We had to brave the freezing cold  temps this morning (-15 F) and went to have our fingerprinting done at the USCIC office.  It went smoothly and hopefully we will have approval soon.  This is for the I-600A that has to be filed and approved to allow us to bring a child to this county.  

Needless to say, I will not be making any more trips outside today!! Brrrrrrr!!!

We are still waiting for our referral and I am more and more excited everyday!

So, I was just thinking the other day that I have never shared how Chad and I came to the decision to adopt.  So here goes-

It is really hard for me to explain how it happened but I do remember a couple of things that lead up to God planting the idea in our hearts.  

One of the first was when I attended the ICC Women's Retreat last year (2008).  I felt like God was drawing me to sponsor a child at the Compassion International table they had.  I chose a little boy slightly older than Hunter who liked soccer because my kids love soccer too and I figured the boys would relate to this little guy easier.  

A few weeks later we were working on finally getting our old acreage sold (almost 2 years after we had first put it on the market).  The couple wanted the home but wouldn't be able to purchase it because they were in a hold up with an adoption in Illinois.  They were not permitted to move until the process was complete and the biological parents were dragging their feet.  The biological parents had not had the child since she was 6 weeks old and now she was almost 2 yet they were slow to finally sign away their rights. The awesome thing is all the time we were trying to sell that house, I had heard God remind me over and over that it wasn't about the money. It had been a struggle for us carrying two mortgages, yet God provided for us and when the money was finally all gone, the house sold. It was His timing and for his purpose that those people bought the house when they did.   His plan was to bring this family into our home, not to save us from any financial disaster, but to bring adoption to the forefront of our minds.  I wouldn't have imagined that God's plan for our house sale was to lead us to adopt a child.  HE is so amazing and His plans and timing are perfect!

I had never thought adoption was something I was open to.  I could have children and I didn't know how I would love an adopted child the same way as my own children.  Yet that was exactly what God was telling me we were supposed to do.  He had put those events in my life to prepare my heart for this amazing journey.  He had erased the worry of how I would love this child and replaced it with complete certainty that if I was following his plan it would be just fine and this little one would feel to me no different than my other children.  It is amazing to see how God can work in your heart to change it so swiftly.

So as I was having these feelings, I brought it up to Chad.  (Now, he says that it was his idea and he brought it up to me but I see it differently).  I figured that if he was unsure and against it then it was not the right time.  To my amazement, he was in total agreement.  Clearly God had been working in his heart too.  

We were unsure what to do next.  This was all new to us.  We started by doing extensive research online to determine the route we wanted to take.  We were up late many nights laying in bed with the laptop trying to determine where our little child would come from.  We had decided that International Adoption was our best option, as the holdups that can occur here in the US were unappealing to us (after seeing what the couple whom had bought our house had been through).  At first we were drawn to countries near Russia but that quickly faded as we become more and more interested in South Korea.  I was in love with the beautiful features the little Korean children had and we were so impressed to know that infants in Korea were actually living with foster families prior to their adoption, rather than orphanages .  A bonus was that South Korea allows you to choose the gender of your child if you already have at least 2 of one gender.  What a blessing God had given us, we were going to be able to have a little girl!

So we had settled on a country, now we had to pick an agency.  We found a few that work in Iowa and have adoption programs with Korea.  Holt was one of the only ones to get back to us and we have been impressed ever since.

Sure the process seems long at times, but it will be so worth it in the end when we hold our little gift from God in our arms and she is forever ours! 

Today we are awaiting the big ice storm that is expected to hit during the late afternoon hours.  

This has been a crazy week.  It started when we noticed Hunter had a red rash all over his chest and back and then a fever.  After a trip to the walk in clinic, our fears were confirmed and we learned he has strep-throat.   A day later Connor started vomiting and we were pretty sure he was getting it too, so he stared on the antibiotics too.  It was amazing how after each child had his first two doses, they were back to themselves as far as having energy goes.  I was kind of enjoying the quite subdued children.  However, I would much rather them feel good than be sick (especially throwing up). I am just praying that Grant, Chad and I don't get this.  We are also thankful they have it now and it should be gone by Christmas.

Did I mention yet how thankful I am that my baby is so easy going.  I would take a million little Grants.  He goes to sleep well, he eats good, he goes with the flow, (which you need when you have two big brothers) and he is always so happy.  He is getting four molars right now, his Dr. says, but you wouldn't know it except he wakes up with his shirt soaking from all the drool!

I am handling the wait for our baby girl pretty well. If anyone has name ideas let us know.  We may not use them but we are still not sure what her name is going to be.  You would think that I would have a girl's name all picked out after three boys but all the names I have had in the past are already used. Anyway,  I am super excited and I enjoy reading all the stories on the Holt BB's of the other families who have their referrals and those who are meeting their children.  It makes me tear up to know that hopefully by this time next year that she will be with us!!

In case I don't post again before Christmas, I hope everyone has a great day.  Let us all remember that Christ loved us so much that he gave us his son that day so many years ago.  It is so amazing to know that the little baby born would be our savior.  What a gift!

So here we are 4 months in to our long wait.   With Christmas fast approaching, I am so excited to think that maybe by next year at this time there will be another Oppedal.  I can't wait to see her beautiful face!

The boys had a snow day today and we had our ups and downs but it was so nice being able to spend a quiet day at home.  My boys are so loving and they always know how to do things to make me feel special, like when Hunter brings me breakfast or Connor gives me hugs and kisses. I am such a lucky mom!  It is the best thing in the world to be a mommy!

God has blessed me so much and I try to remember that everyday, especially when things aren't going so good.  He has given me a fabulous loving provider of a husband,  my children are amazing even when they disobey, my friends are wonderful and above all else my Savior is always there to hear my prayers!

I am looking forward to the months ahead, to watch the kids grow and change and celebrate all their birthdays.  I also am so excited to soon share our love with a little Oppedal girl (who is yet unknown and unnamed.)  What amazes me as I write this is that God already knows who are daughter is going to be, what she will look like and when she will be ours!