One fun family!

So, today, we dropped off our "one fun family" photo album at our facilitator's home. Her good friend is leaving for Haiti in the morning and will carry the photos to the orphanage and give it to the pastor. Lets hope that we don't look TOO CRAZY! We put in a couple family photos, some photos of our house, and then some funny ones of the kids together...acting very goofy out in the yard. Our facilitator seems to think that it will put the pastor at ease to see what we look like, especially since this will be a first for her. Strange to think that within a week or two we could be looking at photos of our new little one.

She is HOME!!

Our facilitator returned from Haiti today with exciting news! She was able to visit with a pastor who has agreed to let us adopt. This pastor started taking orphans into her home many years ago and then ended up starting a foundation to help with the costs. She now has 80 children in her home from the age of 2 months to 18 years. She has never let anyone adopt from her before so we feel very blessed that she is considering us. Our facilitator has a friend who is visiting in Katy right now, but will return to Haiti on October 31st and take our family album to the pastor. Our facilitator was allowed to go out back to see and play with the children. She said that immediately she was struck by a beautiful little girl that was running around and playing with a big smile. She said it was as if God spoke to her saying, "this is the child for the Mowrer's. She immediately shared with the pastor that she felt as though this was our daughter and the pastor agreed that we could adopt her. All we know is that she is 2 years old. We are very excited, but also protecting our hearts because with all adoption, especially international, things can change very quickly. When our facilitators friend goes to drop off our family album, she will be getting pictures of this little girl for us and finding out some important information like...name, birthdate, etc.

Leaving on a jet plane....

This morning Rick and I got up and took off for Austin.  We went to the Secretary of State office to get 14 of our documents for our dossier authenticated.  We drove straight there, Rick dropped me at the door, I was in and out in 40 minutes, Rick picked me up at the door and we were back on the freeway and headed back to Houston.  After 5 minutes on the road, I noticed that I had a missed call from our facilitator.  I was thrilled because she only calls if there is a reason, in other words, she does not call just to chat.  I immediately called her back and listened to her explain to me that she was in the airport in Miami waiting for her next flight to PortAuPrince.  She wanted to let us know that she would be meeting with a pastor, who is helping her find a child for us, TOMORROW!  Her good friend is also good friends with another pastor who runs an orphanage.  This pastor does not allow any of the younger children at her orphanage to be adopted, but her friend seems to think that if our attorney goes there in person, she may let us adopt one of the girls.  We are so grateful to God for our facilitator and friend.  She is an amazing woman with a beatiful heart and soul.  She is actually a very busy, high powered, international business woman that does a lot of work in Haiti and is helping us with our adoption as a favor.  But, all of HER business in Haiti was cancelled for this next week and she was going to cancel her trip to Haiti altogether, but then she remembered the commitment that she made to us to help us bring a child home and she knew that she must still go on this trip.   

I had to post this sweet prayer that a friend sent to me today: 

Father God, We praise You for Your compassion and love for Your orphaned children.  Thank you for blessing the Mowrers with a quiver full of children handpicked by You.  We are trusting You to grant favor, wisdom and direction to their facilitator as she seeks the next child You have chosen for the Mowrers.  We ask that You remove all obstacles and open all doors that lead to this little girl that YOU have selected to be added to their family.  We believe and are trusting in Your Sovereignty and Divine guidance.  In Jesus Name Amen!

A Night with the Chapman Family and good friends...

Tonight, Rick and I, went on a triple date with some our dear, sweet friends.  We went to the "A Night with the Chapman's" concert!  The band, "Caleb," opened...which is a band that includes two of Steven Curtis Chapman's very talented boys.  Next, Steven sang some of his old #1 hits before he started sharing a little bit about their adoption story and how adoption has changed their lives forever.  Then, he switched to the songs from his new album "Beauty Will Rise" that is dedicated to his daughter that was killed in a tragic accident two years ago.  The album is his way of greiving and healing her loss.  You can imagine the emotion as he sang "Cinderella", "Out of these Ashes, Beauty will Rise", "God in the face of my little girl" and "I will trust You God."  There was not a dry eye in the auditorium!  After that, his beautiful wife, Mary Beth, came on stage to share their story of grieving, getting through and trying to heal after Maria's death.  The Chapman's have started a charity called "Show Hope" which is named after their first adopted daughter.  This charity raises money to provide scholarships to families who need financial help with their adoptions.  Now, they have just opened "Maria's Big House" (named after their daughter who was killed) in China which is a huge 3 story care facility for sick orphans...some of the children are terminally ill and some stay for a short while.  Wow...talk about inspiring!  What an amazing family that is so completely grounded in our Lord and Savior.  The name of their tour is "Spring is Coming" which is symbolic of them finally being able to move forward after the "Dark Winter" that they have just experienced.  I just recently finished reading Mary Beth's book which is titled, "Choosing to SEE."  I would highly recommend this book to anyone,  but especially anyone grieving the death of a child.  The book is very candid, filled with honest grieving and a hopeful future.  A big thank you needs to go out to my hubby who planned such a fabulous night for me!