Then you go straight and straight and straight...

I knew a little girl once who kindly took the time to explain how I could drive to her grandma's house.  She told me first you go right, then you go left, then you go straight and straight and straight for a really long time- then you can be at grandma's house.  That's the part we are in this evening- the "straight" part.  That next step we are waiting on  is taking longer than it usually does based on recent experiences.  We are about a month behind the current norm, and I've been adjusting to the idea of not holding her for her second birthday.  Not. Easy.  But there IS a bedrock beneath that.  I trust her Father with all our lives!

The whereabouts of our dossier have been confirmed, so there is no problem- which is a big relief!  We are just being processed very slowly overseas...so...we find ourselves again in a stall pattern only God can move.  And He will, in His timing.  Prayers for Vivienne, us, and for some real momentum this spring please!  We need some happy, helpful processors and officers on both sides of the ocean at this point!

Backing up to January, when we received PA for Vivienne.  Having PA means that C* essentially likes us for this child and that we can now send her a care package.  So...we did!

These are some of the pieces of Vivienne's care package.  They have been waiting since before we knew we had a little girl.  Packages have a better chance of arriving with a forwarding service, so we sent ours to wonderful Ann at Red Thread.  Ann is a super star in the adoption world, with single name level fame- you can just say "Ann!"  Ann also does personal shopping, so we had her add several things to our package that might not have traveled as well or as lightly, including cookies and tea for the staff for C* New Year.  Ann also does translating (Sensing a pattern?  She's a busy lady!), so we wrote a letter thanking the staff and asking a few questions.  This is pretty standard, and adoptive parents receive updated information and photos this way.  So we sent our package to C*, excited about something of ours making its way to our daughter, hoping she received it, and looking forward to an update!

We watched other families receive updates and waited some more.  Finally, I followed up with Ann, who said that the package had been delivered, but that our particular orphanage had a new policy and did not allow unofficial updates.  Sigh.  

Soooo...we are looking forward to receiving LOA for two reasons now.  Besides it's big-time importance in the adoption process, between LOA and travel (probably very close to travel), our agency can request an official update, and we can know more about my sweet girl.   

While we wait and wait and wait, the Lord is ministering to us through the most amazing, loving friends and family.  We are also blessed with all kinds of work to do and events.  Sometimes, it is a mercy to be busy!   

Prayer requests are for Vivienne's care and preparation, for real movement in God's timing, for providence, and for wisdom as we take one step and another moving forward.  Thank you all so much!  We will keep you updated!