Adoption News!!!

Hey all! Its been a CRAZY week- we got home from up north (which i PROMISE to post a nice long blog with TONS of pictures from up there very soon), and on Monday as we were running errands in town found out that our court date had been set- for this thursday! Talk about quick! We could hardly believe it, but we had an official document (summons) telling us when to arrive, to bring three witnesses who could testify to our character, and that if we failed to show up we could be fined big time!

We got online and started prayer chains around the globe, and tried not to get our hopes to high, since foreign adoption is very rare in Mozambique and often denied many times before being approved (if ever).

Lets just say that we know we serve a Great and Mighty God, who hears, and answers our prayers (even if not the way we would like allways). 

The hour long interview and decision making time was soooo nervewracking, but God gave us a sense of peace and helped us thru... it seemed like it took forever to get to the part where he read the "sentence" but when he did he said---

" as of today you have all the rights and responsibilities as if you were her biological parents..." 

(loose translation)

we were stunned. 

i broke out in sobs.

i managed to blurt out a mangled thank you to the judge.

he assured me it was ok to cry.

we gripped each others hands in disbelief.

she is ours.

forever.

ours.

we are hers.

forever.

God is so Good. 

Thank you to all who have been praying- it made a HUGE difference- we know it did.  Now we move on to getting all the paperwork sorted.. she will need to have her name legally changed, new id docs, a moz passport,  get a canadian visa for our furlough... so much to do... please continue to pray with us that it will go smoothly! Here are some pics taken right after our court date.  Enjoy!

Us with our Lawyer, Senhor Tomei! 

The new "official" family- notice the snazzy  matching skirt and dress Tendai and I have from capalanas!

Pastor Ricardo, Mathew, and Simon, who came with us as our three witnesses.

Again... thank you for your prayers, and for joining us in celebration!!

Rick, Heather and Tendai!