Permission Needed

Well, it was a very frustrating night last night. It's been a struggle to hold back the tears. I talked to the head of AA and was told that they haven't gotten permission from our girls brothers. Our LOI is ready to be issued but they won't issue it until they get this permission. She told me that the in country coordinator has made a few calls trying to find them but hasn't had any luck yet. We've known all along that this might be a problem but are frustrated because we've also been told several times over the past 5 months that they were going to get it taken care of so there wasn't a delay when our LOI was ready. SIGH!!! God's time! This is very reminscent of our journey 4 years ago which doesn't help my anxiety level. I have made contact with several people to see if I can find the brothers. My nephew got on Russian facebook. No luck. I have sent an email to my friends family that went and found Igor last time to see if they remember any info that might help us locate him again. Not heard back yet. I sent an email to a young lady named Anya who is the daughter of the pastor of a church in Ust. She emailed me back and told me that she has an uncle and cousin who live in the city that Igor was last known to live in. She is checking with them for us. We would also love to have the opportunity to meet the boys when we adopt the girls. We feel it is very important for the girls to reestablish contact and maintain it with their brothers. We also thought that Sasha was going to be our son at one time and would love the chance to meet him and have a relationship with him in the coming years. Alla will be talking again to the in country coordinator in the next few days and will touch base again with us on Thursday. PLEASE PRAY!!!!

A very good friend/coworker shared her morning devotion with me:

Do not let your heart be troubled.

Peace be still.

I will send you a counselor and he will tell you the things from the Father.

We've Come Out of the Desert!

Our 40 day waiting period is over. Yeeeehaw! I received a call today letting us know that our dossier has been approved and released by the MOE and is on it's way to Ust Kamenogorsk!! We also were told that we will be traveling with another family that we have become very good blog/email friends with. What an amazing blessing!!!!! God is sooooo good.

Living Life

I just came across the following saying. It really says what Mark and I strive to do on a daily basis. It reminded me to "enjoy the journey" no matter what twists and turns it takes. I hope you are blessed by reading it!

"Life is not a race - but indeed a journey. Be Honest. Work Hard. Be Choosy. Say "thank you", and "great job" to someone each day. Go to church, take time for prayer. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper. Love your life and what you've been given, it is not accidental ~ search for your purpose and do it as best you can. Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you inspire to be. Laugh often. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them Some of the best things really are free. Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming. Forgive, it frees the soul. Take time for yourself ~ Plan for longevity. Recognize the special people you've been blessed to know. Live for today, enjoy the moment.

We're Grandparents

Cash Aaron Wolverton, our first grandchild, was born today at 7:47 a.m. to our oldest son Gabe and Christina. It was a grueling 26+ hours and as proven by the last generation of Wolverton boys/men they have huge heads! Cash weighed in at 7lbs 6 oz and is 19 1/2 inches. They are all doing wonderful but are totally exhausted. Mark and I will be spending some time in Orlando over the next week to have the chance to love on our little man. He's absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!!

Forty Days and Forty Nights

We've been notified that our dossier will have a bit of a delay because a key government official is out of the office. One of the other families has blogged that this official will be gone 40 days. I found this information out last p.m. and woke up this a.m. thinking of several biblical references to forty days.

Seven days from now I will send rain on earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made. Genesis 7:4

Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Exodus 24:18

The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horab, the mountain of God.
I Kings 19:7,8

Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city..a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. Jonah 3:3-5

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting for forty days and forty nights he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:1-4

So we will also wait 40 days and stand on the promise that God will continue to protect Tanya and Galina. We will continue to believe that he will fulfill the call that he has placed on our family to pursue the adoption of these two young ladies. We will remain in his word so that we will be fed and not enter into temptation from the devil!! Our hunger will be for our family to be in the center of God's will.