I don't know what to call this blog post...

I know our updates have been MIA for a while.  To tell you the truth, there is a lot going on with our adoption, but not much we can post on a public blog.  We are experiencing many disappointing setbacks and facing some potential increased expenses.  We fluctuate several times daily it seems between joyfully trusting God, and crumbling under the disappointment and frustration of knowing we have accomplished what seems like nothing over the last 7 months.  Our dossier is sitting on the kitchen table again. And we are in the process of moving to a new placing agency.  Because so much time has passed, we are unsure of how much of the paperwork may have to be redone and then notarized and apostilled again.

Soooo, pray for us.  We really need it.  We miss the child we haven't met.  We are determined to push forward, though.  We may not always understand why things happen the way they do, and we certainly feel frustrated and discouraged at times (lots of times), but we trust that God knew this was coming and sent us anyway.  He is in control of all of this and He knows our child, even though we don't.  Just to add an extra boost to our faith, He sent an encouraging card and a generous donation by way of some sweet friends yesterday.  How can we doubt that this will work out when He is constantly reminding us that He has this?!

In other news, since I haven't been posting updates, we still have a ways to go on the puzzle!!  Want to contribute?  You can use the pay pal button above, or give us the money in person, or stick it in the mail.  Here is a picture of what we have so far:

Exciting!  But still a long way to go!  Remember, each piece is $3.  We hope to raise a little over $3,000 with this fundraiser.

Also...Happy Mother's Day!!  Kyle brought tears to my eyes with this sweet gift he gave me yesterday:

It is the adoption Willow Tree figure.  Bittersweet gift.  Kyle told me he bought it at Christmas time, planning to give it to me for mother's day either from our little one or maybe with a picture of our little one...because we really thought we would know him/her by now.

Gracious...I've gone from discouraged to joyfully trusting and back to discouraged at least three times just in typing this blog post.  Did I mention that we could use your prayers?  Here is the verse Kyle texted me today:

Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."

Let it be so.