Only 8 More Days!

I can’t believe the time is almost here! In only 8 days, we leave for Bulgaria for what’s commonly dubbed as our “pick up” trip. Unlike the trip we made this past June/July, we won’t be returning home after having to leave our children in their orphanage for a little while longer. This time…THEY ARE COMING HOME WITH US!!!!

While the wait has seemed unbearable at times, we know that compared to many adoptive families, our wait has been very short. We began this journey just under 20 months ago.

We can’t wait to share pictures of the newest Stirewalt kiddos, and believe me…pictures will go out the moment we land safely back in the states (November 21). So stay tuned…

Until then…we still have much to do:

1. Packing for 5!
2. Finishing the kiddos’ bedroom.
3. Purchasing last minute items we still need for them.
4. Finishing up tasks at work, as I prepare to take adoption leave.
5. Meal prep and freezer cooking to have some things ready to eat after we get home.
6. Scheduling doctor/dental/vision appointments for our children for when they get home.
7. And so much more…

So many of you have “traveled” this adoption journey with us…you’ve prayed for us, donated to our fundraising efforts, prayed, gathered clothing for our children, prayed, sent gifts, prayed, and…did I mention…you prayed!?!?! Without a doubt, prayer has been the single most important gift to our adoption journey! Without it, we shudder to think how difficult and much harder this process could have been. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

While it may seem our adoption is coming to end, it’s actually only just beginning. The paperwork piece of it is finishing up (although, there will still be post-adoption visits and reports for two years), but the parenting portion is just starting. We’ll have many challenges up ahead, and we’ve been as prepared for those as we can possibly be, but we also know the there will be “surprises” as well. As a result, continued prayer is vital. Anytime the Lord prompts you to pray for us, please do so. Thank you, in advance!

We continue counting down the days until we get those cuties home!