Meeting Day

God is so good!  Today was a day I had dreamed about for over a year and thought about daily even from 1-2 a.m. today!!!  George came to the hotel to get us this morning at about 9:30 and said that the social workers were not ready so we had some time to run to the Tesco -like Costco - and look around and see if we needed anything.  That was an educational experience in a good way - but I was dying to get out of there and get on our way to meet Lizzie - Sugi (Shugi).  We were in a 9 passenger van and it was full.  We had a driver, translator, George, the 4 of us and 2 social workers.
It was about a 40 minute drive to her house and John Reese could read the GPS and tell me when we were close!  My legs were shaking getting out of the van and Ellie said "We are here Mom, really here!"  We all nine went to the door of this small home and went in.  That part is quite a blur as there was a foster mother, foster father, their daughter (about 20 yrs old) Sugi and 2 MORE social workers!!!  They all began to speak at once it seems telling Sugi to take us to her room.  She did.  She is very tiny and was obviously watching for us.  She looked a little shy at first but wanted to smile and as soon as we got into her room - just us and the translator - she asked for the photo album we had made for her.  She turned to the page with Jake on it and asked why we didn't bring him? We had the translator explain that he couldn't fly on an airplane and she thought that was very funny!
She then asked why she wasn't on the front of the album  since she was in our family!  It was very sweet.
She was immediately warm and comfortable with us.  We played with stickers and colored in a Hello Kitty coloring book from Ms. Kris!  (Ellie knew you would love that, Ms. Kris)
We brought her a stuffed dog which she LOVED!!!!  She played with it and loved on it throughout the visit.
We were there for about 2 1/2 hours and just played and visited.  She said "Ellie" and "John Reese" once when the translator asked her to and once when I asked her to.  The translator told me that she asked me "Mommy, do you want me to make a picture for you?"  She made pictures with stickers or colors for all of us and passed them out.  She smiled the whole time!  We all did!  It was truly perfect.  John Reese said that his face hurt from smiling so much.
The kids were great with her and she LOVED them.  She gave lots of hugs and kisses and did not want for us to go!
Please pray for all paperwork to be completed and for her to be with us very soon - this is looking really good!!!
We will bring her back here with us tomorrow and if the weather permits visit a zoo!  She LOVES animals from all we can tell - so we can't wait for that!  The weather today was sunny and 40.  God is so good and in all of the details.
Please pray for the foster family as they are really grieving.
The social workers all seemed very pleased with the visit.  The one with us - Elizabeth :) - said that it went beautifully and she could tell we had experience with children and that also John Reese and Ellie did very well!
We are so thankful for all of you and your love, support, encouragement and prayers.
We serve a Mighty God.
This is how we began our day:
Mighty is our God
Mighty is our King
Mighty is our Lord
Ruler of everything.
Glory to our God
Glory to our King
Glory to our Lord
Ruler of everything!!!

Arrival

 We arrived in Budapest on time and had a great night's rest.  We met George this morning and he and a driver drove us to Niyerghaza - pronounced Nearcasa.  It's hard for all of us to believe that this is real!!!  We feel very safe and comfortable with George.  It is obvious that he has a heart for adoption and is excited about us meeting Lizzie tomorrow.  We love our little hotel for the week.  It is charming and comfortable.  

He said that we would learn more tomorrow morning about Lizzie's six years and then would meet her tomorrow afternoon.  He encouraged us to keep her busy and not worry if she is a little sad.  He said again that her foster mother "likes her very much."  He is obviously a little concerned about this, but we are so thankful that she is loved.  We are all excited and feel a peace about being here in Hungary.  The people we have met are very kind.  The country is beautiful.  The weather is great.  We need to keep praying about the weather for this next week as we travel back and forth to visit Lizzie as George said that they do not clear the roads.

The time difference is 7 hours, so hopefully about 5 a.m. (your time) Monday, we will meet our new daughter and sister.  We love all of you and appreciate the prayers!   

Have a blessed Sunday!

Going to get our Lizzie!

