Here's an overdue update!

  I know that I am not good at keeping up with a blog, but even I was surprised to see how far behind I was. It's definitely time for an update! 

  We first found the boys' profile in November 2015. At the time, the boys were 4, 5, & 6 years old. As of a few days ago, they have all had birthdays and are 5, 6, & 7 now. We started the adoption process in January and I was hoping that we would at least get to meet the boys before the youngest turned 5. This appealed to me so much because I have never had a 4 year old before. But I have actually never had a 5 or 6 year old either, because the girls were 7 when we got them. This, of course, was my timeline, not God's. I have definitely learned that God's timing is always perfect, and rarely falls in line with my timing. The hardest part of our youngest boy's birthday was that it was the 4th birthday he has in an orphanage, without a family! His mommy is right here!! It just breaks my heart that I can't hold them and kiss them and love on them right now.  

  We have completed all of the paperwork, including our dossier, and we have received the official referral for the boys. It is just a matter of time and money at this point. We are waiting for our judge to set a court date right now. Once he does, we will need to go to Poland to be at that court date. We will be there anywhere from 6-8 weeks while everything is finalized and then we come home as a whole family! Finally! 

  The original amount of money that we needed to save and raise was staggering: $65,000! It was enough for me to think it was impossible. However, God clearly showed us that we are supposed to adopt these boys. And where God wills, He makes a way. We had applied to every grant possible and thought that was going to be how God pulled this off. We have received several grants, but we were denied even more grants. Even if we received the maximum from every grant left, it would not be enough to cover the rest of the costs. So, now that I can't see a clear possibility of how to pay these expenses, I start to doubt again. I personally don't see how it is possible, so it must not be, right? That is just logical. But how can I claim to have faith in a God who does the impossible and then not actually believe that He can do the impossible? I'm cutting my Savior short, even when He has done nothing but prove to me how AMAZING He really is! Justin has been my supporter through this, he has always reminded me that God is going to bring us through this. I constantly pray for God to strengthen my faith and trust in Him! To be fully funded for this adoption, we only need about $24,000 more. (This is mostly travel costs: Airline tickets for 7 people, hotel and food for the time we will be in Poland, and a few agency and foreign fees) I know this is still a lot, but compared to the original amount, we have come so far!! Throughout this whole process, we have prayed that God would get all of the glory. The more impossible that it seems, the more we will see God's hands working!    

  It has been really neat to see the girls growing through this experience too. Evalina started out completely against adopting again. Then she was okay with it, as long as it was a girl. Now, she is praying for her brothers and writing sweet notes to them about being adopted: "It is going to be really hard. But if we can do it, so can you!" That one made me cry! Availya has always been more accepting of it. She loves to take care of and help people, so getting 3 little brothers is right up her alley. Not to mention, that she likes to be bossy too! But they both now have a huge heart for orphans, which is just awesome to witness! 

  We have done about 10 fundraisers so far. Some have gone well, and some have gone horribly! We will continue to fundraise as God leads us, and cut costs to save up as much money as we can. We have been told that we should expect to travel to Poland sometime in October/November. So we have until then to get the rest of the $24,000 that we need. We ask that everyone prays for our family. Please pray for these boys, as tough as the waiting is for us, it is so much harder for them. They desperately want a family, and everyday that goes by is one more day without one. Please pray for Justin and me, that we will continue to follow God's leading and have a renewed faith in Him. And pray that all of us will be prepared for this huge transition in our family. 

  If you feel God tugging on you to help financially, you can donate to our matching grant by clicking here. Your donation is tax-deductible! 

  We have had an overwhelming support in the last few days. It has been very encouraging! There have been times that I have felt discouraged in this adoption, and I can't tell you how much it lifts my spirit to hear an encouraging word from someone! If you are thinking about us or praying for us, please don't hesitate to just tell us that. It truly means the world to us!!