You may remember me telling you that walking through an adoption has been compared to being in the wilderness.

For us, particularly me, the wait has been our wilderness.

For others it could be the financial strain. The endless amount of paperwork. The fear of the unknowns. The trip to China. Or the medical special need their new child has that is about to change their lives forever.

For us, the wait.

I won’t lie. I have worried about the finances some. I am good at that worrying thing. And it is the most unproductive thing I ever do. I know the Lord has this. He will help us finish what we started.

He showed us that just this week with amazing, incredible news that left our mouths hanging open. Thank you, Jesus, for having others obey a burden on their hearts that blessed us so much!

We are about to enter the Promised Land. Which means that Eliza will be in our arms for the first time. That is our Promised Land! I wish we could sprint through the rest of this wilderness! We are keeping our eyes on Jesus, though, and He is providing us with our daily manna…the peace that He will have us in China at His perfectly appointed time. We are SO thankful for that kind of peace.

This last year has been an amazing year of growth for our whole family. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been oh so good.

I paint little pictures of what I want my life to be,
But my perspective seems too small.
I can’t see the masterpiece You have painted for me,
Hangin’ up on heaven’s wall.

I should just keep lookin’, keep lookin’ up to Jesus.
I should just keep lookin’, keep lookin’ up, He’s more than enough.

Promised Land, here we come!!

How do I know that? Because I called for three hours Tuesday night before I got through, and sat on hold for 33 minutes to find that out. Adoptive Mom’s are crazy that way.

And this morning – less than three days later – we received our Cable Letter from them!!!!!!!

Our Article 5 is heading to China today, folks. It will be hand delivered to the Consulate on Monday, and hand picked up exactly two weeks to the day later.

Please sit down.

After that is TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!! We will be packing our bags and getting on a big white plane. And we will finally be able to SEE, TOUCH, and HOLD a little girl we fell head-over-heels in love with way back on December 4th of last year.

Yes, siree. Been balling my eyes out all morning. Adoptive Mom’s are crazy that way too.

Yesterday as we were all outside working, playing, and soaking up the incredible sunshine, Grant says to me “Mom, what do you think Eliza would be doing right now if she were here?” And before I could answer he says “Never mind. She would want to be with me. She will be working with me.”

Hope our sweet baby can handle the abundance of love that is waiting for her……because she is going to be one loved little girl.

Stink. There come those tears again!

Which means it is time to move some hay around. Haying always happens when it’s hot.

The animals are loving this new season too.

We are soaking up every second.

This cutie barely gets his breakfast before he is outside.

Summer days bring hard work.

And although we don’t cat nap like our kitties do, I know some kiddos who are going to sleep hard tonight!

Praise God for these summer days! They are fantastic!!!

I ran the whole farm looking for Blake to share the great news!!!

This piece of paper tells us that our paperwork has left USCIS and is now at the National Visa Center!!!! Just a few more steps……..and China here we come!!!