The start to our trip...

Before we left for the Christian Orphan Alliance Summit we had two prayers requests 1. That we would leave knowing where we are adopting from. My heart has been so pulled for China. I did not want to start this process doing what "I" wanted if God had something different. #2 What agency we were to go with. The more I research the more I realize that finding an agency feels like dating all over again! I just want to find "the one" :) Most important though we really just want God to confirm again that this is His desire for our family. It's like what Jeff Mangum spoke about on Sunday at church. When going over and understanding the genealogy of Christ. It not only shows the history of Christs linage but it shows God's faithfulness to His promise. It shows that despite the messed up and broken people in there that HE remains faithful forever and always! Jeff was talking about how his daughter will pull out her baby book over and over and over again. Looking at the pictures wanting to hear the stories even though she knows them ALL, she is comforted and reassured and finds joy in hearing them told again. This message was comforting to me because that is where I am at right now. I can't deny the faithfulness of God in my life. How He has got us this far and yet I find myself asking Him for more and more reassurance. The amazing thing is....He is happy to oblige! His word is a lamp unto my feet and and a light unto my path. He places people in my life, events that show me

" YES I am here" "I am with you". I love that He does it too often when we are not expecting it. Our prayer was to leave the Summit with extra confirmation. He decided to not wait and give it to us before we even began the Summit!

We landed in MN and we stepped foot into the airport I looked off to left. There, in a nearby window was a reflection of a rainbow. This made me smile and I pointed it out to Nathan. Rainbows have always been special to me. Whenever I have ever gone through a rough or scary time I am always caught of guard by a rainbow, it speaks deeply to me. I feel God say " I promise, I am with you" and I am comforted. A few moments and steps later our breath was taken away we witnessed an adoption homecoming right before us! The little girl was welcomed with flowers and balloons, signs scribbled in crayon saying "Welcome Home Sallie!" Of course I start to cry! To see outpouring of love for this sweet girl... as we passed them I just could not keep my tear filled eyes off them. When I could not stretch my neck back any further, I turned to look forward and right in front of me starring back, face to face and in the arms of her daddy was a little Asian girl. The lump in my throat got even harder to hold. I have not even left the airport yet and I am going to be a bawling mess! As we continued to walk (with this sweet little girl right in front of me)I just kept praying " Really God?!? What are the odds that all these events would line up like this? You are really here! Thank you God! I can't believe this, but thank you!" What was happening in my heart at that moment can't even be put into words but I know God was at work!

To be continued....