Faith

A few months ago DD and I went to Calaoway's to get seeds and plants for our garden. I picked up peppers, tomatos, some herbs and packages of seeds. While there I saw these lovely lily bulbs. I really miss my Star Gazer Lily's.

I had bought them at the Toronto garden show years and years ago. I had planted them at home in a pot, because in NY they tend to die if you keep them outside all winter long. Ariel came home that year and when the plant got to the point of being about to flower, DD snapped the bud off. I was sad but I was still ok with it. The bulb got huge!, and the next year it flowered. It had multiple flowers on it and the flowers were 7-10 inches across. I had to leave these flowers behind In New York. I didn't know if I would get a garden at the apartment complex, or if we would ever be in a house again.

I had left my Lilies in good hands, but as I was passing the display with all the summer flowering bulbs in it, I though I should get some. “Build a lily garden now for DD2.” Live in the expectation of her arrival. So later on in her life when her garden is full of many kinds of lilies I can say to her I bought these when you lived in China. I knew you would be home before they bloomed, and I would be able to share them with you.

I know it may seem like a small decision but Lily bulbs were 8-16$ DD and I had to choose what plants we had already picked out could be sacrificed. So one pepper plant went back and a pot of herbs, one of DD's flowering plants was replaced with a package of seeds. And I put back one perennial. Finally we had enough left in the budget to get the bulbs. It was the first thing we planted when we got home.

What a beautiful picture it is to me. You know inside every bulb is a flower its already formed just waiting to finish growing. It just needs to be planted, for the sun to warm the soil, and the rain to water it.

How faithful God is, I have had such peace this last week. I should have been upset but instead God gave me a deep assurance. Last Friday we got an email saying our trip had been set up to go to China! We had approval to travel.
We needed to get our visas and tickets etc. Well By Tuesday we had another email saying “Don’t travel” they haven’t posted your approved paperwork at the US consulate in Guangzhou.
A rock and a hard place position.
If we canceled our trip it could cost 500$. If we go we could get stuck in China for an indefinite period of time. So suddenly it looks like were in for a disappointment. We pursue our paperwork trying to find out where it is. Many phone calls and emails later we find out it’s missing, it is as if the USICS immigration office never sent it. I’m praying about it but I’m finding myself not getting all worked up about it. I really felt like God was saying wait 2 days, and watch and see.. So I did, the guy at adoption agency confirmed it when he said “You don’t have to make a decision yet. We will talk on Friday.” So I called various offices and asked for their assistance. The travel guy said I could try but not to get my hopes up. So long story short, What can take up to 4 weeks for man to do. God got it done in 48 hours. By Friday our missing paperwork was in place in Guangzhou.

So late in May will be traveling to China and we will receive into our family DD2, s With much love and joy, we wait in anticipation for this 4th member of our family to join us.