Adoption verse & Prayer requests

This is one of today's posts from heartlight.........I thought it was appropriate and encouraging for the process we're in.

ADOPTED

Galatians 4:1-7
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Galatians+4:1-7

Dear Father,

Thank you for delivering us from slavery and immaturity. Thank you
for sending Jesus Christ at just the right time, in just the right
way, that he might redeem those under the law, and that we might
all receive the adoption as sons.

Thank you for sending the Spirit of your Son into our hearts,
crying, "Abba! Father," so that we are no longer slaves but sons.

In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

We are getting closer and closer every day to going on the 1st trip and meeting our little girl. I am calculating about 2 1/2 (weeks at the most) till we get the letter of invitation to go and meet her. I can't wait!!!!! I'm so excited about it that it's overwhelming. I'm having a hard time thinking about anything else, and yet, I'm also to the point of not knowing what else I can do about her right now. I know that I still need to get shots.........but will do that when Gary stops his temporary job next Thursday. We still have plane tickets and hotel money to figure out, as well as donations for the orphanage and gifts for our helpers. There isn't much I can do about that but sit back and trust that God will provide it all. We'll be having a garage sale after the 1st trip to help raise funds. We're also putting a flyer in the church bulletin to help get donations for the orphanage and helper gifts. We also have applied for several grants (for Hannah) and know that we need to resubmit grant applications for Isabelle, but this adoption is going so fast (for the 1st trip) that we won't have any responses on the grants until well after we're home from the 1st trip.

God has been good so far. Gary's temporary job, along with our own saving plan from my job, has provided the money for the "up front" costs and the 1st trip cash. Hopefully Gary will get a full-time teaching position very soon and then in the Fall (before going again), we'll hopefully be able to save much of the rest of it.

It definitely will all come together.......I just get concerned when I think about when it will come together or how we'll pay for the hotel and airline tickets. That seems to be the most expensive part of all of this.........

Though that's all true, nothing is compared to the anxiousness that I'm feeling about finally being a mom. I'm overwhelmed that I've waited so long and it's finally going to all happen. But, it's not just going to happen, it's going to happen with a beautiful little girl with a cleft palate. I've joined groups of other mothers with cleft affected children and have to say that I'm totally overwhelmed about all the surgeries and possible "failures" from the surgeries. It doesn't deter me 1 bit about going and getting Isabelle. But, it does make me wonder if I am going to be able to keep working once she comes home. I will want to be with her all the time for bonding at first, and then to be there to comfort her after the surgeries.........and then if something "doesn't take" with the palate surgery, I'll need to have it done again. Though I could probably wait til next summer (and maybe would have to anyway), I know me and I would want to get it done very quickly. I can't wait to have her in our arms and get her clefts fixed.

I can't wait to dress her up and love on her like there's no tomorrow!!!! I want to give her all the love and attention she's missed getting for the last year. I want to dote (sp?) on her like others have dotted (sp?) on their children. It WILL be hard financially..........we'd planned on me working full-time until Hannah comes home (now that may not happen) and then going part-time. Please pray that Gary gets a full-time teaching position soon and that he then gets two years behind him so that he can work towards a school counseling position (or another master's position in education). If he does that, he'll be able to make the money I'm making now.....which will help alot.

We don't know what God has planned, in anything, but especially in relation to our jobs. Only God knows.

Please pray for:

1. Gary's Full-time teaching position
2. Finances for the hotel and airline tickets for all 3 trips to Russia (we also still need to raise the cash for the 2-3 trips)
3. My counseling position -- what should I do? Stay full-time or go part-time or not work..........so many questions for me in this.

Terri for the Casebier's