If I had a way to explain what part of the process we are in I would say we are at the point in a marathon where you are rounding that last turn before you hit the straight away to the finish line. It’s still the point of exhaustion but with determination and grit you just keep digging because you know once you get around that last turn you will see the finish line in front of you. It’s an exciting and anxiety provoking place to be where you feel uncertain and elated, tired and energized all at once and feeling like you could fall over but some how you just keep going, sometimes feeling like you could run another marathon! What does this all mean in the adoption world…..it means we received our official I800 approval….what does that mean? It means Ellie is eligible for classification as a convention adoptee and we are finalizing the immigration process! This also means we now get to apply for her visa. The last step we will complete before travel. The last step!!
Yesterday Brian and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary by purchasing visas for each other…..travel visas that is! We made a trip to Chicago to the Chinese Consulate. All went smoothly but it made for a very long day. But it is done……
A few more exciting updates are:
-We received our grant from Show Hope….yeah!!!
-We also received a grant through Bethany Christian Services and the Bamboo Project…..double yeah!!!
-Our team, Ellie’s Entourage, will be walking this Saturday at the Step Up for Down syndrome walk with the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan and have about 20+ walkers who will be a part of our team. Brian’s Aunt Andrea did our team shirts for us and we can’t wait to get a big group picture of Ellie’s Entourage! Her village is already so amazing!!
-We continue to shuffle bedrooms around and add Andrew’s bedroom to the basement. If you could say a prayer for continued progress with these projects that would be awesome! The last thing we want to do is come home with Ellie with home projects still needing to be completed….yikes!
Clara Cookies recently held one more fundraising opportunity for us at the Farmers Market during the labor day holiday weekend. Unfortunately we were out of town that weekend so we had some amazing friends and family volunteer to run the table for us! Have we mentioned how amazing Ellie’s village really is!?! We are blessed by so many!
Rebecca and Cori holding down the fort! Charlie and Toni Jacobson joined for the afternoon shift:)
Keep those prayers coming, God has moved mightily in this process! Our next update should be travel dates!! We have been told to expect our travel approval at the end of October, with travel likely occurring in November. We know in actuality it will be in God’s timing, as he has made that abundantly clear as we have moved through this process. So we pray for His timing. And in the meantime, we long for the joy we will feel when they place Ellie into our arms!!
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings of eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
Gard Family Adoption Adventure 