Unshakable faith inspired by Tony Dungy

I am so at peace about this adoption, maybe I have said it before. Hopefully I will be able to say it again many, many more times!

With our Ethiopia adoption, I felt that God had blessed us to expand our family. We would be blessed by the growing of our family. I would find out later I would learn so much from our journey and time in Ethiopia.

With this adoption the level of divine intervention doesn't start or stop at a leading to grow our family. I guess, a lot like the first adoption, it wasn't this huge desire and sadness about not having more children, just a glimpse every once in a while that made me wonder if there wasn't something in my family that was missing. (A reminder, this blog is from my perspective, Trent and the kids had equal and substantial input, these were not decisions I made on my own - I just share my perspective, because the rest of my family is able to speak for their own experiences). So with this adoption, it was first a desire to add at least one more. Then the pieces just started coming together.

Back in an earlier post I explained how we found these girls (found, like it was chance??? I think not). Since then we've experienced the following:
*The fastest home study we've ever heard of. In case you are wondering, we got that home study to approve us for 3 children up to age 9. We know we are only bringing home 2... but there was something that made me insist that we needed to have it written for three kids. Maybe one will stow away in my luggage???
*The fastest background check we've ever heard of (and for those of you who know that you can buy any background check on line for just 9.95, that's not the kind of background check we are talking about here). Just minutes after we were told it would be another 3 weeks for the approval, we received notice that we were approved.
*Since we already had our eye on these beautiful girls, our wait from approval to referral was, ohh, ummm, about 3 hours (we have friends who have been waiting 12-18 months for their matches in other programs).
*Our tax return check is on it's way. Total amount of the return equals the cost of one sibling adoption from Ghana, PLUS $172.00. - I keep wondering what God has in mind for the $172. I'd like to think it will somehow be the cost of upgrading to first class seats on our return from Ghana - If you have any idea the cost of adoption, you'll realize how amazing it is that our return is only $172 different (and in excess) from the amount needed.
* Then after very carefully and diligently ensuring all of my US Gov't paperwork was accurate. I realized 10 days after submitting it that I made a mistake. WHAT??? Oh, but I emailed the "Orphan Officer" at the Department of Homeland Security and he essentially told us no problem. Our paperwork was updated and on its way to its next destination. Really??? I've heard horror story after horror story about this department, and just 'no problem'? OK.
* It appears as though I am eligible for some funding to do some volunteer/missions work while I am in Ghana. (So extra money to help pay for the plane ticket!!!)
* By some crazy "chance" (seriously note the sarcasm here, chance is such a joke, no one has this kind of "luck" just a direct line of faith and blessings)... chance it looks like Trent has made a plan to change his work schedule so that I probably can stay in Ghana as long as my job will allow.
* Upon return from Ghana, as a family of seven, Trent's businesses are at a state that allows him to work "normal" hours and be home every evening with me and the kids!!!
* As a side note, I also have a "partner in crime" to do my MBA with (that is a huge comfort for me, to know I will have someone to buddy up with to stay focused!)
*Oh wait this was about adoption... did I mention these are the most beautiful children I could imagine. I've seen video and received report, beauty on the outside and the inside!
* As you know I've gained rockstar status through this, and so I feel a bit like Madonna, so though I have had zero seconds to watch any TV, I understand she is in the news because of something with adoption. Sister Madonna, if you are out there reading my blog (and I think you are)... no need to create all the drama, you're already a rockstar. (no offense or jabs indented, I don't know her story.)


In any case I can't take any personal credit for the ease and success up to this point in this adoption. I am a pleasantly please by-stander - grateful and humbled by the willingness of those around me, blessed and orchestrated by God.

Faith. It's faith I am learning through this adoption. The process, the people, God.



I found this quote and I was drawn to it:

"His teaching ability, his example and most importantly, his unshakable faith and optimism inspired us all. Most of you don't know that it doesn't rain on a Tony Dungy practice. Terre Haute or Indianapolis could be up to its ankles in water, but it doesn't rain on a Tony Dungy practice. It wouldn't have rained in Miami (at the Super Bowl) except that I'm sure Tony and God talked about it and said it would be OK." -- Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian.