Thursday, March 25, 2010

My God is still in the miracle business!

Before I say anything, I want to ask you to please not share this. Our agency specifically asked us not to post about our situation on any yahoo group or public forum. Since this is my personal blog, I do want to share. But I ask you to please not post about our situation anywhere.


Secondly, I want to reiterate that our agency has a firm rule about bringing home only one child at a time. I ask you to PLEASE not think that because of our situation that this is something that our agency allows. It is not, and our situation is completely miraculous-- nothing they ever even requested.


Now. Where do I begin? I am going to try to make an incredibly long story short... And yes, it has been almost impossible to keep this a secret for the past few days.


I guess I should start by saying that we knew before we even found Grace that our agency had a rule about adopting two children at once. They had made this decision and not taken it lightly. While we always knew that it would be nice if we could go in one trip for both Charlie and Grace, we never questioned our agency's rule. We had people mentioning from the moment we saw Grace that they were praying for us to "somehow be able to travel for both in one trip." And while at the beginning, I prayed along, I soon began to just explain that it's against our agency's rule and we would be going in two trips. We worked on our dossier, fully expecting to meet Charlie in April/May and Grace in the fall.



On Wednesday, March 17, our dossier for Grace went to China. We were DTC and one huge step closer to our girl. What we didn't know at that time, is that our Letter of Acceptance was being issued THAT DAY. (It was the 18th in China.)



Fast forward to Friday. Mom gets a call from our agency and they inform her that we have a big decision to make. Mom was expecting the worst, but instead, got some pretty amazing news.



Our agency was just as stunned as we were upon hearing it. They had no idea. They have never mentioned a thing or ever asked the C2A2 for us to go to China in one trip. Yet, our agency received an email asking if we would like to bring home Charlie and Grace at the same time. Although this is typically against their rule, since the C2A2 had already approved us to adopt both at once, our agency decided to let us make the decision. Mom quickly said YES. After she calmed down a bit, we decided to ask some questions on timing, as we didn't want Charlie to wait too much longer, and if we had Charlie's TA before Grace's LOA, then we would go ahead with 2 different trips (our agency had said that our LOA would be expediated. We just didn't know how long "expediated" was.)



Our question was answered on Monday when Mom got the call that our LOA was here. The craziest thing about it all is that our dossier arrived in China on Monday, 3/22. Our LOA arrived at our agency on Monday, 3/22. This is UNHEARD of. It's just not something that happens.



We were blown away. I don't think there's any other way to describe the feelings. We were in complete and utter shock and amazement, blown away by God's perfection. Even now that our LOA has arrived here, we have held it, seen it, signed it, and sent it back... it is still hard for me to comprehend the fact that Grace's LOA is here.



I don't know why I ever doubted Him and His perfect timing. Isn't this so like God? These are the kinds of things he does... He blows us completely out of the water and does things that are honestly unbelievable. Just because He can. I have no doubt that God has amazing things planned for this little girl's life. I just can simply not believe that we have our LOA for her. Did I mention that things like this just. don't. happen?



To GOD be the glory, great things he has done.



We are expecting to travel to China at the beginning of June. We will be there for around 3 weeks... a week in each province and a week in Guangzhou. Oh and by the way......... we now have a dossier which, in our agency's words, is "just waiting for the next adoption." :)

34 comments:

Nightingale said...

Oh. WOW.

That is the most amazing thing I have heard recently. China basically issued your LOA before your dossier even ARRIVED!!! That is totally a God-thing. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Congratulations.
~Courtney

Judi said...

What wonderful news!!! Congratulations and all glory to God!

Anonymous said...

Oh. My. Goodness. Or should I say "Oh, HIS goodness!". What a story you will have to share with these kiddos - how MUCH God loves them to bring them home like this!!!! SO EXCITED FOR YOU ALL!!!!!

Liesl

Robin said...

THERE IS NO WORDS OTHER THAN PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GREAT MERCY!!!! I am in awe!!!! What a HUGE blessing!!!!!

Catherine said...

PRAISE GOD!!! How cool is this!!! It seemed to be taking forever for your approval to go and get Charlie and now we know why. All along God was preparing both Charlie and Grace for you to bring home together.

So very, very happy for you and so excited (and yes, jealous :o) that you get to go back to China this year. What a treat to visit 3 provinces! Wheee!!!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!!

