APPROVED!!!

Once again, I sit in front of my computer to write a Blog post fighting back tears - but this time it is tears of JOY!!!  Yesterday, we got the call from our placing agency that our Dossier was approved and now we officially entered in to the wait to be matched!  Both Ben and I are incredibly relieved with this news.

Yesterday marked exactly 8 months from when we finished the last items for our Dossier and sent it to the DR for translation and approval.  We originally anticipated this step would take 1-3 months.  Instead, it was 8 months - with the last three and a half months filled with uncertainty of if we would get approved and the need for more clarification on certain elements of the Dossier.

While our timing would have preferred this stage to have gone smoother, I know without a doubt God was with us.  This stage forced Ben and I to rally our faith together and sometimes the only thing that kept us sane was trusting in God's perfect plan and timing - even when it made no sense to us.

Each day that went by, we continued to pray and hope for an answer.  Some days we were able to be more optimistic and other days were incredible lows.  Tomorrow is my birthday and family has been asking what I want for my birthday and the only thing I really wanted was an answer from CONANI.  Yesterday's news of our dossier approval was the greatest birthday/Christmas present I could ask for.  While we continue to wait to be matched, it is no longer a question of IF, but WHEN.  Praise the Lord for walking us through this wait!  His timing truly is more perfect that we can imagine.

The last few days had been especially difficult for both Ben and I, so yesterday Ben decided to call our agency to see if they had any updates.  Sure enough, they had just gotten a letter from CONANI on Monday responding to our most recent documents, but hadn't yet called us because they were waiting to hear back where this put us with our dossier.  So, at lunch time, we knew there was positive progress but we still didn't know if we were approved.  Two hours later, Ben got a phone call from our social worker saying we were approved!  He knew I was in the middle of teaching, so he emailed me the news and I fought back tears as I read the email.

After I dismissed my students to buses for the day, I could not contain my excitement and literally burst into tears in the hallway - I did not care who saw me crying, the relief was more than I could contain.  Shannon and Amelia watched me in utter confusion as to why mommy was crying if she was so happy.  Ha!  They eventually understood they were happy tears and started telling everyone they saw the news.  As a family, we went out to dinner to celebrate and we prayed over dinner thanking God for his presence and guidance in this adoption journey.

Last night I went to bed and could hardly sleep with excitement and relief.  I began to pray and talk to God and His presence was so clear.  Jeremiah 29:11 came to mind:

 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.

You see, not only did we get our approval this yesterday, but this week I also finished my grad school for my additional teaching licensure and turned in the paperwork to apply for said license.  Now we can move forward towards bringing our future children home without me writing papers or studying.

Some have asked what the approval means for our timeline.  At this point, we still don't have an exact timeline until we are matched, but at this point we know we are approved and it is only a matter of time until we can meet our future children.  Oh how I dream of they day I can hug and kiss them and be their momma.  Thank you to everyone who has joined us in praying, offered support and encouragement, or simply been a listening ear.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!