Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live... John 11:25
Thursday, January 31, 2013
I'm still an engineer...
AND, the coolest thing was the scanner. It was not ink, it was like a photocopier for your fingers, but with a really shallow depth of field, and would image the print just perfectly when you touched a thin film on the glass platen (not sure if it was functional or just to keep it clean). We each spent about 2 minutes at the machine, and had full prints done (rolls and all), then the guy just laser printed them out onto the cards. It was SO COOL. And we don't look like we just got back from the police station.
Providence
This leads me to my next point. We have thought about what to name Garnet, and were unclear on a middle name. We were casting about, playing the familiar mild-argument marital name-game, when we realized we had no idea what her real name meant (which I am not sure if we can disclose yet). Her mother had named her, probably knowing that she would give her up, and I wondered what runs through your mind when you are set on a road like that. Turns out, the name has two meanings, one of Russian origin and one of Hebrew. The Russian-derivative (probably what her mother thought) is "calm" or "tranquil". The Hebrew-derivative is "the Lord has redeemed".
And here is providence. Our sovereign God knows all things, and plans them out for His own glory and the good of His people. Our little girl will keep her name, as a middle name, to remind us that God has been working her whole life to bring her to us and to bring us to her. This reminder helped a great deal in working her into my heart. We only pray the more fervently that she would indeed be blessed to live up to her name.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
I just got an Email
UPS just emailed me to tell me that our documents have been signed for and received by the proper recipient in Garnet's country! Hurrah!
Hopefully we will know if we are officially matched soon.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Acts 20:24
"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."
Friday, January 18, 2013
First shipment
Our first packet of documents got sent off to Garnet's country! When these make it, the government of her country will reserve her file just for us!
Oh, and shipping to her country via UPS with a tracking number costs $120. Wow.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
First Home Study meeting is done!
This morning we met with our home study caseworker, and it went well! I found the stack of paperwork that she gave me to be less intimidating than I expected. And we already got copies of our certificates, which is required for this paperwork. This makes me feel very ahead of the game :-)
When we turn this paperwork in, we pay our fee, which I will put on our "timeline with $" page.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Home Study part 1
Our first in person meeting with our home study caseworker is on Wednesday. We are hoping that it goes smoothly, and that our caseworker is as excited for us to bring Garnet home as we are.
We are both First Aid certified now, and are working on completing CPR certification in anticipation that both of those certs will be needed.
I have my updated passport now, praise God.
Susanna from The Blessing of Verity was at Garnet's orphanage last week and though she didn't get to see her, it was for the wonderful reason that she was not in her crib, but up playing! Hooray!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
A Reprieve
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20130110/178694199/Bilateral_Russia-US_Adoption_Agreement.html
It looks like, according to this article, all 46 families who are in process with Russian adoptions will be able to continue. This is good news, no matter how small it may seem!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Notaries
Guess I'll be going back to the capitol later this week. At least the apostille itself is easy, once the papers are right.
Matthew 6
Some good verses...
vs 1: Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
vs 24-25: No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
vs 33-34: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Aack
I just got an email from our placing agency that was like "get moving!"
We have been too draggy. We have been acting like we have a lot of time when we don't.
On the plus side, since I am still waiting on my passport, I found out that I can use driver's license information on these documents.
Whew.