Sadness...

Our adoption agency had a conference call last week to give us an update on what is going on with the approval and it wasn't good.  The Mexican government has decided that they are no longer approved.  They are going to try and appeal the process, but right now it doesn't look good.  If the appeal isn't positive then we will have to make some hard decisions on what to do next.  There aren't many agencies that have approved and active Mexico programs.  We haven't ruled out another country yet, but Mexico has ALWAYS been first and foremost on our minds because of the mission work that we've done there for over a decade.  We're trying not to get discouraged, but if I were to be honest I feel like the enemy is kicking us while we're already down.  Please pray that my God that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we could ever ask or think would please intervene in this process.

The post about nothing...

I just wanted to let people know that we haven't heard anything from Mexico on how the meeting went last week. I spoke with Gladney and they still haven't heard. :-( Please keep praying!

Our fingerprints have been mailed this week...so I guess that's something! Ha!

We will be doing a yard sale at our church (www.clearviewbaptist.com) on Saturday 6/26 for our adoption and another family in our church who is adopting from China.

We also are having our Boston butt sale on July 3rd at Cahaba Heights Baptist Church (please see previous post) and I'm showing and selling jewelry while enriching women's lives almost every week! So we're well on our way in this process and have our initial deposit!

We'll recheck our paperwork over the next 2 weeks and start sending in money and our lives on paper!!! We're excited, nervous, anxious (yes, I know we're not supposed to be anxious for anything...but honesty and confession is healthy) and more than anything PRAYERFUL...which is the best that we could be regarding ANYTHING! We appreciate your prayers for us as well!!!

Two Adoption Notes...

1. Thursday of this week, June 10th, is the big day! Please pray as our adoption agency, Gladney, will be trying to work things out with the people in government in Mexico to get everything straightened out with clearances so that we can proceed with adoption (among many other people)!!!

2. Another way that you can help us bring our daughter (or daughters) home from Mexico is buying a Boston butt July 4th weekend (and your participation would be a wonderful way to say "Happy Birthday" to me as I share a birthday with our wonderful country on the 4th)!!! We will be selling some of the best BBQ ever for $25 on Saturday, July 3rd at Cahaba Heights Baptist Church. We're only taking advance orders so money is due June 25th (checks made payable to either Ernie Willis or Michele Willis...or both!). Remember that we have to do advanced orders to know how many to smoke all night the night before so please print out the form below and turn in to one of us with your check or cash.

Thank you all so much for helping us in our journey...we love you all so much!!

Order Form -

Please pray...

Quick update just to ask for prayer. Our agency is having a few issues with Interpol clearance in Mexico. I don't understand it all, but basically adoptions can't happen until that is cleared up and there are families that are a lot further along in this process than we are. We knew that Mexico is a challenge for adoptions, but since when have we done anything the easy way? :-) Anyway, please pray that this gets taken care of so that we can move forward with everything!!!

On a more positive note, we had our first meeting regarding our home study today and we're very excited! Next we'll do fingerprints and background checks and get this party started! Oh yeah...and more fundraisers on the horizon!!! BBQ and July 4th...great combination!

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FRIENDS AND BABY ELIJAH...

http://theblessingofelijah.blogspot.com/

have I mentioned I love my new video camera? And it's so compact! Anyway - here is a sweet one of Carson saying the blessing before dinner.

Oh yeah - this is the house you guys are praying for us about...actually, you're praying that we sell our current one so that we can be in this one soon! As you can tell it isn't ready yet anyway, but set to close at the end of the month and supposed to be finished at the beginning of August so get praying! :-) Seriously, we would appreciate the prayers so that we can be closer to our place of ministry soon! Thanks!