bodner003

My phone rings. Is it Logan (Lifeline social worker)?! Nope, just the bug man. I click refresh on my email inbox 1,382 times. An email!! Oh wait, it's Brady's coach... not Logan. If I check my Facebook groups again (even though I checked an hour ago), maybe there will be an announcement that a new shared list of waiting children will be released soon. Nothing. Refining. Sanctifying. Humbling. I am thankful to be experiencing all this through the wait. I wrote about waiting HERE  and all the wonderful plans God has through waiting. But if I'm being honest (and y'all know I don't have a problem being honest ;), I'm just weary today. This past week or so (since the high of receiving our Log In Date) has been the most difficult week of the process thus far. I knew that waiting for a referral would be an emotional step and it has proven to be even more than I expected. I didn't expect to have a match a week after LID, nor do I expect to have one any time so...

LID!!! Today is our official "log-in date" with China! This means our dossier has been authenticated, sent to China by our social worker (DTC), and officially logged in to the CCCWA (China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption) database. For the past several months we have been working state-side through the home study process, Immigration approval, required coursework, etc. and now we enter a new realm... relationship with the Chinese government. Thankfully, our social worker will continue to act as a liaison. She, and the entire China team at Lifeline, are very experienced in all that needs to happen moving forward. The next step will definitely end up being the most emotional experience thus far. We wait. But this time, we're not waiting on paperwork, government officials, stamps of approval, or reports. We now wait to receive a referral (deep breath). Not just a referral but a life. A little girl from halfway around the world will st...

For my Emily Hope, for orphans around the globe, and for those who feel unwanted because they haven't met our Heavenly Father... You. Are. Wanted.

As you know, we had a unique opportunity this past Saturday to participate in "Tales & Ales" at the New Orleans Fairgrounds. Not only did we participate but were chosen, by Blue Deuce Entertainment, to be the beneficiary of a craft beer raffle at the event. Between the raffle and selling our t-shirts at the event, we made $940 to go towards our adoption expenses! We can not believe that our fundraising thermometer now sits at over $18,000! As always, all praise and glory to God who is making this possible! The fundraising at this event was an incredible blessing but even more of a blessing was the opportunity we had to share our story with so many people. It's a privilege to watch the surprise on people's faces as we reveal to them God's will in our lives and His plan for all of us. I'm sure that most people who attended this event were non-believers and it was awesome being planted in an environment where we could share good news with them and hopefully b...

DTC!!!!! Our social worker notified us that our dossier authentication is complete and she has sent our DOSSIER TO CHINA! We are officially DTC today. The CCCWA (China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption) will now log us in to their database and we will be notified when we have an official log-in date (LID). This generally takes between 1-3 weeks to receive. Stay tuned for an update containing our LID date... this will be another big step for us! "Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!" (Psalm 150:2)

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27) That's God's call to every believer... to care for orphans and widows. It's simple. If we love the God who adopted us when we were (spiritual) orphans, the God who paid the ultimate price to have us in His home, then we will be compelled to love others with this same kind of love. I understand how daunting the idea of adopting a child in to your home is. I'm there. I'm daunted. But you know our story is one where God stepped in and made a decision, not us. And I hope to encourage many of you, in the future, to discern if God may be calling you to this as well. For now, I'd like each of us to take a few steps back. Let's not focus on adoption (this may be the last time you hear me say that!). I had the privilege of attending a ladies' gathering at Northshore Bi...