Update...

Psalm 37:7   "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him."

Molasses...southbound Tollway at 8:30...and our adoption.  Sometimes a pause can be good, like just before the punch line of a really good joke.  Sometimes a pause can be bad, like when your computer locks up.  Right now we are sitting around twiddling our thumbs waiting for the U.S. government to give us the thumbs up to proceed with the adoption.  Pretty much since we started this process, we have had a long 'to do' list with lots of different things to work on.  Things were moving along nicely, with each next step following pretty much as expected.  Check marks were flowing very nicely down the list (a very satisfing experience for the type A(nn-Marie) among us).  Now it seems we are at one of those uncomfortable lulls. 

Four weeks ago, we went to get fingerprints done for an FBI background check. Uncle Sam will process these, along with our home study, and issue us a document that gives us permission to adopt internationally.  Once we have this form, all of our paperwork (which is sitting on my dresser in a very thick stack) can be sent to Russia.  So, Ann-Marie checks the mailbox everyday, anxiously waiting for the form.  Ann-Marie called this morning to check on the status and was told it is "still in queue".  She was told they "try" to process those forms within 75 days... so based on that, we still could be waiting another 6 weeks.  Yep, I'll put this in the computer lock up variety of pauses. 

While we wait, we are challenged to keep focused on where God is leading our family, the child waiting for their home here with us, and God's sovereignty and timing in everything. 

(Ann-Marie talking now)... On an exciting note, a great friend, Jolin Housewright, gave us two special books today. There is a history to these, because Jolin bought these books as a Christmas present for Maddie when we were adopting before, in 2006.  But, after I got pregnant and the adoption was stopped, she put them away, saving them for the last 4 1/2 years, in case we ever decided to adopt again. So, today she gave these two books to Maddie.  After dinner tonight, we read the books as a family and had fun talking about the child who will be joining our home, in God's perfect timing!