Good News and Happy New Year!

I am sure everyone is wondering... did God provide? Will the Elliotts be able to make their second payment to the adoption agency?

Yes!

God did provide - through the generosity and prayers of many beautiful people! We will be able to proceed... now I will tackle that paperwork with vigor, knowing that we can move forward as soon as it is done! So very, very exciting. (I have yet to update the fund thermometer, hopefully that will happen before next week's blog.)

Each gift, each donation to our little one's adoption moves me almost to tears - no matter how much the amount is, I see it as love. Love for us, love for our future child, love of what is good and right in the world, love for God and His heart. Everyone may have a different motive, or many motives, for giving but what is boils down to is love, pure and simple.

It humbles me and makes me very grateful that our dear friends and family would pour out so abundantly into our need. Please know that I will always have a special place in my heart for all of you. When I see my child smile, when I hear his or her joyous laughter, or tweak his or her cute little nose, I will know that it was your giving and your prayers that has brought my child into my arms. (On a side note, this would make you equally responsible for tantrums.)

For your prayers and generousity, we are eternally grateful. After we finish with the immigration paperwork, we will be entering the Bulgarian phase of the adoption. While this is very encouraging, path gets steeper and more difficult from here on out. Paperwork will be complex. Requirements will be poorly translated and there will be a great potential for misunderstanding. And the fees! I don't even want to think about it now, lest I lose the hope I have found in God's recent provision and in your outpouring of love.

This new year is full of hope and expectation for us... it could be within this year that we see our little one for the first time, maybe even be able to tuck him or her in and give goodnight kisses in our own little apartment! It could take a little longer, but I think that we will be able to rescue our child from a hopeless, loveless existence in an orphanage very soon.

Happy, Hopeful, New Year!

Thank you!