Here we are....

Here we are writing the last pages of our journey to bring Zalen Moise home.  The blank pages before me can be overwhelming at times, but I know God will write it just the way it should be.

I have been blessed in the past weeks with pictures and even a couple videos of Zalen.  His smile is etched so deeply in my heart and soul.  I wish I could find words adequate to describe how I love this little boy.  I am thankful for God leading me to this verse....1 Peter 1: 3-9. "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

My Jesus. My Zalen Moise. I GET it. It has been so hard to explain how I can love a little boy I have not seen...that I don't know...yet I know. The inexpressible, glorious joy of that love.... It so mimics my relationship with Jesus. I have not seen him, yet I LOVE Him!!! I have never "met" him yet I know Him. That is why this adoption journey has turned me upside down, inside out...b/c it does so mirror exactly how God adopted me. How God chose me. How God loves me.  I understand that now in a way I never have before.

The ache in my heart is their for a purpose...."These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." The other day I prayed for God to take away the ache. Lately I have prayed that God would make me ache - for that means I am being refined...close to the end result of my faith... that I am "LIVING" and out of my comfortable box... As I ache I will PRAISE HIM, knowing that in ALL of it - Christ will be revealed, even if I don't understand it.


I have tried to keep my hands open and trust. trust. trust. with the timing of how everything will happen but my heart was holding much more expectation then I realized.  This past week I had to fight through emotions that I may not be traveling before the end of the year and that we probably will not be getting that refundable tax credit we were hoping for.  I have talked to three different lawyers/tax people and still have no clue what is means to finalize our adoption.  The fine print is all greek to me.

Here is what you need to know....

• PRAISE - We have our i600 approval.  On the US side we are ready and approved to bring home our  son.  We received this approval 3 weeks before I expected and I know that was because of the prayers that each of you lifted for our family.
• We do have an embassy appointment, but it is not until Dec. 19th.  Here is where my heart had to deal with the expectations I had hidden in my heart.  But we did get some of the last appointments of the year, so I am thankful for that.  The embassy appointment is the first step for Zalen Moise to get his VISA to come to the US.  
• Once the VISA is issued we will travel.  At this time it is very unlikely we will travel before the end of the year.  If we did it would be over Christmas. 

Where are you at with your fundraising?

• We are almost there.  We are currently hoping to raise the rest of the $1500 we need to pay off our agency.  Our agency has given us a November 25th deadline to pay the rest of our balance.  Our originally goal was to have this money raised by November 15th.  I have not been able to inquire of our Lifesong account due to people being out of the office, so hoping to find out where we stand on Monday.  If you still would like to donate through Lifesong (which we prefer) you can.  They will take donations up to the time that our adoption is final.  (details in past entries below)
• Our last fundraiser is planned for this Monday, November 14th.  We are having a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser. We are hoping to raise the rest of what we need for travel which is around $2,500.

Every Monday in November is "WEAR YOUR SHIRT & PRAY" day.  We have a lot to pray through & for.  The elections are quickly approaching and so is deadlines to have our finances in order.  Our prayer requests for this Monday, November 14th are as follows:

• That our Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser will be a great success.  A special thanks to my friend Shauney who has headed up this fundraiser for me and went the extra mile.  She is one in a million and been the most amazing support to me through this adoption journey.  
• Pray that our Paperwork will all be in order when it reaches Congo for embassy appointment.  This is so important.  So many times their is complications with paperwork so if we could just pray that the paperwork all makes it together and timely, that would be appreciated.  
• Please continue to pray for the upcoming elections - that they would be peaceful and the leader elected will bring healing and restoration to the country.
• Pray for our immediate need of $1500 to be raised so we can pay off our agency.

Still would love pictures of you or your crew wearing your shirts!!  E-mail them to fullertessy(at)yahoo(dot)com.  Check out this great and very unique picture of my friend Tricia's son.  She is also adopting for the DRC.

I wish I could let each of you know how much your love, support, prayers, and gifts have met to me.  I am constantly overwhelmed by the amazing people God has surrounded us with.  Near and far...  Ones I've known a lifetime, ones I have just met, and others I have not met at all.  Thank you for being a blessing to us.

But most of all thank you for being a blessing to this little boy "Zalen Moise" and helping him to have a forever family.