Unexpected

We have really been praying about what do regarding the remaining funds we anticipate needing for our adoption. We have had yard sales, dinners, sold calendars, done restaurant fundraisers. We have also applied for every grant that we could find. There have been individuals prompted by God's still small voice who have donated. Through all of this God had blessed us with $44,000. However, we are still expecting to have a need of somewhere between $5-7,000 to complete our adoption. The amount is hugely dependant on how much longer our kiddos are in foster care, final fees and flights.
Our prayer had been to really seek what our next step should be. We know that God will provide, but what should we do as part of that. Should we plan more fundraisers, have a yard sale or... just wait and trust? Well last week we deposited $700 that came for two individuals who love and support us and from the selling of 2 items that had been donated to us. We have continued to pray and seek Him. Tonight I opened an email from a couple who has been so very encouraging and supportive of us through this journey. The email was so kind and edifying and also humbling. This couple had been blessed with a financial gift. And because of their love for us and their hearts for adoption they are going to be using their gift to send us $2,000 for our adoption!!! So now, our total so far is $46,700!
God is at work in this adoption!! He is moving and leading. He is growing the faith of our family. We are grateful He has called us to this.
Praise Him for what He has done and continues to do. And then please continue to pray for our approval and visas to happen quickly.

Embassy Update

Thank you so very much to all of you who prayed for our Embassy appointment this morning. And thanks to all those who have check in to see how things went. Everything went well. I had hoped for an "approval" today, but apparently I had misunderstood and they will not approve us until they investigate. The goal of the investigation is to make sure that the whole adoption in legitimate and that our children truly are orphans. Our agency has told us that the investigation and issuing of visas can take 2-8 weeks. I know that is a big span. However, once that is complete then it is just a matter of Exit approvals and travel!!!
Please pray for God to continue to work in all of this. Pray for HIS timing and HIS will. We really want everything to happen on the shorter end of the timeline. But we know that God is in control and He knows what is best for us and our children. Please also continue to pray for finances. We will owe our final payment soon.
Oh and I almost forgot...we received new pictures of the kiddos today. They are precious!! It was so good to see their sweet faces.

Please pray

We would like to ask everyone to be in prayer for our Embassy Appointment that takes place Monday morning (August 8) at 6am our time. Our children will be appearing at the US Embassy in Africa. This appointment is HUGE in our adoption process. Please pray that all goes well and that we are APPROVED. An immediate approval will move things forward in our process of bringing our children home!!
We will update once we hear something... we are just not sure when we will hear.

For those of you who know me (Carrie) you know that I am kind of quirky/OCD about things. I like things even, straight and balanced...that includes pictures, furniture, checkbooks. I know... I am weird. I know you are probably wondering why I am telling you this.
Well, tonight I logged in to my email and found we had a donation through our blog. It was from my precious sister and her family. The thing that caught my attention about the donation was the amount- $66. I wondered why in the world such a number. So I then logged on to our blog to check our thermometer. Guess how much we lacked at being at $44,000?? That is right- $66!!!! Not only is this great for my crazy, weirdness, but it is great because $44,000 is the goal we originally had for what we expected our total adoption cost to be. (Our last post explains why we had to change that goal a bit).
The truly amazing thing when you think about our thermometer is that early last year when God called us to this journey, we wondered how we would "afford" to adopt 1 child. And then God led us a step further to adopt not 1, but 2- thus increasing the funds needed. It is so very amazing to see where we are financially- and ALL of it we give GOD the glory for!! I have read time and again that "God funds what He favors."
Thank you so much to all of you who have been used by God to help us come this far. I have said it before and I will say it again- I cannot WAIT to see how He finishes this up!! Thank you Jehovah Jireh- The Lord Will Provide!!!