He's ours.

"Fear not, for I am with you.  I will bring your children from the East, and gather you from the West." Isaiah 43:5

We had to take our blog down for a period of time, but are happy to be back and proudly announce that the little boy in Bulgaria is no longer a "future" son.  He is no longer an orphan.

He is OUR SON.


"God sets the lonely in families; he leads forth the prisoners with singing..."  Psalm 68:6

Today, in Bulgaria, a petition was heard in court, and it was approved.  Our family has expanded by one.  The journey to our son is nearly complete. In a few weeks, we will bring him home.

"Children are a heritage of the Lord; the fruit of the womb a reward."  Psalm 127:3.

There is so much joy in our hearts, such relief in our bones, much worry as we prepare in our minds, and sadness in our spirit.

For while we know that we have forever changed our Joshua's life, we also recognize his loss.  Our little boy has lost his country. He has lost the only place he's ever known.  He doesn't understand that it is The Bad Place.  He just knows it as home.  He knows the consistent caregiver (his Baba) as someone he is connected to, and he will probably never see her again.  These are real losses that he may not understand, and while we love him immeasurably, we acknowledge and mourn these losses for him and with him.

Our journey is ending, and yet it is just beginning.  The journey to bring our son to us is ending, much like a pregnancy is an ending.  But the story isn't over.  The new life in our home is the rest of the story.  We must work to bring him home, to help him adjust to his new situation, and find the medical care he needs so he can grow beyond the size of a young toddler and begin to overcome the terrible conditions he suffered in That Place.

But today, our family has been given a tremendous gift.  Our family is now a multicultural family with a beautiful new son. 

Today, we shall rejoice.

"May the God of hope fill you with all of the joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13.