On Monday we received news that we have been waiting on for a long time! Since October 2014, we have been waiting get our referral for two precious boys in Haiti. The most frequently asked question this week has been, "so what does that mean?"
Well...it means that we are currently sitting in the airport at Fort Lauderdale waiting to board a flight to Haiti to meet our boys. This is NOT the final step in our process but is a BIG step. We will spend 14 days with them during what is called a "socialization" visit. During this time we will sign our I-600 paperwork at the embassy and be interviewed by a Haitian social worker. I will save the steps that follow for a later blog because right now we are so excited to meet the boys we aren't thinking about anything else (but for those wondering it could still be 12 months before they come home).
I have tons of emotions right now! Sad to leave Molly and Linc for 14 days, but very excited about spending time with the boys (We'll call them A and C from now on). I'm anxious about how they will respond, but hopeful that God is preparing all of our hearts. We will not be able to post their names or pictures showing their faces until after they become Fitzgeralds...which will hopefully happen in the next few months.
Along with all of the emotions accompanying our visit with A and C we are extremely humbled by the support of our friends and family. So many people have helped out to allow us to focus on our family for these 14 days without being stressed about leaving our responsibilities.
We are beyond grateful for the prayers and financial support from so many people who already love our boys.
We are so excited to see other families receive their referrals! We know what it is like to wait, a long and grueling process...like a never ending pregnancy! It's like labor that goes on day after day "will this day be 'the day'?" every morning bringing fresh hope, every evening at workday close bringing us to the point where we swallow hard and simply pray for the next day's portion of hope. Our story apparently still has a few more "waiting" chapters in it! LOL We are praying for your trip - praying for the hearts of your boys, praying for peace in the midst of the uproar going on in your tumultuous heads! God has gone before you, is ever-preparing your little ones for the first meeting, and when your fingers finally get wrapped up in those little brown hands, everything else on earth will fade into a blur, nothing but God's provision and grace and blessing of bringing you to that moment will even matter! :) We can't wait! :) Keep in touch - we would love to meet up when all of our kids are home safe! We should plan a rendezvous point for all the i600 families! Safe travels - know that you're encircled in prayer from people you haven't ever even met! Blessings, Laura
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