...

Dot. Dot. Dot.

 

That seems to be the best I have right now.  Dot. Dot. Dot. usually is used to represent that there is something more...known or unknown...in my case it means that we're waiting...still...

 

Last week we hit an unscheduled delay in the process.  The Consulate in Guangzhou found itself in a lock down and then closed state for 4 days.  This meant that close to 100 families who were there for the final step in the journey to bring their children home were stuck...waiting... until it re-opened and the official swearing to love and care forever could take place.

 

It also meant that the final approval that we received from USCIS (US Customs & Immigration Services) for Olivia's visa (I think that is what this particular approval was for...) couldn't be delivered because there was nobody to receive it...

 

And so we wait...The Consulate has re-opened and I understand that our paperwork is to be delivered today.  And with its delivery the two-week countdown clock will start until it can be picked up again.  And then it will be transferred to the Chinese Child Welfare office and we will wait (hopefully very briefly) for them to issue our TA (Travel Approval).  Then within 24-48 hours we should know when our Consulate Appointment will be and we will be BOOKING PLANE TICKETS and GOING TO OLIVIA!

 

But for now...

 

We wait...

 

And pray...

 

Join me? 

 

I'm praying hard for perspective.  There are families in Oklahoma who have just tragically lost their children.  I'm waiting on a stamp on a piece of paper...to go get my daughter who is being well cared for...

 

I know that the plan that God has is always so much better than any that I could orchestrate, I just believed that I had a really good one.

 

A sweet friend who is also waiting just shared her verse for the day,

"One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind."
Ecclesiastes 4:6

Along with the comment, "I am striving after wind when I should be resting and knowing that God is taking care of this!"  Thanks for the reminder, Amy!