How Can I Keep from Singing?

I was blow drying my hair this morning when an email flashed on my iphone. The "from" address was Accra@adoptions.org. This was the email I have been waiting for!!!!!  I have been checking my email constantly for months for this email. When I say constantly, I mean like non-stop, morning, noon and night. People who are in the middle of adoption know what I am talking about. It is a slightly neurotic tendency for those of us waiting for some news. 

Well....I expected the email to say, "The visas for your children will be printing this week and you can make plans to come and get them". 

Um....It didn't say that. Basically, it said ,"we cannot offer you a timeline, and expect this processing will take a significant amount of time due to staffing and resources."  What!?!?  

I felt shocked, frustrated, sad, confused, angry. I will admit there was quite a bit of ugly crying happening in my house this morning and I was the only one home. ;-) Needless to say, we are trying to figure things out but we really do know that God already has the whole thing figured out. This bump in the road is no surprise to Him and we feel very thankful that He is in charge. 

I don't know when we are bringing our sweeties home but I do know a few things FOR SURE:

1) God loves them even more then we do and He is taking care of them every day. 

2) In the big picture this wait will just be a small blip in our memory.

3) We serve a loving and faithful God who cares so much about us and our children....all of them. 

4) I can praise God in the waiting as much as I can praise Him when they come home. 

Chris Tomlin's song, "How Can I Keep From Singing" came on this morning during my crying, praying, processing and I realized that it said exactly what I know and believe.  "I can sing in the troubled times, sing when I win . I can sing when I lose my step, and fall down again. I can sing 'cause You pick me up, Sing 'cause You're there. Sing cause you hear me Lord when I call to you in prayer."

Thanks for walking this journey with us. Please continue to pray that things will be resolved and that we will be able to bring them home soon. In the meantime, Gabriel has malaria again and Debo is getting braided hair extensions. That's the latest news from the orphanage. I know it is a little random and kind of different but it is what I know about my kids today so I thought I would share it with you. Oh, and I got a couple new pictures of them. Enjoy!

There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring

And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives

And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne