New Year~Amazing Update

So, the last time I posted we were on the brink of a New Year. Now I have to tell you how God has shown me that this year is going to be an amazing year. Above is our big guy! Gabriel in all his glory! You know how I said the overwhelming emotions of looking at that dossier packet just made me almost nauseous. Well, I could not take it anymore. I sat down this morning and just prayed, prayed and prayed some more. I was asking my Holy Strength to show me what I needed to focus on and what to hand over to Him. This walking parallel in joy & pain is hard to learn & I am really just learning to maneuver again. I know with Christ as my guide I can do it but sitting down with the paperwork.....well, that is when the change in elevations(pain/joy) really makes me dizzy.

So I was knee deep in the new "Hague" process of our dossier packet and filling out my I-800A when I got to a place that this old dog had not been before and knew I would have to bug my coordinator for help. Nicole answered and said, "you got my email!" I then proceeded to say no and go into the reason I called. She informed me very quickly to stop working and open my email. When I did God answered my prayers for the morning.....attached were the above photos. With these photos came updated height & weight info and this message from the in country facilitator:

"The orphanage staff said Bao Guo is very out going, when they took photo for him , after he know this is for his new parents, he said,"tell my parents bring lots snacks."

Wow, not only did I get an answered prayer but one with a message from my son. I have never in my time with the adoption community heard of such a thing or seen a referral/update picture with a child so happy. To try to explain to you the peace that washed over me at that moment is impossible. I can only tell you that only the peace of God could be that encompassing. What a treasure and once again I am humbled by His attention to details in my small life.

So many of you know what is like to have only a picture or two and a handful of information to hold on to while months of paperwork and preparation tell you that your dream is real. You hold on with faith and trust that God will keep His promise and you will hold this precious gift in His perfect timing. Until that day every morning & night as a mother, your prayers are filled with this child.....please let him be warm, fed enough and just by chance with only the grace of God maybe an embrace or nurturing moment. You are worried will your child be O.K. until you can start to physically care for them. I can not tell you how amazing it was to see these pictures and know without a doubt my Gabriel is being loved. In every way it seems his needs are being met and the peace that comes with that is so energizing. God knows I need that to keep focused on Him and the joy He can only provide. The energy from His given joy will make walking parallel to pain possible.

New Year....2010, I see it as a glorious, amazing year. Yes, I will always walk parallel to pain until I hold my Anna again but oh, the JOY my Savior is showing me. Beautiful, pure joy in the kind, smiling eyes of my Gabriel.

Happy New Year everyone and I hope you will join us in this journey. I will be
posting on AFF's website also and just like my walk it will parallel to this blog. I plan on posting & giving information about our journey to Gabriel here.

Hugs,
Jo

I Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."