court {an adoption update}
it's with great joy that i write an adoption update.
it's been a quiet two months with the exception of an amazing encounter with k the night of thanksgiving.
we've been waiting for movement in court. we've been sitting in a holding tank after our case was filed and registered in early november.
but we have a court date: january 27!
please mark your calendars and pray the evening of the 26th as our adoption case is presented before the judge.
this means that our case will go before a judge and our power of attorney will represent us using all the documents that we have worked on and submitted for the past 2 years.
it's typical for there to be 3 hearings. usually at the third one, the judge gives verbal approval and shortly after, another hearing is scheduled and written orders are given. i use typical very loosely when talking about adoption in k's country.
we are praying for a good judge and have an idea {based on research} who our judge will be.
we pray for the lawyer as he represents us. {if you like to pray names, God will understand Mr. P.}
we need the judge to have a light case load and for our case to be at the beginning of her day so that we are indeed heard.
we expect to know something by the end of the week as to whether or not we have another hearing or have verbals.
you've walked this journey with us, or if you've stumbled upon us now, it's like you walked in for the good part!
prayerfully, we're nearing the end of our adoption journey to bring k home and then we get the joy of caring and loving this precious girl in the flesh forever.
but you're not going to believe this next part. in fact, we dare you to believe God for this one with us...
you know a year ago, we were denied k and God worked miraculously to see the denial overturned. amazing advocates and government officials were involved and many of you rallied around us.
what i'm about to tell you is just as miraculous and is another #onlyGod moment.
we have to secure visas to enter k's country and applied for these in october. i received mine rather quickly and it is good for 10 years. ben received an email questioning his job. then he received more emails asking for documents and bank statements. the office handling his visa is local {since we live in one of the 6 host cities for the indian consulates in the US}. ben made countless trips to this office since november. he would ask for updates. he searched the web for information and called every phone number relating to this issue.
it's been 3 months. you can imagine how our hearts are heavy over this unnecessary wait. however, we are at their mercy. if they say, "jump," we're asking how high.
ben is to be on the plane with me, off the plane with me, walking into the orphanage with me, and being overtaken by years worth of emotions as we meet our daughter for the very first time. but he needed a visa and at this point, everything humanly possible had been done. ben had put faith to work on a daily basis. we needed God to intervene, yet again, in this story He is writing.
on thursday, ben went by the office. he went back to work. he got an email saying his document was ready. {this meant they were releasing his passport. would there be a visa inside? would there be a denial?} he wasn't waiting for it to be mailed. he walked back this worn concrete path to the office. he opened his passport. there it was...
a visa.
a visa for 3 months. {not for 10 years like we applied for}
a visa that expires april 7.2015.
a visa that means he can enter the country starting january 7 and must leave the country by april 7.
if we had to write up a timeline based on past cases, we expect court to take about a month. this would put us at late february.
then we expect it to be another month for written orders and passport to be obtained. this would be late march.
this is cutting it so close.
after we pick up k from the orphanage, we still have days of appointments in delhi before we can leave the country with her.
is anyone else sweating right now? welcome to our world.
however, nothing, and i mean, nothing, has gone according to our plan at all on this journey. and it's okay. and perfectly clear that we are on this journey because God led us to her and has the whole thing in His hands. {though i have certainly had my doubts at times}
so if you've ever wondered if God is real. if you have wondered if He has all control. if you've ever questioned placing your total trust and faith in Him...borrow our faith for the remainder of this journey to bring k home. and believe.
because all along, He has been working in my heart to build my faith stronger in Him.
throughout the storms {and the waves and winds are still brutally fierce}, He has never let me go.
for the past 3 years, you have prayed protection over this precious girl that has kept her healthy and has kept her mind from wrong thoughts. i truly believe God has spoken to her in her dreams and has painted supernatural images of love and family in her heart.
join us on the edge of our seats. well, you sit on the edge of yours.
we've got a home to get ready. we've got deposits to make in our marriage and in our boy's lives.
{click here to read that story}
once court meets to hear our case, we have no idea what will happen after january 27.
but we believe in the God who's going to make this an incredible next 2 months!
be amazed with me.
you can stay connected on instagram with shaunapilgreen and benpilgreen or follow #pilgreenadoption.
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