noah high jumping. He placed 4th and was thrilled. I LOVE this time of year! I'll love it even more when Josie's here to share it with us.

New Camera

No news on our TA yet. We've been waiting 71 days since we received our LOA and are hoping it comes any day now. Soooo......while we wait we are trying to use our time productively. We bought a new camera and have been taking lots of pictures. Trent and Griffey (our new puppy)were willing so here are some of my favorites.

Article 5!!!

I just received an email from our agency that our Article 5 was picked up and forwarded to the CCAA yesterday!!! For those of you that don't know all this adoption stuff, this is our last hurdle before we receive Travel Approval. Please, please pray for a speedy TA (travel approval). I'm still praying to be able to travel in May. Hang on Josie.........we're coming!!!

Two Blessings!

God is good.....all the time! As I mentioned in my previous blog post, today this wait has really been bringing me down but then..........two blessings! First of all, our local Christian radio station gave us tickets for the Casting Crowns concert tomorrow night. I LOVE Casting Crowns and we are all so excited to go! The boys have never been to a concert so this will be so, so awesome for all of us.

Then, I went to get my mail and there was a note from someone from our church that I've never met. He heard about our adoption and was just sending a note of encouragement about this wait. What timing!

Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that my spirits are lifted!

Still Waiting........

Today is tough. Not for any particular reason, just a valley in this roller coaster wait we're on. I want to bring Josie home. I don't want to wait any longer. I know there's a reason, I know it will all work out but today.......it's just tough. Josie - please know that we love you and we are doing everything we can to come get you as soon as possible.

KISSES IN THE WIND (The Waiting Child's Lullabye)

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.

You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we are... what's taking us so long.

But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...

Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.

I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.

But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.

And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night.

--- © Pamela Durkota, written for Josh