july 25, we were awoken  at 5 am.

"hi, {advocate}. should i put you on speaker phone?"

"you should most definitely put me on speaker phone!"

we cried and squealed and threw off the covers.

we are a resurrected people.

the darkness has been overcome by life.

from january til now, the darkness has been unbearable at times. so thick. so long. the darkness at times has taken my breath away. suffocating. too hard. begging God to come through, to shine through.

but this morning, it's all gone. the darkness is over. i can't even remember what the darkness felt like. and the darkness was just as real and present as 5 minutes ago!

i've sat at an atlanta braves baseball game drenched in sweat and humidity trying to remember the many times i've sat at a san francisco giants game cold and numb from the wind. i couldn't remember. the heat was just so present that i couldn't fathom being cold.

when you experience the resurrection, you can't even fathom the darkness anymore.

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and clothes me with gladness, that my glory may sing Your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, i will give thanks to You forever." {Psalm 30.11-12}

 

we ordered the pizza. we grabbed the balloons. we invited all who were walking through the darkness with us.

we celebrated our Hope. we rejoiced in the resurrection.

what was dead had been brought to life again.

we are no longer on the sidelines. we are back in the process.

she's worth fighting for. we haven't stopped fighting.

we are just now fighting in the light, rather than the darkness.

awaiting to be filed with her local court for hearings and written orders. this will give us custody!

then the orphanage applies for her passport and we book tickets!

continue to pray. yet, it's with expectant souls now. for she is coming home.