SHOCKED!!

I'm not sure I've ever been more shocked in my life. Really. Yesterday after church we were driving down the road, headed to see my family. I happened to notice the little numbers on my email icon showing a few newbies, and I habitually went to see what was there. At the top of the list was an email from a Peruvian adoption group I am a member of online. The subject said, "CONSEJO HELD OCTOBER 27th!"

I started talking in my super fast squirrel voice, which I break out when I am excited. (I've been called "The Mouth of the South" due to using this voice frequently as a child, and on up. This name was given by my family as a term of endearment only, of course.wink-wink)
So all in one breath..."DANNY! I JUST GOT AN EMAIL FROM PERU ADOPT AND THERE WAS A CONSEJO ON THURSDAY...OH MY GOSH... OH MY GOSH!!!"
Danny: WHAT?!
I opened that email like a true ninja. And there, right before me- the message said something like, "Congrats to the Villa Hope and Lifeline families who were matched at this consejo!"

My thoughts were everywhere. Oh my. Is it us??
We are a Lifeline family. (Our agency is called Lifeline Adoption)
There was a link to the results. I clicked the link and scrolled through it with lightening speed. There at the bottom was OUR LITTLE GIRL. We were matched. WE WERE MATCHED!
I hollered through the vehicle, "WE'RE MATCHED!!! OH LORD!! WE'RE MATCHED! WE'RE GOING TO PERU!!! OH MY!!!"
I heard a good bit of loud indian screaming from the back seat from Josiah and Isaac.
Then I heard a very loud, "WOOOOOO!!!" I turned toward the noise, and looked at my sweet hubbs, who had tears rolling down his cheeks.

It all seems a blurr right now. I am in awe. We will be going to Peru in sometime around 8 weeks to meet our precious daughter. I am seriously beside myself.

We now are waiting on an official letter from Peru that we will sign, letting Peru know that we are accepting the referral. It should be here in about 2 days. After that, we have to wait on a few final documents to be translated. Then we will submit our I-800. This is a form we must file with US immigration before bringing our daughter into the states. All of the above usually takes around 8 weeks. Somewhere toward the end of that time frame we will make our travel plans. If things fall right around that time, we will be leaving a few days after Christmas, or possibly right at the New Year. This will be a Christmas like no other for our family.

I'm praying about a good bit right now. My step mom is traveling with us to Peru, but most of the time Peru will not allow anyone outside of the immediate family come until after the child is officially placed with the family. (The first 2 weeks) The reason behind this, is that they want to be sure the child is attaching and bonding with mama and daddy and then other relationships can be built later. I understand this, but I hope an exception can be made, since we will be traveling with our 3 boys as well. (I believe we can handle putting all of our girl's needs and attention in our hands as a priority!) We would like to be able to go and meet our daughter the first day, with just us. I think more will be overwhelming- but we'll do what we have to! There will be some other legal appointments during that first 2 weeks when having an extra pair of hands would be PRICELESS. God knows all of these needs- and if LeeLee cannot come until after the first 2 weeks, we will still greatly appreciate her being there! God will calm our excited boys in the midst of the Amazon jungle, and continue to work the miracles He has led us forward with from the beginning.

I am praying about our daughter, and that she will not be afraid of us. A child who has lived in an orphanage environment, rarely seeing outsiders, can be extrememly scared. Who wouldn't be scared of two white people, speaking an unknown language, who are coming to take you away from everything you've ever known? We need some miracles in this department, and I am trusting God to bring them to pass.

I am praying for our three sons who are 7, 5, and 3 to adjust, sleep, eat, normally and enjoy Peru. I am praying for Amaus to be at peace and for God to show me ways of helping him adjust to basically having a twin. He will need so much help in smoothing this transition...

I am praying in advance over the spiritual battles that always take place when a child is taken under the banner of a christian household. Satan doesn't like that one bit. I am rejoicing that my God is able to handle all of this and so much more!

We spent Sunday, and today rejoicing. Our God is bigger than any battle. We have already seen the impossible happen so many times. On all accounts, the Lord has fought, and won every battle for us. This recent victory of being approved at consejo was another one. We requested a little girl outside of our approval range that we had been discouraged from even pursuing due to that age factor. We were approved having three small children already, which is not commonly done in Peruvian adoption. I love how the Lord wrote this all out for us in such a miraculous way, we could never possibly look back and doubt His hand upon it all.

We will be going to Lima, then to Iquitos, then back to Lima. Iquitos is landlocked by the Amazon jungle. We will fly there from Lima. I find so many things odd in all of this. I never pictured myself going to this part of Peru. I even said it out loud. Never say never. Also, the name of our little girl is a girl baby name I had picked out while in two of my pregnancies. I don't think I am allowed to share any of that quite yet. I also cannot share any pictures here, until she is placed in our care. If you live local and want to see our darling- come see me!!