sisterly love

natalie & lynsey making a blanket for emma...it is so cute :0)

i-797 approval

today we received our i-797 approval document...this is the document that give us permission to bring emma lael into the u.s.a
found out today from our adoption agency that we will be matched (find out who emma lael is) on the next shared list which will come out between may 21-24...garrett's graduation ceremonies are the entire weekend of may 21-23...what an exciting few days this will be garrett graduation & us finding out who are new daughter is...OMG what a memorable weekend that will be.
our documents were sent today by our agency to secretary of state to be certified...will be returned to agency on monday or tuesday of next week then they will be sent to chinese consulate in houston, tx to be authenticated.,..then dossier to china Yippee Yippee ;)

all things work together

natalie & i had a conversation on the way to school today about adoption & emma lael...our conversations as a rule are upbeat and positive...i do tell her the good bad & ugly to the best of my ability which is limited because we've never adopted before... i felt a bit of panic set in...yes, i've had that panic feeling before...i don't always have warm & fuzzy thoughts...i do panic...i ponder my life with a toddler at age 46...how will it all mesh together a college student, high school student & a toddler...it will be a huge change in my daily routine...it will challenge every fiber of who i am...that's not to say in anyway i have doubt, i don't...i am realistic knowing this will be a life changing for not only me but kent, garrett & natalie...the sisler family we're ready for the changes, challenges, joys but do we truly know what's in store for us???...not at all.
for many orphans there lives in the orphanage can be hell on earth...some don't know how it feels to be loved...held tightly...kissed & hugged from a person who adores them...to have a bed time story read to them is foreign at every level...to be fed with a bottle that is held by a loving caretaker...to be played with...i could go on and on...the environment that some of these children live in is honestly beyond what i can or want to image...silent tears a book that will rock your world.
as a mother these all seem to be a "given" to give to your children...i need to realize that emma lael whoever she is...may not have the basic nurturing that garrett & natalie were given...with this comes great risk, fear & panic big time.
God is FAITHFUL...God knows what kent & i can handle...i talk to God like i talk to a friend while i'm driving...in the shower...making dinner...cleaning the house...yes, i do pray but most of the time i'm talking with Him as raw & real as i can be...after all He knows exactly how i'm feeling...the bottom line is God has called kent & i to do this...we resisted initially but now we know this is what we've been called/asked to do...we know without any hesitation the adoption of emma lael is what we are do to and want to do...i read this verse daily it keeps me grounded and knowing that God will "work it out" i don't have to.
all things work together and are for God's good for those who love the Lord. Romans 8:28...i love God and He's got my back...He's got it under control and i need to relinquish that control to him the sooner the better...i can type this out tell myself hundreds of times a day but i still struggle with not being in control of this adoption process...a lesson i've not mastered but am trying very hard to get better at.
i know God doesn't expect us to be perfect or 100% prepared He's just asking us to trust Him...trust Him we will.

emma wear goes southwest

natalie & claudia visit grammie for spring break in AZ...looking good ladies in your emma wear :)

emma wear

natalie & ayden wearing emma wear tanks...you look great girls ;)

immigration finger prints DONE!

yesterday we received our documents with the date 4-19-10 to have our immigration finger prints done...this will allow us to bring emma lael into united states after her adoption...today garrett & i went to immigration in atlanta and walked in had our prints done 10 DAYS early...for those of you who adopt you know every single day makes a huge difference...kent will go monday morning to have his done...with this savings of 10 days we will without any doubt (i hope) have our dossier to china in may...

plain & simple...peace & proof

by nature, i am an impatient person…this adoption process has taught me if you want (still not easy) and preserve, nothing is impossible...as we wait anxiously...( for me, impatiently) to be matched with our daughter...i am so very thankful that God has chosen our family to adopt a little girl...we could be matched anytime after april 19...God really is the only one who knows who she is...where she is...how old she is...what her special need is...when we will see the first snap shot of our little girl, emma lael.

it's been 6.5 months since we began the adoption paper work...it's been over 18 months since kent & i started discussing adoption...last year at this time we were talking about adopting a little girl from china a year later we're adopting...the coolest part of this entire journey is God has had this planned since the day He created kent & i...

to humble yourself "under the mighty hand of God, that is due time He may exalt you" 1 peter 5:6 means to ask the Lord for what you need and then wait on Him to provide as He sees fit, knowing that His timing is always perfect. are you humbling yourself under His hand in every situation of your life and trusting that He knows what is best for you? He has great plans fro you, so i encourage you to be still, stop striving, and allow Him to show you how to cooperate with His purposes for you.
also, be sure to cast all your cares upon the Lord 1 peter 5:7. do not worry about anything because staying peaceful is actually proof that you have humbled yourself and that you trust God to do what needs to be done.