Give me an L-O-C!!!!!

When I was waiting quietly for the Lord, His heart was turned to me, and He gave ear to my cry." Psalms 40:1

I've been having very vivid dreams about our China trip for several days now. I can see the orphanage and the faces of the workers. I'm standing with my arms outstretched waiting for Will to be placed within them. I can see his tiny face and feel his hair against my cheek. It feels so real. My dreams grow my yearning for him--for fantasy to yield to reality. I just want our time to come. Monday was a really difficult day for me. I was impatient and low. I prayed to my Father to hasten this process and to bring word from China. The next day He did.
The call came from our agency that our Letter of Confirmation was in! This is a milestone because now we just wait for travel approval. Yes, we have more paperwork to do. Yes, we have more money to raise. But the clock is ticking until we board the plane and head to retrieve our son. I can't express the gratitude I feel to God for bringing us through yet another phase of this process. His power is so evident in our lives as he navigates the steps associated with uniting Will with us. It is all Him. And His work is not yet done.
Last night we joyfully filled out immigration papers for Will and an application for Will's visa to be issued. We'll have it all in the mail by Friday and then we wait again. We hope to receive approval to travel in two to three months. TWO TO THREE MONTHS! That's not long and that time will be filled with preparations, packing, more paperwork, gathering travel documents, making arrangements for the children etc...There will be work for my hands to do. And I'll be praying. Praying for protection over our travels and for our children left here. I'll be praying for Will as he waits for us--that supernaturally, he'd know we are coming for him and when he sees us, that his heart would find peace and not fear. There are so many teeny tiny details to pray over, but I'm going to continue to voice them all. Because my God is a God of details and He shows me He loves me by smoothing out the wrinkles of life. Pray with me!
 Will turned two on May 16th and we celebrated by having a special evening in his honor. We prayed for him and for China. Thought you might like to see some photos!

We baked a cake. Chocolate with cream cheese frosting. Ben thought it would be best to bake the cake while wearing just underwear????? We enjoyed sampling the cake too! We made home-made cards and read about the province that Will lives in (Guangxi). His province is one of the poorest and most undeveloped provinces in all of China. We prayed for all the fatherless sleeping there that night.

This is the last year that Will's birthday will go uncelebrated. May 16, 2013 will be the first birthday of his new life. Praise God!