The day has finally arrived.  Airline tickets are purchased, hotel reservations are made, Lizzie's foster family knows we are coming, George is working on our court date to get temporary custody, and in 11 days I will see her sweet face!
I am overwhelmed with the emotions of this long awaited day.  I am amazed at God's goodness and assured of His timing - which is always perfect!
We will leave next Friday, January 19 and will meet Lizzie on Monday, January 23.  We are so thankful, so humbled that God chose this path for us.
I have watched God change the hearts of those I love dearly to not only accept this plan, but be excited about it.  I have watched Him move mountains to get us to our precious daughter.
Lizzie will soon be an orphan no more!  Will will soon get to begin sharing with her the love of our Savior, our Lord, who adopted us into His family because of His great love and mercy!

To God be the glory great things He has done! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice, praise the Lord, praise the Lord let the people rejoice! Oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give Him the glory great things He has done!
Love you all!
Your prayers throughout this journey are precious gifts to us!!
Lisa

We Got It!!!!

We received our Provisional Approval from USCIS today!  This means that now all we have to do is wait for George to say "come on."
George is traveling to Hungary as I write this and Jana is e-mailing him to let him know that we received this so that he can make our travel plans.
God is good and amazing!  So thankful to be on this journey!
The kids started packing their bags and Lizzie's bag last night.  With a little encouragement from some precious friends - they decided to get ready and that God would honor that and say "go."
I love it and am so blessed to be a part of seeing Him work in such mighty ways.
Reese has set our official travel date - and the kids are believing that he can make it happen.  We know that God can make it happen!
I will post as soon as I know!
Thanks again for the prayers, excitement, love and encouragement!
Lisa

Christmas

We had a precious Christmas as we celebrated the birth of our Savior.  I feared that I would be sad to not have Lizzie home with us yet, but God gave us all a peace, and though we wish she were here, we focused on Him and each day He has given us.  We went ahead and did "Santa" for Lizzie as she will not have another birthday or Christmas until next December and it just felt right!  The kids were excited to see her things, too!
I hope to be posting VERY soon that we have our travel plans.  We are still awaiting our provisional approval from the USCIS - praying for a joyous trip to the mailbox today :).
Believing God that we will travel this month!  Thank you again for your excitement for us and also your prayers!
Lisa

Update

Just a little update to say that we are falling more and more in love with our Lizzie's picture each day and it is heartwrenching not to be with her!  We are so thankful for God's faithfulness along this journey and we know that He will continue to provide - step by step.
Wanted to let you know that we cannot post pictures of her.  As far as I know we cannot do that until we are home from Hungary.
When we go we will be gone for 6 weeks and all 4 of us are going.  We hope to travel in January.
On Friday, we officially accepted the referral!  We are now waiting for some final documents to be translated and then for our I - 800 to be sent to Texas for approval from the US Govt.  We have been told this process takes anywhere from 2-6 weeks.  We are praying for the 2 week plan! :).  Then our facilitator in Hungary will make our final travel plans  Still praying that we could have travel plans by Christmas.  It would be a miracle - but God is in the miracle business!  Another matter for prayer  - the weather.  Our facilitator - George - does not want us to come and be stranded anywhere as the first week we are there we will be staying about an hour from where Lizzie lives and will commute each day to spend time with her.  Again - if God can connect a family from Decatur, AL to a little girl in Hungary - He can handle the weather issue - He made the weather!
I have so many thoughts ... this is by far the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life - yet I wouldn't trade this year for anything, and I cannot imagine the blessings in store for us as we become a family of five.
For any of you considering adoption - pray HARD!  God will lead and make it so clear - but clear doesn't mean easy.
I am so excited to be at this point - how many times I prayed - if we could just get that referral - then I would have peace.  And I do... mostly.  However, fear continues to creep in and sometimes even panic - about all of the unknowns.  Some days I walk through my house just saying "Peace, peace, I need Your peace!" I am praying for a peace that passes all understanding for little Lizzie as her world is about to be turned upside down.  I pray for peace to fill me and for God to take away my fears and help me to live each day trusting Him - trusting Him when I wonder if she will be mean to John Reese and Ellie, if she will like us, if she will be angry, if she will let me comfort her, if she will like homeschooling...But then I remember that I serve the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords... and I am filled with His peace, but, to be really honest, then it starts over - peace, fear, panic, PRAY ... peace...
I am blessed beyond measure and give thanks in all things - even the fear and panic.
Thank you for your prayers along this journey!
In His grace,
Lisa

God's promise!

This is what I saw out of my front door within hours of receiving Lizzie's picture!