First Home Study meeting

I heard from Amy today (my social worker) and we have a meeting scheduled for next Friday (19th). I work until 1, so I will have to leave straight afterwards to get there. I am so excited and Friday could not get here soon enough...

I also got a packet today with the letter to request the police clearances and the fingerprint cards. Three of each, since I live with my sister and her family, her and her husband have to do it too.

I bought a journal today. I thought about writing this whole experience in it, even back to the day I met Flor, and giving it to her when she's older. I'm writing it to her like it were a letter. I think it will be pretty special. I'm trying to catch up now, and my thumb hurts from writing too much already!!

I started work today. I was just training and the doctor wasn't there, so it wasn't busy at all or anything, but I can already tell that I like it. Everyone is so nice and pleasant to work with. I even went and got me a few scrubs today too. Not too many though because I've heard rumors about someone getting me some for my birthday, so I think I'll hold out at least a week!!

My feet are throbbing and my heart is pounding

Well, as one customer put it tonight, I start my "big girl" job tomorrow. I'll just be training and the doctor won't even be there, but I'm starting!! I'm so excited. It's amazing the peace I feel now compared to before. I just wanted a job, but to have one that I really think I'll like... God is good!!

Now I have to home study to look forward to. I'm anxiously awaiting the call of my social worker...

Flor was in a picture Steve posted in his blog today. She is so adorable and is getting so big!!

I worked a double today at the restaurant, so I am falling asleep as I type...

Good night... AND, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER CONNIE!!! I LOVE YOU!!

Great news!!

God really has shown Himself to me this week. It is always amazing and so humbling when He does that.

I struggled for weeks before sending in the paperwork I sent in just last week. One BIG hold up was the fact that I didn't have a full-time job. I have been looking since August. With a big chunk of that time being led on by the interpreter at the hospital, then numerous let downs when I heard nothing back from the countless resumes I sent in. But this week, even after the statement released by the DOS, God said to me once again, "What are you waiting for?" So, I sent the application. It was all I could do. And guess how God showed out?!? Guess who has a job?!?

ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As of Friday I have a job! I'll be working at a neurologist's office downtown. He is a headache specialist. It will be part-time clerical and part-time clinical. I'll learn to take blood pressure and eventually even give injections!! OH! AND I get to wear scrubs!!

It is full-time and has medical insurance, which is exactly what I was praying for. My stepmom prayed that God open the door wide to the job he had for me. How much wider can the door open than the doctor saying, "If you want the job, it's yours." HELLO?!?!?

I am so thankful.

Looking back at one of my last blogs... I said I had a feeling about last week...

I also got a call from my agency and was told the name of my social worker (Amy) and that she would be calling me in the next few days to schedule my first home visit!! I am so excited!!! Please pray for her. I know that God has placed her with my case because she is the perfect one. I believe that with all my heart. I pray that God use her for His perfect Will!!

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please continue to pray for these families who are also in this process with me: the Wheelers, the Schroders, and the Sellers.

Thank you again.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

I have to wish a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my littlest nephew and his mommy...

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHITNEY AND DAVIS!!!

CNN talks about Guatemala adoptions

CNN had a segment last night talking about the corruption in Guatemalan adoptions.

click here to watch the video.

Shyrel spoke to a reporter near the end.

Here is the link to the written report:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/10/03/guatemala.adoption/index.html

It's out of my hands!

I sent the application to begin the home study off yesterday morning! It was such a relief to get it out of my hands and moving! But strangely it was hard to let go of. I mean literally, even at the post office. I guess I was giving up control, which is always a struggle. But isn't it funny that sometimes it's easier to hold onto things even when it gets nothing accomplished, just because we're afraid of failure?!? Where does that fear come from?
But I have to admit that I feel so excited to see how God will stretch my faith!

Please pray with me that God will send his angels along with this paperwork and touch the hearts of the people who touch it.

What a blessing it is to hear from the Word of God!

This weekend, as I wrote before, has been very trying and confusing for maybe all families trying to bring their sons and daughters home from Guatemala. I, myself, have been struggling with the facts and my faith. It's been a tug of war between the two as my flesh cries out in fear at the unknown fate of the children of Guatemala, like Flor, the parents who so desperately want their families together and everything that I know in my spirit to be true. God is in control over this entire situation. He predestined me to be in this moment. He created me to be Flor's mother, and that's what I believe with all of my heart. So why can't it be as easy to trust Him as it is to say that I do. Of course, if I trusted Him completely I wouldn't be fearful. LORD, help me to bring all of this to your feet. Help me to 'cast my burdens on you, for you care for me' (1 Peter 5:7).

