Happy Birthday!

Yesterday we celebrated Tanya's 7th birthday!

We went to a unique place here that I think I can best describe as Chuckie Cheese on steroids! There is a huge trampoline floor surrounded by trampoline walls at this facility.  It's about the size of a basketball court.  I'm not sure if it ended up being more exhausting for Mama & Papa or for the kids.  We all had a great time!

 Jaden made several friends with a group of teenage boys that were there.  He managed to impress some of the boys with his gymnastics, and they kept ooo-ing and ahhh-ing, and asking him to try new things.  It was great to witness his confidence in talking with the boys (as much as was possible with the language barrier).

It's already getting more difficult to say goodbye to them each evening at 6pm when we are required to leave the orphanage, but the they seem to take it very well knowing that we will return.  Anya just wants to be with her family all the time.  It has been very moving to watch an older child respond to adoption.  She has processed this over and over, dreamed about it, prayed over it a thousand times, and now it's finally coming to fruition.  She's nervous, a bit sad to leave friends at the orphanage, and the comfort of familiar surroundings and language.  However, there is much comfort in knowing that her and Tanya's best friends (which are sisters) will be going home with their new family about a week before us.  They will be in Rhode Island.

We do have a big praise (& prayer request)!!  Yesterday we found out that we have a court date set!  It is set for Feb. 7th.  There is a little concern that paperwork will be ready for the proceeding, but our facilitators have been working very diligently to ensure that will not be an issue.  When we arrived, they informed us that we would likely not receive a court date before Feb. 14th.  We are thanking God for the good news.  However, we still must trust Him to continue working out details.

We have made friends with the couple adopting Anya & Tanya's best friends.  He happens to be a chef, & prepared an amazing meal for us.  He made the mistake of offering his services again, so we will definitely take him up on that!  Sometimes it is just refreshing to speak with another couple that can relate to all the adjustments and processes, and speak a common language with relative ease.  We are thanking God for new friends.  It's given us a better perspective on God's call for us to help "widows, orphans, and strangers in the land (foreigners)".  All three are vulnerable groups, and we get the honor of being Christ to them.

Please continue in prayer:
-For all the necessary paperwork to be complete, accurate, & ready for the court proceeding to take place.
-That God would continue to give us favor with all those with whom we working to complete the adoption.
-Rest & strength for Jaden & Kellen.
-For God's love to be knitting our new family together at the deepest levels.

Thank you for your prayers!