New meaning to the word "WAIT"

I looked up the word "wait" in the dictionary this morning....it means "to remain inactive or in a state of repose as until something expected happens" or "to look forward to eagerly". We are choosing to "look forward to eagerly" rather than remaining inactive. In the whole scheme of things, we haven't been waiting that long....only 5 months really. Some families have waited for years. The difficult part is not knowing how long the waiting will last. I am finding strength in

Psalms 27: 13-14 "I am still confident of this: We will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

After the festival season ended in Nepal two weeks ago, we were hoping to hear news of families receiving approval to travel & others being matched with children but it has been so quiet! Within the last week, there has been a lot of unrest in Nepal involving the Maoists & they are threatening more unrest unless their demands are met, which could mean a shut down of the government. We are praying for peace, praying that the Nepali people will be safe & that the children waiting for families will soon be united with them!

Our cookbooks are here!

It continues to be very quiet on the adoption front due to the festival season in Nepal. Doug and I were joking together the other day and said we wish we had a "season" like this in the USA. Where everything shuts down for basically a month....we just have to settle for 3 day weekends :) It sounds like everyone goes back to work in Nepal next week on the 21st so we are looking forward to things moving ahead again!

In the meantime, the cookbook that we put together (450 recipes from family & friends) to help with our dream of bringing our little girl home ~ has arrived!! I'm really pleased with how it turned out & it is full of delicious recipes! I can't wait to share it with our little girl someday & teach her how to cook! We are selling them for $15.00. If you'd like one, just post a comment & we'll get one to you!

Will a new season bring news?

"Adoption is not for the faint of heart" ~ I read this quote somewhere at the beginning of our adoption process & as each day passes I think I understand this a little...although at times I feel "faint of heart" with the waiting. The past two weeks have been pretty quiet due to festivals in Nepal where everything including government offices close. Before this, there was news of lots of families being matched with their children. The festival has ended, so back to work in Nepal this week. We are hoping to soon learn what our "legal number" is so that we will have a general idea of where we may be in line.

Doug and I have enjoyed thinking and talking about our upcoming trip to Nepal....which hotel we might stay in, which airline to use, how to decorate her room, possible names etc. It is fun to dream & plan (as much as we can). I am excited to think "Pink", definitely something new around our house full of boys :)

Life continues to go on as we wait....the boys are enjoying school, playing football & soccer & other things boys like to do. Doug and I celebrate our 14th anniversary this week & I am so blessed to have such an incredible husband!!

The excitement is building!

I have been following the blogs of two families who are currently in Nepal to adopt their daughters. It is so much fun to follow their journeys....now I'm not only checking email but looking forward to reading their stories every day. Their little girls are so precious and it makes me so anxious to know who our little girl is and to bring her home!! But for now, I will live vicariously through them :)

We made a really neat connection this past weekend! We visited a church in Harrisburg that is multi-cultural....Black, White, Asian, Indian etc. worshipping together. It was a wonderful experience and what we desire for our church to look like! As we were leaving, there were two Indian women standing outside and I just had to ask where they were from....Shanti told me she was from South India but had lived in Nepal and speaks Nepali fluently. She said she would love to meet with us and answer any questions we have. This is so awesome....we really want to learn some of the Nepali language and anything else about Nepal that we can. I also love the fact that we will be able to connect with other Nepali/Indian people for our daughter's sake to celebrate her culture!! I walked away from talking with Shanti knowing that God had planned that specific moment in time!!

The rumor is that 180 other families have been matched with children and should be notified within the next month....we don't expect to be in this group but are hoping to be in the next wave of referrals....we'll keep you posted!

It's a new day!!

Things are moving forward in Nepal! Today the first 3 families, who were matched with their children in May, are leaving for Nepal to meet and bring home their children!! And just this morning a new minister has finally been put in place....see the paragraph below.

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal expanded the government for the sixth time on Wednesday. Two of the ministers already have taken oath Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Sarbadev Ojha from Madhesi Janaadihikar Forum-Loktantrik and Minister without portfolio of Sadhbhawna Party Laxman Lal Karna have taken oath. Karna took his oath in the Hindi language. Other Ministers are in the process of taking oath.

We can't tell you how much hope and excitement this gives us....we're still waiting and may be for awhile yet but it is wonderful to know that the adoption process is moving forward and these precious children are being united with their families!! Continue to pray for stability in Nepal's government!

This past week a group of my friends and I ate at an Indian/Nepali restaurant in Harrisburg. It was so much fun and the food was delicious. It was so good to spend an evening with friends, to talk about the adoption process and to imagine the day our little girl will be HOME with us. I was so blessed by the time of prayer we had together for her.....what a blessing to know our God is with us and with her at the same time!!

I had momo's which are steamed dumplings filled with meat, a common food made in Nepal. The last time we ate at this restaurant these were not available and our waiter didn't think they had them again so I was very excited when he brought out my plate.....full of momo's :)

The adoption process in Nepal may finally be moving again....the last word we've received is that the 3 families that have received referrals in May will soon be getting their approval to travel. This would be wonderful news!! We continue to wait with hope and read/learn all we can about Nepal.

Keeping busy..

Where has the summer gone? I can't believe it's almost time for the boys to go back to school....Shiloh will be in 4th grade and Elijah will be starting Kindergarten. How can it be possible that my "baby" is starting school?? We've had a great summer...swimming lessons, a wonderfully relaxing family vacation to Lake Erie PA with a day trip to Niagara Falls, Shiloh starting football to name a few.....just enjoying the more relaxing mornings, not having to rush out the door for the school bus.

We continue to WAIT on the adoption front....thankfully being busy helps time pass but it's been pretty quiet the last two months with a prime minister still needing to be put in place. Just yesterday we received some encouraging news through the Yahoo group we're a part of that despite no prime minister, dossiers are still being reviewed and work is continuing....hopefully once the PM is in position things will move quickly. In the meantime, we are finishing up the cookbook we've been working on (the boys have asked me recently.....are you STILL working on recipes :>) and wondering how next summer may be different for us...will the 4 of us be 5? Only time will tell and in this whole process I am so thankful that we serve a God who is fully in control!!