We are getting closer!

In our last blog entry, we mentioned the neat story about our friends, the Sanders. It is absolutely amazing to see how God orchestrates things to achieve His will.

My friend, Laura asked for our agencies' website so they could see pictures of Sarah Beth. Just out of curiousity they looked at the other children listed as well. One little girl seemed to resonate with them even though at the time they weren't seriously pursuing adopting again.

Laura asked me a few questions about cleft palate, since this child had a cleft lip and palate as well. After that conversation, we didn't discuss it much again until the night of our adoption party (see previous blog). Laura called me after they got home and said "please start praying!!"

Their middle son, Collin approached her and said that he felt certain the Lord wanted them to have this little girl. He said he didn't care about any of her "special needs" and he that just knew she was his sister. He said as they were coming home it was as if he could see her in their van beside him and she was holding his hand. Wow!! As we like to say around here... somtimes God whispers and at other times he shouts. All of us believed this was one of those shouting moments! The rest is history (His story) because about one week later she became their little Zoe and they are now in the process of adopting her.

We stand amazed at how God leads. Our friends the Harknesses helped guide us to the special needs list where we found Sarah Beth, and in turn, this led our friends, the Sanders, to that same list where they found their Zoe! We are so thankful the Lord makes His will so clear to us, even sometimes when we are not even aware we are searching for it.

To add to this wonderful news we received our LOA (Letter Seeking Confirmation of Adopter) yesterday from China. We checked the box saying yes "of course we want her" and sent it back Fed-Ex today. We also got her orphanage address and sent her two boxes with gifts for her, some of the other children and her nannies. We are finally going to be in China soon to bring her home where she belongs! We also bought her pink and green crib bedding to match Abby's room since she will be sharing a room with her Jie Jie (big sister). What has seemed like a dream for so long is finally happening!

Please pray for our paperwork to get expedited from Illinois to China so our agency can make our consulate appointment and we can come to China to get her. For some reason there is some confusion and things have been held up a little. Please pray we will have peace and trust that this is all in God's hands and we will get to China in His perfect timing.