Another week with no word...

Another week has passed with no word on our EP submission (although I am thinking we've most likely been submitted and just not notified) and no word on our I600 progress. However, we did get lots of new pictures of our girl from other families. I'll post those later.

I've really been focusing on that I know that God knows EXACTLY when Zoe will be home. She'll be here in His perfect timing. He has brought us to this point and He's still completely in control of this situation. He didn't bring us to this point to let us take the reins from here on out; He's still got this under control.

This morning, I stumbled on a slip of paper in my Bible with Isaiah 26:3 on it. "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Thank you Lord for that word today. I'm choosing to be peaceful for this last leg of our adoption journey because I trust that He is in control.

I began reading a 2 week adoption companion that was sent to us from Show Hope (formerly known as Shaohannah's Hope), which is Steven Curtis Chapman's adoption foundation to bring awareness to the orphan crisis and to assist Christian families with grants for their adoptions. We applied for a Show Hope grant and they sent us this companion... the reading is great! It's refreshing to read what other adoptive families before us have said about their journeys. It's affirming to hear "Looking back at the wait and the setbacks we had endured to adopt our son, God's timing could not have been more perfect" (Kerry Hasenbalg).

I'm taking these last moments to take time to enjoy my big boys before Zoe arrives. Our days as a family of 4 are limited, they are drawing to an end and we couldn't be more excited about becoming a family of 5! Next weekend, Michael and I are loading up the kids and we are heading out to Lake Forest Ranch in Mississippi for a Family Escape Retreat. We will be nestled in the middle of a beautiful pine forest and participating in many activities like horseback riding, fishing (okay, the boys will be fishing, I'll sit on the dock and work on my tan while reading a book), rockwall, zip-line, swimming, tubing and lots more! We're really looking forward to spending the time together. It'll be a time of encouragement for all 4 of us and a lot of fun for the entire family.

At dinner the other night, I said "the timing of this retreat is great because Zoe will be here soon and she can't do some of the stuff at camp like the rockwall or horseback riding" to which Michael (my very sarcastic husband) said: "why, because she is a GIRL?" and I quickly resonded wit "um, because she is a BABY!" and the table lit up with laughter.

Oh, Zoe, we can't wait for you to be here, for you to join this crazy family who loves to joke with one another and tease one another. We can't wait to add your laughter to the mix at the dinner table. And one day you'll be riding on a horse too and challenging your brothers to a race to the top of the rockwall (probably while wearing a princess crown). We love you and we are trusting that God will bring you to us in His perfect time! Hope you're enjoying the stuff we sent you - you received it today in Korea! Love, Mommy