Finished Fingerprint Friday

The Lord showered us with favor on Friday. Not only were we able to get our fingerprints successfully done, but it was very fast and friendly. Once we get our official I-171 - fingerprint clearance/approval - we are officially on the waiting list! We are SO excited and fully trust God for His timing in when we will get our referral.

"So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other." Deuteronomy 4:39

Thank you for your prayers, words of encouragement, and scriptures that have uplifted my impatient heart. And, thank you sweet friends for not only taking care of our kids during these times but also loving on them!

Failed Fingerprint Friday

No fingerprints on Friday (insert my VERY sad face) but it wasn't because we weren't there! This was the biggest snowstorm in over 30 years for North Texas, and what are the chances it would happen the night before our longed for fingerprint appointment?

My sweet Craig got up early and spent an hour digging our cars out of the driveway, trimming and tying back tree limbs so we could open our gate and getting his car unstuck so we could go to our fingerprint appointment. The sweet part, really, is that he knew there was no way this gov't office was going to be open - but he really did it all because he loves me. Not only did he drive us there, but he sat outside the closed doors and darkened office of the USCIS Support Center while I repeated over and over, "I bet they're just running late. I bet they'll be here by 10. A lot of government offices are opening at 10. Maybe they're going to open." It was so pathetic in fact, that I mistook a lady in some kinda gettup with leg warmers and knit hat, for a USCIS worker because her jacket had patches on it. Turned out, when she got closer, they were Harley Davidson and NASCAR patches. He called the USCIS 800# at least 5 times trying to get more information and one time even ask if the supervisor for this particular Support Center had a cell # that we could call. Craig was pretty sure I had lost it at this point. So, if you look up desperate in the dictionary it says: "Jamey Porter on Friday, February 12, 2010 trying to get her fingerprints taken" Then my wise and obviously much more spiritually grounded husband said, "This is God's timing because He knows one of our children hasn't been born yet."
The good news is that there was a sign on the door (posted from the night before when they closed early) that we could come back anytime M-F between 8-2 and our appt would be expedited. They were closed today - Craig is not able to go Tues - Thurs, so we are going to give it another shot Fri morning. I plan to have my happy little self sitting outside that office at 7:45 am!!

I can't wait to share what the Lord CLEARLY spoke to me Sat morning during my personal quiet time with Him. Your hint is: Numbers 13-15

Also - if you placed an order with me, your order is shipping tomorrow. If you live in Arlington I am ready to deliver!!!

Fingerprint appt tomorrow ... maybe

I'm laying in bed posting from my iPhone because I'm too cold to get up and go to my computer. As we lay here, we just heard another tree limb break. That's because Texas trees are not meant to stand up under 10 inches of snow (and the snow's still falling). This is the biggest snowstorm in Texas history. It's really all fun and exciting, except that we have our fingerprint appt in the morning. Ugh! We can't seem to find definitive info as to whether the USCIS office will be open or not, so we are just praying that God will part the icy, snow covered streets and allow this to happen. Bottom line, however, is that I know that my Lord has plans for me (and our family) and they are plans to prosperous us, not to harm us; to give us a hope and a future with our children from Ethiopia. But I trust in YOU O Lord, I say 'You are my God !'" (Psalm 31:14)
We have precious friends (thank you Team Alexander) willing to take 4 extra kids in the morning while we venture out for this appointment- we promise to bring plenty of Shipleys donuts. I do not worry about getting there because I am married to 'adventure man'. As long as the USCIS office is open, Craig will make sure we get there!!
Please pray for God's favor in the morning!!

On a different note - 147million orphans has a new red Feed 1 shirt for me to sell. Pic is in right margin - check it out... Super cute!!

There goes another limb breaking! Yikes!!

The journey ...

Rock of Gibraltar - mountain in background is Africa -bring on the tears ... our children are just across the water

I have had numerous random thoughts floating around in my head lately. I want to get them down so I can remember all that my Father is teaching me (and our family).

One of the things I love the most about our adoption journey so far - are the tears. I love that Craig and I both can cry about almost anything. All it takes is the starfish story (if you don't know what I am referring to, please leave me a comment and I will post it), a verse, a testimony, a prayer, a song, talking about ALL our children, praying for ALL our children, for goodness sake - we cried during the kids movie "The Spy Next Door". I love that God is breaking our hearts for the things that break His. I love that the tears flow easily, generously and freely and that Craig is not embarrassed by it but excited about it. It makes me smile to imagine the tears of joy that will flow the day we see the faces of our children when we get our referral and especially when we FINALLY hold our children.

We can't explain it, but God has beckoned our hearts to Ethiopia, we can't explain it but we feel called to siblings, and we can't explain it but we believe they are under 4 years old. The truth is siblings under 4 are not very common - this requires FAITH on my part. Faith that God is in control - faith that HE has called us to this very place in the journey - faith that HE has called us to this journey in the first place. Honestly? my first reaction was to arrange the pieces and 'fix' it. We could adopt a single baby and not wait, we could adopt non-related children and just do the extra paperwork (for sure sign of crazy thinking), we could ... we could .... then God gently reminded me that I may make the plans, but HE guides my steps and we must commit our plans to Him in order for those plans to succeed (paraphrased from Proverbs). I believe in the very depths of my heart that God has always known are children (our 4 here, our 1 in heaven and our children in Ethiopia), and HE is preparing our children, to join their forever family. I know that God is placing His hand on our children and will bring them to us and us to them when the time is perfect. "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." John 14:18. Sometimes I ask God what our children look like, I ask Him what their personalities are like, I ask Him to just give me a little hint WHEN I will get to see their sweet faces, I ask my Father all kinds of things about our kids .... and I can't wait for HIS answers.

What are you going to do about it?

Many of you are familiar with this wonderful book, "The Hole in Our Gospel". I read it numerous months ago, but my mind keeps going back to many of the things I read in it. They have been swimming around in my head, I have been praying about them to God and I have been journalling about what God wants from me. Here is the question that really grabbed me. "What are you going to do about it?"

From Hole in Our Gospel:

"The question for us is whether we are willing to make that commitment - to live and act differently, and to repair the hole in our own gospel ... one who is determined to be the gospel to the world around him, it involves an intentional decision. It doesn't just happen. We won't really become change agents for Christ just by going to church every Sunday. We will have to make some "on purpose" life choices and then change our priorities and behavior. Only then can God transform us and use us to change the world. In the end God works in our world one person at a time...just one person at a time. You have the opportunity to be that person to someone who needs what YOU have to offer."

"What are YOU going to do about it?"

"What is God asking of you?"
"Are you willing?"

"But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." James 2:18

Over the past year we have been asked numerous times - Why adoption? Why Ethiopia? Why siblings? I personally have struggled to articulate the calling God has given our family. I love these words from Pastor John Thomas of Fish Hoeck Baptist Church in South Africa. When asked about the AIDS ministry of this church, Pastor Thomas said:

"This was not something we chose. It is something God put in our path. Wherever He leads, we will follow."

I pray this is true of the Porter Family ... wherever You lead, LORD, we will follow!

More choices !!!

I have added a few new fundraising items that you will LOVE! Check out the frayed baseball hat and the cow bone earrings. I know it sounds weird 'cow bone' - but they are beautiful!! An awesome addition to your Uganda bead necklace!! Something for him and something for her.