Waiting on My Golden Ticket!

No not this kind of golden ticket. ;)  In the adoption world the "golden ticket" is the approval from the U.S. government allowing you to bring an orphan dependent into the country.  I mailed my application to USCIS today.  I have to receive my approval before I can officially submit all my paperwork to Mexico. 

So, now that my part of the paperwork is finished, I am shifting into high gear on the fund raising.  I would love to be fully funded by the end of the summer.  I am hoping that Lucia's Memory Quilt fund raiser will raise the funds necessary for my agency fees.  However, I still need to raise the $8,000 country fee that is due to Mexico when I accept my official referral for Lucia.  I would love to hear your ideas for fund raisers that you think would bring in close to that amount! 

Putting My Heart in a Mailbox

Last Wednesday I FINALLY received the report I had been waiting on.  The final piece of paper that I needed in order to mail out my dossier documents to my agency.  And.it.was.correct!  Thank you so much for your prayers.  The very next day I Fed-exd my documents to my agency.  I did not expect it to be so hard to hand that packet over.  It had taken me three months to paste together those precious documents that will grant me the privilege of becoming momma to the daughter of my heart. 

Handing over my packet felt like putting my heart into a mailbox and walking away.  Needless to say, I was overjoyed Friday to hear that my worker received my paper heart and it was safe and sound. 

Now comes the hardest part--waiting!  I am NOT a patient person.  The agency gives a time frame of one to three months for documents to be translated and apostilled.  While I wait I will be focusing on fund raising.  I still need approximately $13,000 to complete my adoption.  $8,000 of that is a country fee that is due when Mexico approves my dossier and grants me my official referral of Lucia.  But I am confident that as I take each step forward toward my baby girl that God will provide what is needed.  Because that is what He has done. 

I covet your continued prayers for my adoption as well as for my Lucia while she waits. 

Lucia's Memory Quilt - Will you be a piece of bringing her home?

I am so excited to share Lucia's Memory Quilt fundraiser with you!  I am having a snowball signature quilt made for Lucia.  Here is a general picture of the type of design I am talking about.

Each snowball patch on the quilt can be sponsored. By sponsoring a patch on Lucia’s memory quilt, you can help to raise the necessary funds to bring her home as well as help to create a priceless keepsake for her to always remember how many people came together to unite her with her forever family.  Each sponsored snowball patch can be personalized by the sponsor.  Personalization can be typed or hand written. Then the personalization will be printed onto the snowball quilt fabric.  There are four levels of personalization to choose from:

$10 sponsorship level = Personal Signature or Family Name

                         (Tracy Morgan or The Morgans or The Morgan Family)

 

$15 sponsorship level = Signature+Short Message -5 words or less                                       

Some phrase suggestions : “With love,”  “Praying you home!,”   

“We love you!,” “Glad you’re home!,”  “Praying for you,”  

“May God bless you,”or "Welcome home!"

 

$20 sponsorship level = Signature & Longer 1 Block Message or

                                         Individual Signatures of family members

 

$30 sponsorship level = Signature+2 Block Message—

This level allows you the space of 2 snowball blocks to write a longer personal message or perhaps share a Bible verse. 

In order to sponsor a patch simply choose your sponsorship level, make a donation via the chip in at the top left of my blog (or let me know if you prefer to mail a check), and then e-mail me at tracyrenata (at) yahoo (dot) com.  I will then e-mail you the snowball patch template and further instructions. 

Will you consider sponsoring a patch on Lucia's Memory Quilt?  I need between 200 and 250 sponsors to complete the quilt.  Each sponsorship is important to help bring my sweet girl home!

More Waiting

Thank you so much for banding with me in prayer yesterday.  I believe that God heard our petition, and I believe He is in control. 

And yet, my report had several errors that have to be corrected.  So now I am back to waiting.    

I don't believe that this caught God by surprise, and although I was disappointed and frustrated I have total trust in Him.  He has loved my daughter every day of her life -- before I saw her picture, before she became the daughter of my heart, before I worried for her well-being.  He formed her in her birth mother's womb, and He knows the number of hairs on her head.  He loves her perfectly, and promises that He will use ALL things for her good.  And I am trusting in that, and leaning NOT to my own imperfect understanding. 

God whispered this passage from Habakkuk to me several times today.  Words to help guide me and comfort me right where I am in this moment.  I wanted to share it with you because maybe you might find yourself in a similar place.  I hope it encourages your heart the way it did mine, and helps you to praise the Lord in your valley so that He can take you to the mountaintop! 


"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
      and there are no grapes on the vines;
   even though the olive crop fails,
      and the fields lie empty and barren;
   even though the flocks die in the fields,
      and the cattle barns are empty,
 ¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
      I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
 ¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
      He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
      able to tread upon the heights."  Habakkuk 3: 17-19

I would appreciate your on-going prayers for my adoption process and my baby girl while she waits.  <3

Where 2 or 3 are gathered ~ A Prayer Request

The last three months have been spent chasing paper.  Obtaining each official document needed to send to Mexico for my dossier.  It can be a exhausting!  Even for an anal retentive a detail-oriented girl like me who enjoys lists and paperwork and being able to cross things off one by one.

I am happy to say that I have every.single.document I need!  Except one.  One that I thought I would already have by now.  One I did not expect to be waiting on.  

Mexico requires a psychological evaluation during which 5 specific tests are administered.  It took me a while to track down a licensed psychologist in my area that was able to administer the required tests for a reasonable price.  But I did.  And I completed all the testing in one afternoon, and was told that the report would be ready in a few weeks.  That was over six weeks ago.

My notarized report is supposed to FINALLY be ready tomorrow at 4pm.  This is where the prayer request comes in.  Would you please agree with me in prayer?  That the report will be ready as promised, that it will be complete and correct the first time, and that it will be notarized correctly.

As soon as this last report is approved by my agency I will be able to send my complete packet of dossier documents to the agency for translating and apostilling.  That process can take one to three months.  Then my dossier is off to Mexico!!  The sooner that I can get my dossier submitted the sooner I can get a date to go see my baby girl for the first time.  I can hardly wait!  Thank you for praying with me and lending your agreement!


I believe that there is a power unleashed when Christians come together in prayer.  Jesus promises that wherever 2 or 3 of us gather in His name He will be there with us!  What a powerful promise.  So, dear friends is there anything that I can lift up in prayer for you while we are at it?  If you have a prayer request leave it in the comments below so that I can also lift you up!
                                                                                    
         

Winner!! ~ Get the Word Out Giveaway ~

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of the $25 Amazon gift card for the Get the Word Out Giveaway I held in May.  The winner who was picked by random.org is #11, Renee, the crazy cajun, Tam!  Thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word about my T-shirt fundraiser!!    

 If you haven't gotten your T-shirt yet you can check out the designs currently available HERE.  And you have to check out my friend Julia's handsome son, Aaron, sporting his ability Tee!!  Too cute!.