Approved!

I was just finishing up the dishes from dinner, when my phone rang. I glanced over at the phone to see who might be calling. I didn't recognize the number and thought - ugh...my hands are all wet...I'll just let it go to voicemail...but something inside me told me to answer the call...so I did.

"Ms. Thompson?" the caller asked.
"This is she", I replied.
"Hi, this is Dennis with Lutheran Social Services...did I catch you eating dinner?"

We chit-chatted for a bit and he apologized for not calling me sooner. I had left him a message today, just to check and make sure that he had received our application packet that we mailed on Monday. I didn't really expect him to call me back, even if he did get the packet, since I knew that it would be at least a week before we'd hear from him.

He wanted to let me know that he did get the packet the very next day; that he actually had a few hours to review some paperwork that day (only because a meeting got cancelled) and that the first packet he went for "happened" to be ours. (I don't want to boast here - just want to share what he said.) He went on to say that he has never received such an organized, well put together application, with everything actually included, not needing to ask for us any additional information and biographies that were just amazing. I was just standing in the kitchen with my mouth wide open....Michael looking at me with wonderment, not knowing what was going on. He then said that he prayed over the paperwork and felt led by the Lord to bring us into the program. Not only are we accepted and in the program, but he wants to personally oversee our case because he really wanted to help us along the way and make this process as easy and quick for us. I just kept saying "thank you", "we're so excited", etc....actually, I'm not even sure what all I said.

We just have one last thing to make everything final (in this stage) and that's our fingerprinting with the FBI on Saturday morning. This will be our 3rd attempt to get this completed and WE WILL SUCCEED! Once those results are into the agency's office, we will be set up for training. Once training is completed, we will be assigned a case worker, who will then perform the home study on us, as well a whole new pile of paperwork. We are by no means "there yet" but we are one step closer tonight than we were this morning.

All glory be to God! Only God could give us the words to say in our biographies and reach out and touch Dennis' heart. Only God could have our paperwork show up on his desk, just when he had some free time. Only God could have us approved in less than 2 days after paperwork was received. We serve a BIG and AWESOME God! Michael & I are so thankful for all His blessings and how He continually reminds us of His handiwork in building our family.

Thanks so much to all of you for your friendship, encouragement, prayers and support. We love you all and will keep you posted along the journey!