LB and ETAs

Can I just say that it is glorious to have enough good things to tell to be blogging multiple times in a day??  That is a really nice change!

So many of you have asked to hear more about our daughter, and when we will get to bring her home.  I have to be pretty careful about what I put on a public blog, but a friend is working on a way to have a password protected place for pictures for us.  What I can tell you is that she is four years old, only 13 months older than Li'l Bit.  And the funny thing is, I've had several people look at LB's picture and tell me she looks like her!  Of course, she has different hair and eyes, but similar facial features and expression.  And those eyes... there is so much heart in them.  Until we get an online picture source set up, I will happily show her to anyone I see!  Please feel free to give me a reason to whip out my phone and show you this beautiful face!

As far as when she will come home, well, that is the question.  We will hear more details from our agency soon, but here are the basics as I understand them.

1.) Approval from a state level committee in India

2.) NOC (No Objection Certificate) from CARA (federal approval)

3.) Wait for a court date and then pass court

4.) Orphange applies for her passport

5.) Once passport is received, we can travel

6.) Apply for visa while we're in India and bring our daughter home!

That looks like a short list, but our agency's estimated time frame for that when we got started was 9-12 months.  Cases in India vary so much it is down right crazy.  I know families who have completed their entire adoption process in a year, beginning to end.  I also know people who have been matched with their children for two years or more and still haven't traveled.  Obviously, we are praying that things are expedited as much as possible.  But I will say this, I have learned the hard way that even when I don't understand the reasons, the Lord is perfectly orchestrating every single tiny detail of this journey, and my eyes are on HIM.  In the meantime, we have the joy of finally being able to paint a bedroom, prepare our home, finish out the rest of our funding, shop for clothes and other fun things, learn Hindi (hehe), and any other possibilities that come to mind to get ready for our daughter's homecoming.  The toughest part for me will be spreading it out!  I am so excited!