Celebrating 15 Years!!!

Today, I celebrate 15 years of being married to my best friend! Our days have been filled with love, adventure and fun! And, now with our pending adoption, a new adventure is just beginning.

It's seems like since we've been together, God has had us on the 5 year plan! We started dating in college & married 5 years later. Then on our 5th anniversary, we bought our first home in Santa Monica. Then at our 10th anniversary, I was pregnant with our darling daughter, Kaitlyn. And now at 15 years, God has us starting a new adventure into the blessings (and challenges) of adoption. I think He must know that we're always ready for something new in our lives!

We are so thrilled as we are hearing the stories of many families from our adoption agency either traveling to Rwanda to finalize their adoptions or just recently getting back. The stories fill our hearts with joy & tears. Many of our friends and family keep asking us, when are you brining home your precious baby boy??? Well, here's our latest "timeline" which I understand can change on a daily basis. We've just begun the "paper pregnancy" or "paper chase" which takes about 3 - 10 months depending on how quickly we finish the paperwork. After the paper chase officially becomes our dossier, it then goes to the government of Rwanda. From there, it takes approximately 7 to 9 months to receive our "referral" for our little baby boy, and then we can make plans to travel.

So, here we sit with mounds of paperwork, but are encouraged weekly by our new family coordinator and our social worker. We also plan to have our first home study visit with our social worker when we return from vacation in early June (yeah!).

So the answer to the question "when will he be here?" is difficult to say, but Lord willing, by this time next year!!!!! But with international adoption that can change on a daily basis, so we'll keep you posted!

So today I'll close with some favorite verses that have become our daily affirmation: "Rejoice in the Lord always I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " Philippians 4:4-7