Lots of Catching up

I know it has been awhile since my last post. Time has just gotten away from me. I do have a good bit to catch up on though.
We had a great Thanksgiving. My whole family was down and stayed through the weekend. It is not often that my brother and my sister are able to make it back for several days at a time. My brother stayed at our house of a couple nights and my sister and her family was right next door at my parents for a few days. It was so wonderful to have us all together for several days. Then we got to do our annual Black Friday shopping. I love black Friday shopping. It has become a tradition with my BFF, Benji and I. This year my sister and bro-in-law were abe to go too. We always have a great time.
Then, this past Sunday, our church hosted a "Bringing home the boys shower" for us. I can not even express how blessed that we were. I must say that ladies in our church are some of the hardest working, most giving, very loving, and all around best ladies ever! We were so blessed to have several of our friends and family there. I know that I have said it before but our family and friends mean so much to us. We have some of the best family and some of the best friends ever. We could not do this without the amount of support that we have recieved. We are so lucky to have the friends and family that God has put in our lives. The boys were blessed with so many nice new things and we were blessed by the outpouring of love. Thank you so much to everyone that took time out of your busy schedules to come, I know that many of you lead very busy lives and many of you had a bit of a drive...but we thank you so much for coming. It really and truly meant so much to both Benji and I.
As of now, we are having some issues with some paperwork. There is one thing the court is requesting and we are having a hard time getting. I am growing very impatient and have to constantly rely on the Lord to keep my patience in check. I am just so ready to see the boys again and get them home. Each day that passes, our chances of a Jan. court date gets smaller. We know that the Lord is not going to leave us hanging...he never has and never will. We are just so ready to get them home.

It's a God thing

I just feel really lead to post this today. We have been very lucky to not have been met with too many adoption skeptics....or at least we have not heard of many people that have had negative things to say about our journey to our boys. However, we are fully aware that there are people out there that don't understand. I have had one woman come up to me and say that she was "praying for my womb to open". Part of me was very irritated by that comment, part of me wanted to bust out laughing because who says stuff like that, and then another part of me just felt very sorry for her and her ignorance on the subject of adoption. I have gotten a few "as soon as you adopt then maybe you will have your own children". This one really rubs me the wrong way. Do people really think that just because we choose to adopt that they will not be our "own children"? Benji and I just don't care that much about biology. It's actually pretty silly to us. I have heard of other people that say they don't know that they can love someone that is not linked to them biologically. Really?? My thoughts on that are "How can you truly love your spouse then?" Your spouse is not linked to you biologically. Let me tell ya...I love my spouse more than life itself. I love him because he is the one that the Lord has chosen for me to be with...and of course because he is a pretty awesome guy:) My in-laws are not biologically connected to me but I love them as though they were. Our nieces and nephews on Benji's side are not biologically related to me but I love them all as though they were my own. I have friends that I love just like they are my family. They aren't biologically linked to me but still there is little that I wouldn't do for anyone of them. In the grand scheme of life, what does a little DNA have to do with love? If DNA determines what your heart will and will not allow you to love, then perhaps you should do a reality check on your heart.
Adoption is a calling in life. It is not for everyone. Heck, as tough as it can be, sometimes I wonder if it is really for us:) Everyone in life has their own calling. It's all a matter of really seeking the Lord and listening to what your calling life is. When the Lord calls...you answer. The Lord has called Benji and I to adopt and we are doing our very best to listen and follow him.
Again, we have been quite fortunate to not have been met with too many negative adoption skeptics. I do have a very dear friend who is in the process of adopting as well, and she has been met with a little negativity. There are people out there that are a little narrow minded and somewhat insensitive. Plain and simply put...they do not understand adoption, let alone international adoption. All I can say is...it's a God thing. If you don't understand, then seek him for the answers. When you are truely seeking the Lord...it really stirs the devil up and aggitates him. Thus he comes in and trys very hard to discourage you on the path that you are on. I just challenge anyone out there to NOT let the devil use you as a vessel to discourage others who are fighting their own battles. If you can't be positive, uplifting and encouraging to someone then by all means...just be silent. Otherwise...you are doing the devil's dirty work.

In the wait

I just thought that the waiting on a referral was hard...waiting to get a date to get my precious little boys home is hard. I don't think that a moment goes by that I am not thinking about them. I wish so bad I would be on a plane tomorrow to get back to them. We have once again been told that a December court date is very unlikely. I know in my heart that it will probably be January before we can get back to them...but I can always hope that it happens much sooner. I hate the thought of them spending one more Christmas without being home where they belong. However, it is all in God's hands and all in his perfect timing. Knowing that and continuously reminding myself of that is what keeps me sane in this process. This whole process is the Lord's calling and we have done our very best to be obedient and follow him. I have to rely heavily on Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". I know I have said that verse time and time again, but it is what helps us put this all in the Lord's hands and trust in him completely.
Other things that help keep our spirits up is the love and support that we have from our family and friends. I can not express how much this means to us. I know I have said this over and over but we are just so blessed by family and our friends. We were overwelmed with the love and support that we recieved when we got home. Immediately, our family and friends began working on baby shower prepartaions. My mama has been just a shopping for the boys. She has made sure that they have nice warm clothes as we travel home through Russia in the winter...yep it is going to be a little chilly:) My aunt (Shasha) sent us a bag of some of the best children's books ever. She also bought several gloves and hats for us to leave at the orphanage for the other kids there. My dear friend Hannah and her mama Karen came for a visit last weekend. Hannah bought the boys a set of Skippy Jones books (super cute, if you have small children, these books are hysterical) and Mrs. Karen bought the boys a Christmas present (that I am still holding out hope that they get to open this year). Our dear friends Tara and Jonathan (are in the process of adoption from Russia as well) came up last week and bought the boys a fire truck, puzzle and some bath crayons.
We are truly blessed by some great people in our lives. We are so thankful for those that have kept constant contact, given daily words of encouragement, and come to visit. Words cannot describe how grateful we are for the love and support that we have recieved.