Big Yellow Envelope and Irene

Well here it is--an envelope full of information that is supposed to tell "our story". It's not all inclusive of course. It has all the demographics, the birth certificates, medical records, tax receipts, bank statements, etc that one would expect from a home study application. It has autobiographies that were pain stakingly written and poured over, knowing full well that although they must be translated into French--they had to be important, had to be right, had to tell our story. It has at least 3 letters of recommendation for adoption in there (a couple are still out there...hahaha), which were embarrassing and yet flattering in their appraisal of our family.

It has a family photo, a check, and will be sealed with prayer.

It is full of hope and excitement and nervousness--if an envelope can contain all of those emotions. It of course, cannot tell the story of how we looked for the baby bed on Saturday, or how the kids have poured over the pictures of the baby. It cannot explain the heaviness of heart that goes with knowing that although this is an exciting time for our family, for another family--it is trauma, and loss and grief.

Our prayer is, and will continue to be that we temper our excitement with the full knowledge of the responsibility that God has given us in this venture. That although He is in charge of all our situations, He is the only one in control of this one.

As we send this off to Adoption & Home Study Specialists, the baby's family will be preparing for the probable landfall of Hurricane Irene. Please take a moment today to pray for our baby's family, and the many, many others, who are living in a country where there is no emergency system in place. Where the waters may rise and the tents may flood and only God and the many workers who dedicate their lives to Haiti will be there to help them.