Fundraiser Opportunity for Travel

My dear friend Jennifer Padgett, an adoptive parent herself twice from China, has decided to make "adoption Angels" in order to help us offset our travel expenses. So far, we are anticipating travel costing $7,000-9,000 and this isn't doing a lot of touring and such. We are required to travel over to pick Jesiah up and will be there approximately 15 days. Here is the description and picture from Jennifer:

I am taking orders for these angels again this year. The tag on the angel will read: "This Christmas gift was purchased so that an orphan would get his forever family." Inside the tag reads, "Lord, let this one angel remind us to pray for all of the orphans in this world. May each one find a Peaceful home full of Love and Joy." All proceeds will be going to Nathan and Michelle Sherer who need to raise funds to travel in December. Frankly, they need a Christmas miracle! Our entire family is making these;the boys are learning how to set up a business (I have to squeeze some good old homeschooling learning in-LOL!)

We are asking for a donation of $10.00 and 100% of the money will go to help us offset our travel. We are so close and are very thankful for any and all help! Please email me: michellesherer@yahoo.com if you'd like to order one or contact me on facebook. I will be very happy to ship them! 

Things are moving along!

We received our LOA (after 125 days!) on September 9th and that was a HUGE blessing! Since you last heard from me, we have gotten our I-800 provisional approval which is our immigration approval for Jesiah specifically. Our paperwork was "cabled" through the National Visa Center and will all be sent by Holt to the embassy in China for further processing. Lots and lots of processing! We should receive our "Article 5" in three weeks and then we will be waiting for our travel approval, travel dates and consulate dates. We are essentially 8-11 weeks out for travel which is incredibly close!! We are anticipating travel dates to be sometime the beginning of December. We are getting Jesiah's room together as he and Eli will be sharing a room.

I CANNOT WAIT TO GO!!!!!! Jesiah, we will be there shortly!!

We still have a need financially for travel. Please stay tuned to my next post about our fundraiser to finish things up! If you are in the area, tomorrow, October 1 from 5-8 PM we will be holding a joint fundraiser (freewill donation) Taco Salad dinner with the Sanders family (friends of ours that are adopting their son from China) at Independence Branch: 707 N. Allen Rd (off of 24 Hwy behind Tastee Freeze).

While I'm Waiting

I'm sorry I haven't blogged in awhile. I've been too frustrated, honestly. We are blessed and I know that. Our home situation, although far from resolved, has been very blessed and I know God has it in His hands. Our journey to bring Jesiah home has blessed and I know it is continuing to be. We've just been waiting so long for our LOA (letter of acceptance/approval) from China. We have far surpassed "normal" wait times. I stopped counting after day 120 so I'm not sure where we are :). China had given us, three weeks ago, the answer that it would be in the "review" department another one to three weeks. I only loosely expected to get something in the time frame quoted.  I hate to be a downer but I have struggled lately. I know God's timing is perfect and there's something brewing. I just don't know what yet. If anything has been taught to me over the past two years, it is God's perfect timing IS just that.. perfect. If I can't rest in that then I have a long, worrisome life ahead of me. God's teaching me patience so if you could pray that I learn that lesson quickly and we can move on, that'd be great :). (Just joking... but prayers would be fantastic!)

If you would, please pray for Jesiah. More than anything, we just yearn to have him home. Please pray for his physical well being and safely, his foster family and foster brothers and sisters, his upcoming transition back to the orphanage before we arrive, his transition into our family and our preparation here as well. It's hard to have a family of five with one child that is so far away.

I read a devotional the other day from Proverbs 31 Ministries and it discussed the story of Abraham and his son Isaac. He was asked by God to make the sacrifice of his only son Isaac on an alter. As he climbed the mountain and made preparations, I believe he did so in obedience but maybe not in joy (in my opinion). I have to believe his heart was troubled, yet he chose to follow those things that God asked him to do, regardless of the cost. At that same time, God was sending a ram up the mountain, out of sight of Abraham and Isaac. God was providing even when they didn't see it. So, today and in the future, I'm going to remember that as I trust the Lord and obey His call, He will send a ram. How? I don't know. I suppose that's not up to me to decide. God knows better.

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Praise Be to God!

We have had another fantastic and very blessed week! Although we are still waiting very eagerly for our LOA (and experiencing some of the longest wait times seen out of China this far) I know God has a plan and purpose. Don't get me wrong, we are anxious and itching to go. God has blessed us with a peace knowing He has it all worked out. Blessings have been flowing so abundantly! Through the coin drive on facebook, God has blessed us with $1,050 in seven days! SEVEN DAYS! I believe that's God moving mountains! We have $950 to go and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, there is more to come. It's not just about finances. God has been working "behind the scenes" with our house situation. Another mountain, I'm sure, is being moved. If you are in a tough spot right now, remember God can help. Really- this whole journey, at times, has seemed so impossible. Nothing has been impossible with God nor will it be! 

Thank you to the many people that have so willingly given of themselves to help- financially, prayerfully and physically. We won't ever be able to thank you all enough. Please, continue to pray Jesiah home. 

As a side note, but VERY important! We were blessed with a beautiful niece named Madison a few weeks ago. Thank you for your prayers, as I'd asked for them months ago as they went through the long and trying process of adopting domestically. The Lord has truly blessed all of us and we are thrilled she is here!!! :) 

It has been a jaw dropping week!

