Feels like time is standing still...

I haven't made a blog post in awhile because frankly there isn't much to talk about.  We are waiting and waiting and waiting.  I feel like it's been a very methodical and deliberate wait.  We are trying not to get impatient and trying not to dwell on the time we have left to wait.  I feel like we are at the starting line of a race and just waiting for the gun to sound so we can take off.  We have already gone through the months of training and are just ready to get on with it!  We are ready to start the rest of our lives as a family of 4. 

The Thai government did make a new requirement for families in process and we had to get a psychological evaluation.  I was a little nervous about having to do it.  I was afraid that we had come this far and they would tell me that I wasn't mentally stable enough to adopt a child.  I mean after 1 year and 9 months of waiting and paper work and saving money how sane can a person be!  Thankfully I was found worthy.  I think it would be a great idea for everyone to have to under go testing and back ground checks whether your adopting or having a biological child...I think it would be interesting.

Anyway,  there has been some excitement in the adoption world.  We are fortunate to be a part of a church that has several families who have or are currently adopting.  We welcomed one of those families, the Tucker's, home from China Friday night at the airport.  Their story is one of heartache and joy and the perfect example that our plan is not God's plan and that his plan is perfect.  They brought home not one but two precious babies!  Here is a link to their blog if you would like to read their story. http://homefullofgirls.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-else-can-you-say.html  There was also another family in our church that traveled at the same time to get their little girl in Ethiopia!  They had the same gotcha day!  What a blessing from God!!!

 We are so excited for both families but we can't help but yearn for our little girl to be home too.  It has made the waiting even harder seeing 3 kiddos come home and ours still so far away.   We took the Tucker's lunch Sunday after church and we got to visit with them and see the kids for a little bit.  Isaac was sitting on the floor and Reese (the Tucker's new daughter who is just 3 months older than Lauren) reached out her arms to Isaac.  He picked her up and she sat on his lap for quite awhile.  It was so sweet to watch Isaac with her and think about the kind of big brother he will be.  The wait must be getting to Isaac too because he came home and expressed his feeling through his legos and built this scene...

Us with our luggage on the way to the airport...

Us on the airplane...

Us meeting Lauren for the first time...

Us as a family of 4 with Lauren!

  Honestly there are days that I just feel frustrated and get tired of waiting but every night my heart is convicted when Isaac and I say our nightly prayers and Every Single Night he thanks God that we are one day closer to bringing Lauren home.  I thank God that he gave us Isaac and he is going to be a great big brother!