One step forward

Well, we received some good news today. Our home study agency emailed and said they have received the paperwork they needed to get our license in order to adopt through DCFS. Basically, that means we have everything we need to complete our home study and send it to DCFS for approval. Now we just need that home study.......

Our social worker will write the HS, send me a draft-I will proof it and if it's ok, he will send it on to our agency for them to proof. If it meets all of their requirements it can go to DCFS for final approval. Once we have an approved HS, we can finish up our dossier and sent it off to get authenticated and get it on it's way to Ethiopia.

I know, I know.......so many steps. It's mind blowing. It's really a shame that there are so many steps and hoops to jump through. I know that it scares many people and that is one reason why they don't adopt. So sad. There are millions of orphans who need homes and just not enough families that will go through the steps to get them. Believe me, this has been so hard. I have been an emotional wreck but I know I am doing the right thing. God would not want me to give up because of paperwork, so I must keep going and plugging away day to day. For those of you maybe considering adoption, just do it. Don't let the craziness stop you. I know it will be so worth it when I see the child God has picked out for our family. With every step closer, I get more and more excited about meeting our child.

I will ask for prayers for Haiti in the aftermath of the horrible earth quake. Darren is/was planning a mission trip to Haiti this summer to work at an orphanage. We have gotten word from God's Littlest Angels orphanage that they are all safe right now. But the future is scary...they rely on volunteers to come and take care of the babies and children. But no one will be allowed in and out of the country for some time. We are not sure if they have electricity, which they need for the incubators for some of the sick babies. At this point we have no way to contact the orphanage and we are not sure if our church group will be able to go in June or not. Please pray for Haiti and all who are there now and for those going to help with the rescue.