I am simply in awe. I'm in awe of how amazing God is. How He works all things towards God for those that love Him. He not only knows how many hairs on on Jesiah's head (ours too!), but He knows exactly how many pennies we need to bring him home! Our friends, the Padgetts (they live in Maine), were crafty enough to come up with a coin drive to help us raise the last $2,000 we need to officially accept Jesiah's referral and move into travel mode. GOD IS MOVING MOUNTAINS! So far, we have been blessed with $610.00 dollars and my prayer is that with each penny, God blesses those that were willing to give up earthly riches in order to bring Jesiah home. Thank you for all of your continued prayers and support! Feel free to look for "Coin Drive for Jesiah" on our facebook page if you are interested in joining!

Update: We are still awaiting our final approval from China in the form of our Letter of Approval (LOA). Until this arrives, we can't move forward. God's perfect timing will prevail. We don't have quite all of our money needed to accept his referral and I know, once we do, our LOA will arrive :). We are all extremely eager to have him home with us, however I know God is making it happen. I need to rest in His timing- knowing we can't go wrong that way.

House Update: Please continue to pray for our home situation. If you don't know details and would like to be able to pray about things more specifically, feel free to contact me privately.

I am truly humbled and I know I keep saying this... God is so good. We have been faced with trials that have definitely tested my faith in the last several months, yet I know He is working to bring Jesiah home and working out all of the "other trials" too. We have heard from people I've never met that are willing to help us bring him home. I have heard time and time again that God has laid it on people's hearts to help us. Wow... I guess at this point (although I've written quite a bit already) I'm speechless....

"Trust in the Lord with ALL you heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths" - Proverbs 3:5-6

Eli and the lessons I learn through his eyes...

Tonight, as I was having a small pity party for myself amidst our "challenges", (and the delivery of additional frustrating news) I noticed Eli was getting into some things in the family room I didn't want him playing in. I walked over, picked him up, and held him. He immediately melted down. He is eighteen months old and really wants to do exactly what he wants to do. What he saw as an opportunity to "climb" up on by the fireplace seemed to me, being the adult, as a dangerous thing to do and something that I knew he would get hurt doing. In his world, he didn't know better and threw a nice fit because I stopped him. As I sat down on the couch, trying to juggle him so he didn't fall out of my arms, I realized I was being like Eli. God has our family where He wants us and He has adjusted things lately or allowed certain things to happen according to His plan. According to my perspective, they seem terribly frustrating and nonsensical. God sees different. He knows differently. I just need to remember that when He picks me up and moves me that it's for my own good, even if all I want to do is "melt down". If you see me and I'm having a bad day- feel free to remind me of this. Blogging helps hold me accountable :).

Jeremiah 29:11    "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

"God will Lend"

I'm so late in posting this update and for that, I'm sorry. Life has been VERY challenging lately (aside from adoption stuff) and although I hate being cryptic about life, for those of you that are aware of our struggles with Bank of America and our home (I'm not able to say too much in a public fashion because of legal reasons), we are very thankful for the continued prayers as we weave through the nightmare. If you don't know- PLEASE still pray for us. I know God has perfect timing and I know He is using this for good in His perfect timing. This is another time when I have to remember to praise God in the storm. My faith is definitely being tested. I got this message from a friend the other day and agree whole heartedly....

It is pretty evident that "someone" does not want you to go to China! Obviously, Jesiah is one special little guy; I would imagine that this little guy is going to do mighty things for the kingdom of God! This has been our theme song from the beginning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB-yX5p0p4I&feature=related This song was song on the streets of China and in taxi cabs . . . may the Lord and His strength well up in you and your family. You guys CAN DO THIS AND WILL!

I know looking back that we will understand, at some point, why we are experiencing the trials that we are. However, I know Jesiah  is coming here for the work of the Kingdom of God and I know God will bring Him here, in spite of the storms of life. I'm just praying I can keep focused and not lose hope altogether. It's frustrating. From one of my favorite songs by Mikeschair, I've found these lyrics especially encouraging. 

Don't know where to begin

It's like my world's caving in

And I tried but i can't control my fear

Where do I go from here

Sometimes it's so hard to pray

You feel so far away

I am willing to go where You want me to

God I trust You

[Chorus]

There's a raging sea

Right in front of me

Wants to pull me in

Bring me to my knees

So let the waters rise

If you want them to

I will follow You

I will follow You

I will follow You

Update.... 


Bao's American name, although I know I've already used it a few times (hopefully I haven't confused you too much) will be Jesiah. Interestingly enough, and not coincidentally I know, the name has two meanings I found to be neat. 1) God will lend   2) The Lord Exists. We know both of these to be true, particularly in this situation as God continues to reveal His hand throughout every facet of our lives. 


We found out he is almost 27 pounds and nearly three feet tall. He is almost as big as Kaylee- which is incredible. I guess we have super small children :). He is living with a foster family and has three other foster siblings. His foster sister is 15, one foster brother is 12 and he also has a foster brother that is 1 (Eli's age!). He shares a bed with his youngest foster brother and this news was exciting for us. He is going to share a room with Eli and will hopefully be used to not being the youngest. We were very encouraged by this news!!!


Here are a few new pictures that we were thrilled to get! We are STILL waiting on our "Letter of Approval" from China which is the next step for us. Until we get this paper, we cannot submit our paperwork to immigration for specific approval to adopt Jesiah. Times are getting longer and longer and although it's hard to have been waiting a solid six weeks (and we probably have several to go), God's timing is a resounding theme. We need to remember to "Be Still and know that He is God".