Adoption Update

Adoption Update...What does that even mean anymore? I wish I had an awesome update for you but here we sit still waiting.
In my last post a month and a half ago you learned that there had been a big misunderstanding and that Mr Easton was actually NOT through the investigation process. I still can not publicly go into details here. Many of you who know us well, know the whole story of the mistake and how much of a roller coaster ride that was. Now we try to continue to move forward.
I can tell you that the embassy of Easton's birth country is still trying to unfold his past and discover his orphan status. After him being matched with us and waiting in foster care for a YEAR AND THREE MONTHS, in our minds he IS adoptable and is already our son in our hearts but the embassy wants more solid evidence of his orphan status. So we wait while they investigate. Insert gritting teeth and maybe a few curse words here . . . and then confession and learning even more surrender to God.

SURRENDER has become a big word in my head. Surrender, peace, trust, rest, and OBEDIENCE. I saw a saying on Facebook somewhere, I don't even remember where, but it's on the fridge now. "The victims of injustice don't need our spasms of passion, but our long obedience in one direction." That is exactly what this feels like. Long obedience. The Bible talks a lot about how if we love God then we will obey Him. We've decided that until God closes the door completely, then we continue to step forward in obedience. Sometimes that looks a lot like standing still. Sometimes that looks like insanity, but even in these uncertain times we are still actually moving forward. That moving forward may not be a trip to Africa just yet. Each day of waiting is another opportunity to surrender these adoptions to God. Another chance to move forward in our knowledge of who God is.  It's another day to be reminded that mountains are moved at the time He tells them to move. They are not moved by our worry. There is much to be learned in waiting. Many times it may feel like a waste but I know it is not. I don't think we are not allowed to be frustrated in the wait. If it was easy then how would we ever learn to surrender? It's up to us to choose to not allow the frustrations form bitterness in our hearts.

As of right now we are hopeful. Many of you know that recently the country decided not to issue exit letters in order for kids to leave the country with their adopting parents. They have also released that IF you had a certain letter (we'll call it the B letter) before a certain date, that you would be eventually approved to exit the country with your adopted child. We have that letter!!! So we feel hopeful that once Easton's investigation is passed and he receives his visa then whenever we do travel that he will be able to come home with us... eventually. I will not stand solidly on that but it gives us hope! SO, if his investigation is finished soon then we COULD be leaving in the next few months.

We are still waiting on Miss Josephine's court documents. The last I heard they were only waiting for one piece of paper work. Then we wait for translations of those documents, then apply for her I600, then her investigation starts. And at this point we don't know how the country will deal with exit letters when she is passed through everything else and just waiting to come home.

Please pray we hear good news soon about Easton's investigation! Please pray that the country begins issuing more exit letters. There are lots of families there waiting to bring their kids home. Some who even had to return home without their children. Pray for Josephine's court documents to be finished up soon. Pray for the safety of our kids and that they stay healthy as they wait. Also please pray that God continues to provide the funds to keep this going. He's brought us so far! We just recently paid our last payment to our agency, however, there is still foster care cost for each month that our kids wait and we are running lower and lower every month. There will still be all the travel cost in the future as well. I am not worried because God has already showed us His provision and if He wants this to come to completion that He will continue on. We did recently send in an application for the Show Hope grant! Wowser that was a lot of work! It will be some time before we hear anything on that.

Thank you everyone for continuing to pray and support us. I'm sure it's difficult to continue to believe that anything will ever happen as you watch us wait and wait and wait. So those of you who continue to encourage us along the way, you are greatly appreciated and loved!

 https://www.adopttogether.org/crawfords