Making Lemonade

Experiencing "winter" in South Africa.

Oh that spoon! It goes everywhere.

Our little family has now been in South Africa for five weeks. It has been a journey marked with incredible blessings....many challenges....and lots of opportunities to grow. We were scheduled to come home on July 25th....only "two sleeps" away. I say "were" because it looks as though our trip has been extended. We have yet to receive Ada's citizenship...and without that we can't apply for her passport. And so, we stay....because we have absolutely no control in this situation. There have been tears shed....many tears. We so badly want to step back onto Canadian soil. To introduce our little girl to those we love. To get our big boy home, near friends to play with, near familiar environment, food, toys....a backyard! We are weary.
Two days ago our social worker here informed us that we will need to stay at least another week, maybe two. Yesterday we were informed that we can stay at our present location....until this Thursday...so the search is on for somewhere else. This morning the travel agent informed us that we won't be able to switch our flights until August 9th...unless we want to pay a change fee that is essentially more than us purchasing new tickets....so we will be purchasing new tickets. Discouraging news.
So we gathered the kids and headed for a great cup of coffee at a cafe we have been frequenting in the mornings. Greeted by smiles from staff who knows us (we essentially are the only ones in there that early in the morning...they are getting to know us.) After our cup of coffee we headed to a hair dresser across the street. She cut the boys hair last week and we found out she had just gotten a call for a little boy to adopt (coincidentally her husband works for a man from Saskatchewan). This morning she gave us the great news that they would be bringing their little boy "Blessing" home in two weeks. More tears...but happy ones.

Exploring the tide pools.

And so....because we can do nothing else, we will make lemonade with these "lemons". Choosing not to fret about where we will stay (because there will always be somewhere). Choosing not worry about extra flight costs (because God has always provided in this journey and Tim is blessed great employment). Choosing to spend our days building sandcastles and waiting. While the tears may continue to come now and then and the days will undoubtedly be with challenges our little girl is ours...citizenship is on the way no matter how long it takes. We will get her passport and we will come home.

For those of you who are praying please continue to do so...here are a few things we could use prayer for:

1) That citizenship and passport come quickly. That we would not have to wait to full time our social worker gave us.

2) That we would find new flights home and new accomodation at a reasonable cost.

3) For Jake's adjustment. He has been having a really hard time. Tim reminded me yesterday that he is completely out of his element. Just as we are having a hard time....he is too but from a three years old's perspective it is a bit difficult to manage. He asks about his friends often and talks about what he is going to show Ada at home (Mama Jean and Papa Ron you are going to be bombarded!) we can tell he is missing home.

4) That Tim and I would have peace and patience...extending much grace to those involved in the process. That we would trust instead of worry, pray instead of be angry and have the wisdom to love those kids God has blessed us with.