The latest....

For those last few of you that are still checking this blog I want to give an update. Basically where we are at, is still waiting for our case history. It now is going to have to be re-done by another woman from the ministry of health. We spoke with her on the phone last week and she was very nice. She said it was her goal to have it done by the end of January and have us united with our children by mid-February.

Where I'm at is very similar to where I was at 8 years ago concerning a different situation. God had laid Steve, my now husband, on my heart and even a woman had predicted that we would marry (she knew us both separately, Steve and I were only acquaintances). I had certainly been open to other possibilities for marriage but Steve was continually on my heart. When I was single and I would begin to get a "crush" on someone I would pray, "Lord, if this isn't your will take these feelings away." He always did, but not for Steve. This seemed crazy to me because Steve didn't seem to notice that I even existed. Looking back I see it as my issue, not his (I was shy and insecure).

So after about a year and half of this can't shake these feelings I finally said "God, I've had enough!!! I'm going to seek your face every night, on my floor, on my face that if it is your will for Steve and I to have a relationship that you will make it happen." I gave God the date of Valentines Day (2001) because that was the year anniversary since that lady had told my mother she had found my future husband, Steve.

Valentines Day came and went much to my dismay but lo and behold Steve and I did have our first date just a week later on February 22, 2001 and were married June 15, 2001.

I know that my resolve is is very similar to what it was then. I will be praying every night, on my face, on the floor, that if this adoption is God's will that he would make it happen by mid-February.

My brother in law has been in Liberia picking up his two boys and while he was there he picked up our children as well and kept them at his hotel. So they have had a taste of what it is like to be "rescued", loved, and wanted. When he dropped them back off at the orphanage this morning, our middle child of the three, Serena cried and cried and cried.

Gidstina our eldest, kept asking him, "When are they coming?" Gideon, our youngest, told us on the phone, "You should come".

We would ask for your prayers with us that our case histories would be done by the end of the month!

Update of no updates...

We have gotten over the past week lots of updates of nothing. Our Liberian side director is working so hard to get this signature! He has literally met with this man every day! Our American side director is leaving tomorrow to go to Liberia and will hopefully get the signature while she is there. One way or another we will get some more concrete news after next week I think. So that is where we are at! I'll keep the blog updated when we hear more next week...

Not so fast Walsman family...

Obviously we were speeding too quickly ahead! The last signature we needed so Steve could go get the kids we didn't get. The guy ended up refusing to sign. He keeps saying each day, "Maybe I'll sign tomorrow". So we have NO IDEA what to expect. He could sign tomorrow or he could never sign. We literally don't know what to think. Other than we are back in the waiting game. I'm beginning to think it would be better that the kids not come home before all the hub-bub of Christmas and come home in January anyway. That way things came be calm and as they normally are. God knows best though and he will do just that! We are trusting in him!

Exit interview scheduled!

We are very close to Steve being on his way to Liberia! Woo Hoo! Case history is written and needs to be typed and signed. The country side director has assured us that it will be done by Tuesday the 18th at which time the biological parents have their appt. to be interviewed by the US Consular. If all this goes well on the 18th than Steve can travel anytime after that. We just have to call the travel agency and see what flights are going to Liberia in the next few weeks.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow God. That is all I can say.

They have PASSPORTS!

Our agency director emailed us a copy of our kids passports! WooHoo! We are one step closer to having them home. Oh, I can't wait! She told us that when Amos, the country director, went to the Minsitry of Health the other day they were working on our case history. So hopefully we will get their case histories this week or next week. If we do HollyAnn says we have a good chance of having them home by Christmas! Pray with us to that end! We are ready to get these kids out of the orphanage and into our family!

About our new kids!

"Serena, Gidstina, and Gideon are all loving. Gidstina plays with other girls but never really the same girl. Gideon they say his name like Geo. At first he was shy and now everyday he is by Jana's side. He is a little guy and about 2 years old. He is always smiling. Serena is always smiling, love to have fun and very girly. She and Francis always play alot together."

This is from a mom who is in Liberia now picking up her daughter. She has had time to spend at the orphanage with our children.

CAN'T WAIT TO MEET THESE PRECIOUS CHILDREN!

CASE HISTORY HAS BEGUN!

We got the long awaited email this morning that our case history was officially started this past weekend. AGGHHH!!!!! This is what we have been waiting on for the past 12 months!!! God's timing is perfect. I pretty much knew it was coming and I pretty much know these children will be home by Christmas. It has been neat to look back and see how God has orchestrated this whole thing.

Me letting go and telling God I'm throwing the ball in your court about adoption. I'm not going to pray about it or think about it anymore. If you want us to adopt then you have to totally initiate it! I'm done!

Several months later Steve turning to me after church and out of the blue saying, "It's time to pursue adoption".

God leading me to a woman that has adopted 6 Liberian girls and 4 foster children and has dealt with the same special needs that we deal with in one of our biological children. And how he used her to encourage me to go ahead.

The agency WACSN hearing our whole story and saying they would gladly help us with an adoption even with our unique family circumstances and how that gave me the encouragement to go on.

How God led us to the right organization to do our home study.

All my questionings and God confirming to me that this adoption is his will.

How he has provided all the finances needed.

How he has prepared our hearts and our home for many years now.


It feels kinda scary that it is all happening now. And life is going to change so much. And it isn't going to be easy. It's going to be a LOT of work. I'm a little frightened of that. I'm so used to things being the way they are now. I think pretty much I can sign off on the easy life from the time they come home until Heaven. Because with that many kids even as they grow up and leave home we will continue to be involved in their lives and then grandchildren and all of that. We are on the edge of a MAJOR life change. MAJOR. I never asked God for an easy life though. I've always asked him for the chance to glorify him. And I've always told him I'm willing to do whatever he wants me to do. So this is it. This is it. He gave everything for me. So the least I can do is give my life as an offering back to him. It's not much... But I'm His!