Friday, December 16, 2011

WOW!

I am completely blown away. BLOWN. AWAY! Seriously!

I started out today completely stressed about what to do. Do we plan on going next week? Do we plan on leaving the 30th? Honestly, I had no idea what to do.

I called Matt and work and got him up to date on everything that had happened by noon today...

We got an e-mail saying our CA had been scheduled for January 4th

We got confirmation that we were getting a $2500.00 grant

Then within minutes of that, I got an e-mail from our HS agency saying that we owed them $3600.00 and it had to be paid BEFORE travel (on top of everything else we had yet to pay).

Apparently when we paid for our updated homestudy last October, it did not include the post placement fees of $1800.00. I honestly thought we had paid those, so I guess my bad.

The other $1800.00 is for the additional post placement visits that China is now requiring. Instead of 3, we have to do 6! One at one month, three months, six months, a year, three years and 5 years! Unbelievable!

I was seriously stressing by this point. Like I really needed one more thing to worry about. So, I called the only person who I knew could bring me back to some normalcy, Matt.

I told him I didn't know what to do, or what decisions to make. The plane tickets just to fly from here to China are almost $3000 because of traveling so close to Christmas. I have no idea yet what out in country fees will be.

I really couldn't make any travel arrangements because we simply didn't have all the money and I didn't know whether to take the risk or not.

Matt's response, "you are just going to have to give up control and have faith." Not what I WANTED to hear, but definitely what I NEEDED to hear.

So, I did! I told myself the same thing I have been saying since we started this process, "if it is God's will, then He will provide." I said a quick little prayer in the car asking God for some sort of sign about what we should do.

I picked up Andrew from school, and came home to see what I could do. I called all the places we have applied to for grants. It doesn't look like we will be getting any more grants before we leave since it is so close to us traveling and some of them don't even have their review processes until after Christmas. There is one that we should be hearing from by or before the 20th.

As I was sitting here looking at flights, I got a text from a fellow adoptive mom asking about our chip in and if it really just jumped up to meet our goal. While I was reading her text I also got an e-mail saying that our Chip in goal had been met.

Someone donated $3300 which put us over our goal. The note attached to the donation was "God wants you to go get your daughter."

Truly amazed. Beyond Blessed. I simply don't know what else to say! God is definitely in control and He is definitely driving this train.

We are getting so close. So, so, close. However, with the additional cost of our post placements, and the ridiculous costs for travel, we are still in need.

God is all over our adoption, He has been from day one. I know if anyone can make this happen it is Him and for that reason I am staying faithful that He will provide, and we will leave December 23rd giving us THE best Christmas gift ever...

BIrthday

11 comments:

Addie Talley, Photographer said...

amazing!!!!!

Football and Fried Rice said...

Mandi,

I got tears & chills reading this!!!! How faithful HE is, even when we aren't!! I am so glad that you are going to get your girl!! She is gorgeous and I cant wait to see her with you!!!

Merry Christmas,
Sara

Sue said...

How amazing, Mandi!!! God loves the orphan!!

Connie J said...

HE is so very good! And He loves Kalia even more than you do, Mandi. Finally you are going to meet your girl!!!!

Cari said...

:) that's great news! just remember these moments as you sit face to face with your daughter in Ch*na...she's so worth it!

Matt and Maria said...

Praise God! Can't wait to see Kalia with her family, hearing about the Lord, and learning how much she is loved.

Tara Anderson said...

This is a Christmas you'll never forget...for so many reasons!!!

Our family: said...

God is working!! That is amazing! You are so close. I know He will continue to provide. I will keep praying and post again on fb.
Blessings,
Lydia

Unknown said...

Mandi...have you guys applied with A Child Waits Foundation? They love to be able to help with the last minute fees that would keep a family from traveling. Praying but I'm confident the Lord will provide. He provided our plane ticket funds 24 hours..YES 24 HOURS before we were suppose to board the plane. He has brought you this far, He will not leave you now!!!

Anonymous said...

Love reading your journey & watching God work!

Mandy McKnight
www.mcknightdiary.wordpress.com

Amy said...

Thank you for sharing! God is so good!!! All.the.time. I saw your post on RQ and checked out your blog. Then, a friend of mine posted a request on her blog to help send your family to China. By the time I checked back on your blog, your travel needs had been met and then some! Go confidently in the direction God has laid out for you. He will provide!!!
Amy