Praise Party

Truly tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Matthew 11:23-24

From the start of our adoption Medical Expedite was something we have been praying for. With Paxton's blood disorder it is so important to get him home as soon as possible to get him healthy. This is something that US Immigration has really been cracking down on the past year. Unfortunately, some have taken advantage of the system and they are rare to come by these days....Especially with kids with Thal- who look healthy on the outside but are definitely not. I'm not going to lie, my heart was filled with so much doubt. I was even scared to pray for it because what if it didn't happen? 

I had to get peace in my heart knowing that if it wasn't granted, that God was still faithful and deserving of praise. That he would sustain Paxton and allow us travel at the perfect time He already has planned. If there is anything I know, it is that He is always in control and has purpose in everything. 

I started changing the way I prayed. The posture of my heart changed. 

I didn't ask God to grant the expedite, I thanked him for granting it. 

He reminded me that the Holy Spirit is alive in me and I can speak with authority over my obstacles. That he is more powerful than anything and that power is inside of me. 

On Saturday, March 12 we received our i800a (U.S. Immigration) fingerprint appointment notice. It had come about a week earlier than I expected it! This was what I had been waiting for in order to send the expedite request in. I sent the email Sunday, March 13. On March 14, I woke up to an email saying it had been denied. It stung. But I had hope knowing that this is a standard  email people receive before an officer is assigned to their case. I continued thanking and praising God for his power in moving the mountain in front of us. 

We headed down to Birmingham on Tuesday, March 15. Our appointment wasn't until the following week, but us adoption mommas go down ASAP because even a week saved is progress. =) This does however not always sit well with the Immigration office workers. Most of the time, people have to cry, beg, and plead and end up coming back hours later for their appointment. We walked in ten minutes after they opened and instantly noticed the vibe of the lady behind the desk. It was not a happy one. I was going over the game plan in head, clinching to Paxton's file in my hands. It was our turn and I started telling her why we had shown up early...before I knew it her whole demeanor changed and she started handing us our paperwork. I literally had no words. I expressed my gratitude to her and her response was, "I am here to serve you". We were in and out in about 45 minutes. Y'all, this was the holy spirit at work. We've prayed for favor over each step and the Lord has been so gracious to answer our prayers. 

Immediately after the appointment, I called to see if an officer had been assigned to our case letting them know our fingerprints were done and to plead my case. The answer was no and I was honestly too chicken to ask to speak with a supervisor. While my heart was so relived to have had such a great morning, my nerves were starting to kick in. I knew that today was would be the day we'd get our definite answer about the expedite. I decided to pray and let the Lord calm my heart. I called later that afternoon once we had gotten home. 

The lady on the other end, Officer K we will call her, informed me that we still didn't have an officer and that most people weren't assigned one until at least 30-45 days out at the moment. I asked her if I could speak with a supervisor and she said she'd be happy to take my call. I spilled it all. I told her how God had led us to our son, all about his medical condition, his labs, the Dr letters we had supporting our case, I shared my whole heart with her which if you know me, involved a few tears. ;) 

She was so gracious. She said that I could send my request again to her direct email and she would try to pass it up to the right chain of command. My heart immediately had a supernatural peace. We had prayed for this for months. For the Lord to let the right person be working and answer the phone when we called. For them to have a softened heart and be sensitive to our sons case. This is exactly what He had done. 

The next day, Wednesday March 16, Officer K called me back. She informed me that our request had been approved. I think I didn't say anything for a few seconds. My heart was in shock and I was overwhelmed with thankfulness and praise. I told her how much her kindness meant to us and that I would tell Paxton about her and the vital role she played in getting him home. I may have also told her I'd name my next child after her. =) 

In less than 24 hours, our request went from denied to approved. 

 God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to his greatness.

Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts. Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on your wonders. Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of your greatness. The fame of your goodness spreads across the country; your righteousness is on everyone's lips. Psalm 145:3-7

He is so faithful. He moved our mountain, with ease. We are celebrating His goodness. If there is something you are praying for, speak His power over your situation. He is able!!!

So what does this means? It means that our U.S. Immigration (i800a) was approved instantly. We received our hardcopy letter in the mail today. The current wait for approval on non-expedites is over 60 days. It would be even longer since there are so many who have been waiting for so long. The Lord allowed us to bring Paxton home 60 days earlier! It also means we can apply for medical expedite with Ch*na Immigration. While I believe God is able, that is an entirely different situation, especially with our agency's rules. 

We should be sending our dossier to Ch*na this week or next!!! This is a huge milestone!!! 

Please continue to pray for Paxton, for his heath and his heart as he looks at our pictures. For the Lord to prepare our hearts and our children's hearts. 

For his foster family as they prepare to say goodbye. 

For favor in fundraising and grants. 

We have some fun fundraising events coming up that I will share soon! 

Love y'all!