Heavy Joyful Heart

I woke up this morning with a heavy but joyful heart.  The last two mornings the first thing I have thought of is our CLOSE court date and how soon I will  meet my son.  But this morning, the second thought that ran through my mind almost as quickly was that his relative will reliquinsh rights in less than a week and how heartbroken this relative must be.  I have spent the day burdened by this thought.  I have also been wondering when SS will be told he has a family, and ... will he be happy to hear that news?  I SO want him to be happy and we pray daily that God will place in SS's heart an understanding that we love him and want him and that he is already a Porter in our hearts.  So, while I celebrate the wonderful news this week - it is possible that there is a gentlemen in Ethiopia grieving for what he is selflessly doing next week, all because he loves SS so much!!

COURT DATE!!!

We received the amazing news today that we have been assigned a May 9th court date!!  Praise Jesus!  We will get to meet our son on May 8th and become his parents on May 9th - Lord willing! 

Psalm 66:16,19-20
Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what He has done for me.
God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld His love from me!"

Blessed in the waiting

The one thing I know about adoption is it will require a tremendous amount of patience.  It seems at every turn the name of the game is hurry up, hurry up and WAIT!!  We waited for news about a little boy ready to be adopted, we waited for God's clear direction on which way to go between 2 boys, we waited for the official referral paperwork, we waited for support raising and funds to officially accept the referral, we waited to be submitted to court .... and NOW we wait for word on our court date.  We were submitted to court a week ago and are hopeful we will receive word of an assigned court date soon.  The hardest thing about waiting is staying busy and keeping my eyes on the Lord.  I have been very blessed that HE has provided opportunity for both of these things.  It isn't hard to stay busy when I homeschool 4 children, have a VERY VERY VERY active 2 year old, care for 2 goats - one of which is pregnant, train a new puppy, help Craig run a home health agency,  and study like crazy for my Bible class.  Keeping my eyes on HIM is a different story... it's so easy for me to get too busy for prayer, too preoccupied for reading His Word, too overwhelmed to depend on Him for everything.  But HE is faithful and has provided me opportunity after opportunity to remain in HIM.  Craig and I were blessed to go to Laguna Beach for the Seed Company conference.  I have so much on my heart that I want to share, once I process it all.  Truly amazing organization and truly amazing kingdom vision !!!!  I also am blessed to be studying systematic theology once a week thru a Bible class at church.  I love all that I am learning about our sovereign and mighty God!

I can hardly wait to post once we get our court date!! I continue to be humbled and blessed by the amazing adoption journey.  I am SO grateful God calls us to care for the orphans - James 1:27.  It has changed our family and has certainly changed me.