Today Pastor Rusty began the service with a passage of scripture that I worked and worked on memorizing last year. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16. It talks about how we are the fragrance of Christ, which to me is lovely, but it starts out saying that God 'leads us into triumphal procession' and that 'through us he spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him'. Pastor Rusty said that the passage means that He is leading us triumphally into triumph. So, He is already celebrating the victory before the victory manafests. So we can have confidence and celebrate with Him!!

You know what would be really cool? Maybe all of this is happening, so that man can take no credit and get no gain, but that the honor and glory go only to God, because it was without a doubt HIM who brought these children into our hearts and home. WOOHOO!!!! Now THAT gets me excited about what is to come!

Prayer Request

I'm sort of speechless...All the things going on in the government concerning Guatemalan adoptions makes me feel sick to my stomach. There are lots of warnings and even more speculation and I don't really know what it all means for me and Flor. I just implore that you keep this and us in your prayers.

http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_389.html

I lay awake last night with all of this on my mind. Things that keep popping into my head are how God is in control of this and every other adoption that is in process right now. He's holding all of their tiny hands. I could not do it myself anyway. So, why is it so hard to place complete trust in Him. Not just that His Will WILL be done in the end, but that He is in control of every aspect of this thing. That His glory shines through it all! That people are brought to his feet. That children are rescued. That hearts are convicted.

This feels like a big week. Please pray.

It's fixed!!

Wow. It has been awhile!! I'm so sorry that my website has been down. My host moved servers and I had to manually redirect my domain because its through a different site. UGH!! But now it's taken care of and I can keep you folk more in the loop of the happenings around here!!!

I've tried to keep you updated as well as I could through emails. But I know that some of you may not be on my email list (and if you would like to be, please, send me a message at amanda@clayinhishands.com). So, for the sake of keeping this thing up to date on things, I will post a 'brief' (haha) overview of how things are going.

(forgive me in advance if I am repeating myself)

I am working as a waitress in the restaurant I worked at before I went to Guatemala. I absolutely love working there. It is so much fun!! I am still looking for a full-time job. But as of yet have not had any luck. I'm to the point that I am just looking for a job, and not the job. I've applied to several online with no response so far, but I'm keeping my head up and my eyes open.

I have been so thankful to meet now 2 ladies at church who have been through adoptions. One just recently. I am so thankful to know other people that have gone through what I am about to go through. It really puts me at ease. One of the ladies did introduce me to Lifeline adoption. I have already spoken to someone there twice and they are seeing what they can do to help me. I will be contracting them to do my home study and they will walk me through the US side of things. Another comfort that God has given me. She is actually supposed to call me in the morning again. I am feeling more confident and hopeful than I have in awhile.

job interview

Well, I was thrilled to hear back from the hospital about the interpreting job. I had an interview Tuesday afternoon, and I really think it went well. Of course, it was unlike any interview I've ever had!! From the time I got there to the time I left (about an hour) we walked and walked and walked... and it was almost entirely in Spanish. He did most of the talking, appologizing every now and then for talking so much! He asked me about myself and I think he really appreciated what I've been doing with my life. Then he would get distracted by a call and go off again, just talking. It was good for me though because he told me all about the job. It sounds amazing!! I even got to go on a few calls with him. He said he works a lot in labor & delivery and with new mothers, but really he works all over the hospital!! There's no telling the things I'll see and experience!!

He said I should hear from him on Monday and to call him if I don't. Because of his busy days (and I saw that first hand!) he gets distracted easily and forgets. So he said not to hesitate to call. So, I really hope I get it!!

In the meantime, I started working back at the restaurant I worked at before I moved to Guatemala. I just hosted this week, but next week I'll be waiting tables again. I'm so excited about it too!! I absolutely love that job!!

I'm waiting on a few details before I send in the paperwork to get started with Flor's adoption. I think that my hesitation has been out of fear. Not fear of how my life will change when I get her... but fear of what if it doesn't happen...

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Heb 11:1

And so... I press on toward the goal and keep my eyes on him and my heart on that little girl and she will be loved and that is the bottom line.