Bittersweet...

Everyone that I know of that has the same Article 5 date as ours received their TA's on Monday the 3rd... I was finally able to reach our agency Tues. morning to find that our did not come.... they said nothing was wrong... that this happens some time.  They said it should come later in the week.  Thursday evening (Friday Morning in China) it still had not come so I emailed my agency asking them to please have their contact in China find out what was wrong..... They notified me that night that they had my TA but that the consulate appointments had filled up for the month of January.  Because of Chinese New Year the soonest opening they have for a consulate appointment is Feb. 23!  Which means that instead of the normal travel withing 10 days of receive TA... I will be traveling 36 days of receiving it!  Unless the Lord opens doors, moves mountains, does what only He can do... our child will spend yet another 5 and a half weeks of her life in an orphanage.  I am truly struggling with this... I have so much to be thankful for and I am!  I praise God for all that He has done!  This mama's heart is breaking for my child.... it has been one battle after another through this entire adoption process.  I have pushed and fought to find her, to get all the paperwork needed, to bring her home.  It would seem that the defeated one does everything he can to keep our children from coming home to their families where they are loved, cherished, nurtured, and most importantly taught and shown the love and truth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Well, my God is not defeated!  He is the Victorious Lion of Judah!  His will be done!!!  If it is the Lord's will that our Isabella remains in the orphanage until Feb. 14th then so be it.... but, if it is His will that I can get her out before then and safely into my arms then so be that!  I have begged and pleaded with our agency to do whatever can be done.  They say their person in China will check on cancellations for me at the consulate.  The only other thing this mommy can do for her child is contact our senators and plead with them to take a few moments out of their very busy day and help change a precious child's life.  Please pray that if it is the Lord's will that one or both of our senators will do just that... that they will pick up the phone, call the consulate and tell them to open up more appointments in the month of January.  That they will get our Isabella Faith an appointment for the week of Jan. 24th!  After I contact them I will have exhausted all resources I have to bring my child home.  There will be nothing more that I can do to help her but pray... In my heart of hearts I just want to believe that His will is for her not to have to stay in the orphanage.... it just seems so senseless.  But I know His ways are not our ways... that He has a reason and that ALL things work for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose!  I will cling to that promise for He is faithful...... but for now, there is something left that I can do.  He has not made it clear to me that it is His will that she stay there for so much longer.... and until He does I must fight for my baby.  Please keep her in your prayers..... please pray for all the children waiting.... please pray for all those involved in the process of orphaned children coming home to their families that they would become advocates for the children... that they would have a sense of urgency.... that they would work as if it were THEIR child living without them in an orphanage....
God bless the children.... and God's speed to my precious, oh, so loved little Pearl....

Have Thine Own way Lord, Have Thine Own way....