Paperchase Gratitude

Things I'm thankful for today...

- We weren't expecting more pictures until the beginning of October, but we received an e-mail today with several pictures of Simeon!
- My mom graciously took our marriage certificate to the Iowa Secretary of State so we didn't have to mail it there and wait on the mail to get back.
- The Taiwanese Embassy in Chicago authenticated our marriage certificate even though I had sent the wrong form of payment AND had not included copies of our passports (we were able to scan the passports and e-mail them).
- The Taiwanese Embassy in Chicago quickly processed our marriage certificate and we had it back days later.
- Our adoption agency sent us our translated documents from Taiwan last Monday and we received them on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!
- Our background checks arrived in St. Louis on Tuesday. Our social worker for our home study went to St. Louis on Wednesday (for other business) and picked them up. We needed them first thing Thursday morning and were able to get them from her!!!!!
- We had to authenticate 31 documents at the Missouri Secretary of State. All but one of them cleared their (STRICT) guidelines. The one that didn't pass the inspection came from our home study agency, so I was able to get it fixed and go back to the SOS the same day to finish up that part of the paperwork.
- The boys and I were able to drive to Kansas City today to the Taiwanese Embassy there to have the 31 documents authenticated a third and final time. The woman there was very kind and said she would have them back to us as soon as possible.
- The boys were troopers and did not fuss or complain (much) as we drove around the state getting various paperwork authenticated.
- God has given me a THANKFUL heart. I am so grateful to be walking this journey with Him.

 

(love that crooked smile)

What's next?

We wait for the documents to come back from Kansas City (hopefully they'll arrive tomorrow; this afternoon they were sitting on the supervisor's desk waiting for approval). Then we send them back to Taiwan. Once our agency has the documents, they will apply for a court date.

And then we wait...for notification of the court date and then arrival of the court date and then the judge's initial decision and then the judge's final decision...and then some final steps (passport for Simeon, physical, appointment to get a visa) and then we TRAVEL.

We would be so grateful if you would pray that we can be with him as soon as possible, that he is well loved in the mean time in Taiwan (we trust that he is), and that we have peace as we wait.