Well, friends -- IT.  IS.  FINISHED.  Those words have been ringing a lot in my mind these past few days since Easter, etc.  That is probably one of my favorite parts of the Easter story.  Knowing that the work that Jesus had come here to do was complete and that the "glory" (that only He knew about!) was about to begin.  I can't imagine the POWER with which those words were said.  I'm going to take the liberty to take a little side bar here (since you are free to stop reading any time you want!!) and make sure that if YOU are reading this blog and YOU don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, YOU have the opportunity to do so.  YOU can know that you are going to heaven for eternity.  We (my family) will be there.  Most of the people we love will be there.  If you want to KNOW that you will be there, but you don't, I want you to either FIND someone who can tell you how much Jesus loves you OR message me and ask me to tell you.  Briefly, He loves you SO much that He was willing to DIE a horrible, cruel, inhumane death by being nailed to a splintery, wooden cross and left to die so that He could pay the price for YOUR sins and MINE.  We have ALL done at least ONE bad thing and that qualifies us to be labeled "sinner."  For every sin committed, there must be a sacrifice.  Jesus came to be OUR sacrifice so that we didn't have to pay the price for our sins which was eternal separation from Him.  But He didn't STAY dead (which is the part that always gives me chill bumps!)!!!  Three days after He died and was buried in a tomb in the side of a mountain, HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD!!!  The Lord Jesus conquered death because HE IS GOD.  He gave us victory over death as well with that act because when I die, I will spend eternity with Him in heaven.  It's an amazing story and it's one YOU should know.  So, find someone to share it with you...or contact me!

So, those words come from me to you with substantially LESS authority and power...but with the same amount of truth: It is finished!! The final paperwork is on it's way to EE where it is waiting to be received, approved and appropriately handled (I say this because I have NO idea what's going on with regard to all this over there!!!)  We have a simply AMAZING -- ASTOUNDING even -- team of people who have worked together with us to get all of this completed in such an incredibly short time.  SEVEN weeks ago today is when we found out that Sam/Yuri existed.  When I try to wrap my mind around all that's happened since that time, it's overwhelming.  No wonder we're tired!!!  8-)

Please pray with us now that the people who are making the decisions as to whether we can have Sam/Yuri as a part of our family forever will be moved with compassion for him and will grant us the petition for adoption.  Also, we want the Lord's timing on all this.  We have a long trip overseas planned for July.  It's been in the works for MANY months.  If he's here by the time we're supposed to go, he will go with us.  If not, we will go to get him when we return from that trip.  There are lots of factors involved and ONLY God knows the best timing on all this.  Will you pray with us for the Lord's will on the perfect timing?  The trip will be intense and FULL.  This may not be the best thing for Sam/Yuri to have to do right after leaving the ONE place he's lived his ENTIRE life.  He may need some down time to process everything and get a grip on what his new life with a family will entail.  On the other hand...he may look at it as the biggest adventure of his life and grab at it with gusto!!  We have NO idea what he's going to need as we don't know his personality yet...but GOD does.  We want what's best for him and for our family as a whole.  We trust the Lord to work out those details as HE sees best.

As I may have mentioned before...waiting is not my forte'.  However, I have COMPLETE peace about where Sam/Yuri is and about the care he is receiving.  He is healthy and strong and happy from all we have heard.  That comes with being well-cared for.  So...as much as I want to wrap that boy in his first "Mom" hug and kiss and have him meet his siblings and tuck him into bed for possibly the first time he's ever been tucked...I will wait.  And, I am kind of feeling like it might just be something that resembles "patiently" too!!! (not sure I've ever felt that before...so I can't truly put my finger on it!!!  8-)  )  I feel the Lord's hand so STRONGLY guiding and directing each step of this journey, that I know He's not going to bail on us now just because I can't "see" the progress being made with papers coming in and approvals being granted...Gods got this one bagged.  He already knows the outcome.  He knows the dates, minutes & seconds till we meet our son.  He is working to make sure that all things will come together for all of our good. 

It's a pretty safe place to be....right here firmly in God's hands.