Some things are going right.

Farm kids (Andrew, Gracie, Sam, and Anna) stomping around in farm boots

I feel like (with the exception of the exciting news of sweet Elizabeth herself), all the news I ever share on this blog is bad.  And, lets be honest, 2020 is rough on us all so far.  As we start school again, I think the only lesson any of us learn may be about flexibility, if we are lucky.  Eliza is on the other side of the world and we have absolutely no idea when we will be able to travel to get her.  

But some things are going right.  And if I'm going to avoid the slow erosion of my sanity that this endless adoption process seems determined to accomplish, all I know is to keep listing them:
-Eliza seems happy, loved, and well taken care of from the pictures and videos we have.  I really wish I could share them here.  I had someone tell me today that her laughter is like music, and I couldn't agree more.  It always makes me smile.
-We sent off another package to her, this time with a note to her caregivers expressing our appreciation for this excellent care.  A sweet friend and her daughter were able to translate and then write the note in Mandarin for us.
-ALL our paperwork is done on the U.S. side of things.  The next step is for China to issue us Travel Approval.  Here's hoping.
-We received a grant from Show Hope that covers the remaining adoption expenses we were expecting, especially related to travel, which we expect to be different and probably longer with quarantine time built in.
-Our stateside kids are running wild and free through this quarantine time and loving (almost) every minute of it. 

I'm leaning so hard on Psalm 13 these days that I think I'll just include it here.  How nice that David included screaming at God into the Holy Scriptures.  I'm fairly certain shouting is the most appropriate way to read this psalm.

So many people need things during right now, and I want to pray for them all, but if I'm being honest, the only thing I really want is two tickets to China, and three tickets back to America.  Please pray every day that we can bring Eliza home soon.

Psalm 13
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, O Lord my God
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
for he has been good to me.