1st Approval - Officially

So, we now OFFICIALLY have 1st approval as of 1/12/11.  We were thrilled, but then we settled in to our next wait for the Article 16.  I've seen where some families received theirs in a week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, etc.  We were told it could even take longer than 6 weeks!  We are praying that the Lord will continue to be with us in this process and give us peace as we settle in for the wait.

False Labor Pains...

Yesterday, we got a call from our adoption agency.  I was hopeful that they were calling to tell us about our Article 16, but instead it was to let us know that there actually had been a mistake & that we in fact had not yet been granted 1^st approval.  We are hopeful that in the coming weeks we will truly be granted 1^st approval, but to say we were disappointed today would be truly an understatement.

There is one type of labor that is the physical labor of child birth, while the other is the physical labor to complete the mountainous paperwork that is required as well as overcome all things that can occur through the adoption process.  As a mother we endure the hardships & pains that are required, but the end result is the most precious gift that God could bless us with – our child. 

I hope soon that I will be holding my precious little boy in my arms.

Patrick