Wolfes Home said...

To God be the glory for sure!!! Wow, wow, wow! He is GOOD!

Sue said...

That is awesome.....I know the feeling (as we adopted two non related children in 2005, it was unheard of)..Good is Awesome...congrats

Kristi said...

Yep. Only God! So amazing...

Dana said...

What a wonderful surprise and isn't it just like God??

Debbie said...

God is SO Good! Awesome news! Two more sweeties coming home, AT THE SAME TIME! Woo Hoo!

Julie said...

awesome! now it's understood why it took forever for Charlie's stuff to come...GOD wanted them brought home TOGETHER! whoo hoo!

sandj said...

As for God his way is perfect.
Wonderful and amazing news for your family- Congratulatons and best wishes for the future for such a sweet family.
Praise belongs to His name!

Patty said...

OH MY WORD!!!!! How wonderful....How exciting!!! WHAT A BLESSING!!! I am so excited for these children to join your home. What a blessing they will be to you and oh how you will bless them. I will continue to read your blog and hear all the details as they unravel.

Kathy said...

Wow! Soon you will have TWO
of His little ones home!!!
God is so Good!!!
To Him be the glory!!!
Such a beautiful reminder
that God is in control!

Jenn said...

I love it, I love it, I LOVE it when God comes shining through!! When you can't say anything but, "God did this!!"

And I needed to hear this story and be reminded, once again, that if we just say "yes" to God and be willing to follow Him wherever it is He is leading us, He WILL be with you. Why do I doubt and feel like I'm the one that has to make things happen!?

So happy for you and rejoicing with you!!!

The Greens said...

So so so so happy for you!! Can you send some of your good luck my way?!!!

--Christianne

By the way, I know it's not really luck. (;

Heather said...

Praise God .. is there anything else to say!

Can't wait to follow along my friend.

Mrs. Winn said...

What a beautiful story He is writing in the lives of Grace & Charlie and your family. So cool to see how His perfect timing is indeed that- just perfect! We serve an AMAZING God!!
~Kelly

Katie said...

Praise the Lord that He still works miracles! I'm in awe of what He is doing in and through your family.

Sammy said...

I think we were DTC and got our LOA the same time as you. : - ) See you in China.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! Can't wait till you can go! So neat too that you have a dossier just sitting there waiting for a person to go with it! Maybe a little brother for Charlie???? What a wonderful miracle!

Cortney
www.dotsonshome.net

Global Girl said...

Congrats!!!!

Nicole said...

LOVE this!! God is so good!!!

Kim said...

Oh my goodness, this news has given me goosebumps!Congratulations!!
I am so excited for you all and so amazed at God's plan!!
Love, Kim D.

Anonymous said...

"My God is an Awesome God"1!! Wow - you guys must be over the moon stunned and excited. To think you are going to get a new little brother AND sister in less than 3 months!!

So very excited for you! Your family has been on my prayer requests on my blog for a bit - let me know if it is better that I remove it!

Blessings, Ashley

Anonymous said...

AWESOME GOD!

Janet and Kevin said...

Yippee Jesus - the only explanation! We are so happy for you all!

China here you come!!

Hugs,
Janet and gang

Amy said...

AMAZING!!
God is good all the time!!!
sooo excited for you all. . . your entire family is in our prayers!

To God be the Glory!

Jen Barbee said...

Incredible!! Once again God shows us that He is bigger than any rule, any entity, and anyone !!! What an amazing story to share with your Amazing Grace!

Caroline said...

Yeah, how absolutely awesome!!!!!
PTL,
Caroline and family

Wife of the Pres. said...

Congratulations y'all!!! I loved reading the story here. And that picture of Grace … what a beautiful smile! I know you all can't wait to see Charlie smile too!

I still can't believe it, but you are so right Emily that God is still in the miracle business!!! He has been working overtime too. ;)

We may see you in Chongqing yet, and I may be going after all. I'm emailing y'all. I would've sooner but had only my phone and couldn't remember Pam's email. :)))

Laurie said...

What a HUGE blessing- that's wonderful!

Lori said...

We serve a wonderful God. Praise the Lord for your wonderful good news!!

In Jesus,
Lori

Dawn said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I jut discovered your blog from a Yahoo Group post. I will be following this and Charlie's blog (signed up for updates on it). A WC is weighing on my heart as we look for where to go for adoption #2.