T-shirt fundraiser

We are praying that we will be able to travel in November, but some paperwork is slowing the process.  We are reminded that God's timing is perfect.

In the meantime, we have a neat opportunity to partner with a company that is a strong support of orphan care.  There is a website created just for our adoption to raise support for our adoption. There are some new and stylish t-shirts that are for sale, with a large portion of each shirt going directly to the expenses for bringing Jesse home. If you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt, you can follow this link:

http://www.adoptionbug.com/kopinski

Galatians 4:5-7

to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

New pictures of Jesse!

We feel so fortunate to have such a wonderful adoption agency.  Every request we have, they are so quick to answer the best they can.  Last week we asked for another update on Jesse, including pictures. We asked many questions and they answered them all. Our agency even threw a few extra questions that we hadn't thought of.  We got a very quick response back, today!

Jesse is so cute and we learned that he has an 8 year old foster brother and he loves his family he is currently with.  We also learned that he likes to ride bikes, play with toy guns and cars.  He likes to read, but doesn't care for math. Yup ... he will fit in well at this house!  :)

Please continue to pray for his heart to be soft to our family and the transition that he is facing.  Please pray for his foster family to continue to prepare him for leaving China and starting new in our family.  Please pray for all of us to be sensitive to Jesse and his foster family as they grieve the losses of each other and the changes ahead.  We know that God has meant for Jesse to be in our family, but also understand that the road ahead will be filled with challenges and anxieties and joys!

More Paperwork

Well, the last week has been exciting as we have been in a frenzy since getting word of traveling sooner than expected.  We sent our signed LOA back to Holt on Friday, August 30.  At the same time, we also sent all of our new paperwork (I-800) to USCIS for approval to adopt Jesse and bring him into the United States. We now wait 3-4 weeks to get approval from the USCIS before we get to make plans for obtaining visas and planning our travel.

In the meantime, we have been blessed with support of many friends and family through prayers and giving.  Our sweet friends sponsored a Noonday party at which our adoption fund received proceeds from that!  What a great company too... please check it out and support not only adoptions, but sustainable living opportunities from people around the world.  It is beautiful that God is glorified through this business.

We are grateful to the support of many as we go through this journey and continue to be amazed at God's orchestration of Jesse's adoption.  Every time we doubt or worry about how we will be prepared for a special needs child or how Jesse will be prepared for a major life change, God provides the right person at the right time to overcome that fear.  We continue to surrender our anxieties to Him, and He fills us with peace every time.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

Our children are counting down the days until they get their little brother home and each have their own ideas of how to welcome him into the world.  Whether is it learning Mandarin, making special heartfelt gifts, choosing books to read to him, or organizing his bed to be perfect for Jesse's homecoming.  Each child is earning money and saving wherever possible as it is our desire for our entire family to fly to China to meet Jesse at the same time.  As this adoption is one of the entire family, we continue to pray for God to provide and convict us as to whether He wants the children to go or not.  We truly believe that Jesse will adapt to our family if all of his siblings were there together.  As travel arangments will need to be made soon, we will have to decide quickly if we travel as a family or not.