Day 30

Well since it is after midnight here and already 8/9/12 in China anyway

I can offically say we are on Day 30 of our LOA wait for Eli.

Lots of families have received LOAs lately and many have been 50-60 days range, but a few have been in 40s. So only God knows because there is no rhyme or reason to the different wait times. Unfortunately, some families wait up to 120 + days. But we rebuke that in Jesus name and claim a shorter wait time for both our boys LOAs. Amen!

I guess I need to print & start filling out I-800 paperwork to be ready when we get that phone call...

Oh that is THE phone call!

THE call that says he is YOURS...

Can NOT wait!!!

Meanwhile we are waiting for our new I-797 for Kai from USCIS. Today was one week since they received our Supp 3. I almost called our officer today...

But instead decided to let it be and focus on homeschool stuff. :)

So Zoe & I hopped in the van and drove an hour to this wonderful new store my friend Lindsey (Hi Lindsey) introduced me to called "Mardels".

Mardels is like a Lifeway Christian Store and a teacher supply store/curriculum warehouse combined, and on steriods as Zoe says.

LOL

I needed a get away afternoon and I LOVE spending time with my girl Zoe. We laughed and had such a good time. It was a quick trip, as we had to get back for church. But I am so glad we went. I cherish these moments with her, as she is growing up quickly. I am so blessed to be her mom!

Zoe's 15th Birthday July 18

So we got a few things to freshen up the ole' home school classroom & ate dinner at Panda Express.

We always love to read the fortunes, just for fun of course. We put all our trust in God, not a piece of paper out of a cookie (which by the way is not even really Chinese).

But if God can use a DONKEY (that's Bible people, check it out)...

He can use a piece of paper to encourage His people. And I for one will take all the encouragement I can get.

"YOU WILL TRAVEL FAR AND WIDE"

YES!!!!

Not that we didn't already know that... lol

But it's nice to hear/read those words. Even if it is just a piece of paper out of a cookie. Hehe!

And just to remind me daily, I have a set of luggage now sitting in my bedroom. :)

Now hurry up USCIS and send us Kai's I-797 and China PLEASE hurry and send us Eli's LOA.

Please continue to pray for Eli & Kai.

I have not gotten an update on Eli in a while. But trust he is well.

Kai needs some extra prayers, as one of the people he is close to had to leave Shepherd's Field and go back home to the US. So grateful for this young lady Melissa Polensky, who was working at Sheperd's Field doing therapy for the kids and teaching English for the summer, is a friend to Kai and advocated her heart out for him to find his family... our family.

Melissa & Kai Joseph July 21, 2012 at Shepherd's Field

Melissa is responsible for the blog http://hejustwantsafamily.blogspot.com/ which God used to help show us we were that family for him.

Thank you God for Melissa & please bless her tenfold!

She is back home on US soil now. And Kai is missing her...

He will also see three kiddos from SFCV leave with their forever families this month. What a blessing for those children and their families, but may be difficult for our Kai, as he still can not be told he has been matched and has a family waiting to bring him home.

Pray he continues to HOPE and God keeps him healthy.

Getting our classroom together and planning our homeschool year is making me all the more anxious to bring my two boys home. Please pray the paperwork and process moves quickly, and also that the finances would continue to come in. We have had a slow week and our LAPTOP GIVE AWAY is Sun 8/12/12 at 9pm CST. So there is still time to get those donations in to help pay for Kai's CCCWA fees. We also still have LOTS of puzzle pieces to help bring Eli home and pay for his Orphanage Donation fee. We may be half way to LOA and so we may have less than a month to come up with it.

Well, I was just going to drop a short note and look what happened...

I don't think my brain knows the word "SHORT"

Other than mine and my children's stature. lol

Heading to bed for a few hours sleep at least.

Thank you to all our prayer warriors and supporters. We couldn't do this without you.

Blessings,
Sherry