Sunday morning I finally got to Skype Alethia with Zeke and Micaiah before church.
I’m not exactly sure what my expectations were, since this was the first time I got to see her face-to-face since the day Josh had to resubmit her to the babies home, but I certainly was not prepared for the few minutes that followed.
First of all, the connection was awful. It was more like still-shot photography with a few scattered words here and there, which was most likely the cause for her reaction, but when she finally walked up to the computer screen and a her big brown eyes and her bewildered blank stare at her mommy I feared the worst.
What if she had already forgotten me? Why isn’t she shouting “Mommy! Mommy!” with delight? Why isn’t she telling me how much she loved and missed me?
After we hung up Zeke came over, wrapped his arms around me and said, “Mommy, don’t cry! We’re gonna get her. Shabila is going to be able to come home soon.”
Zeke’s faith has been unshaken by the set-backs in our process. I could really learn a lot from this boy:)
By the time I got to church to meet Josh I was a mess (big surprise) (insert deepest apologies to all who tried to talk to me as I stared at the ground and kept walking…). He reassured me that it had to have been the terrible connection. I mean, I pretty much stared at the screen half the time too trying to figure it all out, but still, my heart sank.
I woke up last night in the middle of the night, mostly because I had to pee…again…but I believe the Lord has been waking me up the past few nights to have some solitude and quiet and to sit with Him and pray. Pray for other families who are “stuck” like us and just waiting for a verdict, or a ruling…or just stuck in the middle of the process trying to figure out where this Uganda program is going.
While I laid in bed I began praying over and over that God would allow us to be one of those 40% of cases who automatically get the green light to go get their baby. BTW, I have no idea where those statistics actually came from that were given to us, but hey, it gave me some numbers to work with:) I knew it was unlikely and seemed to be the easy answer to our hearts plea, but it is what I prayed…over and over and over.
This morning I made myself get up and make the beds and open the windows and prepare for the day, regardless of the tug on my heart to immediately go check my email in hopes of a message from Nairobi.
Josh was in the kitchen getting breakfast for the kids while Zeke prayed in confidence for safety for his daddy when he goes to get Shabila and bring her home, as if it were a done deal.
I walked into the office and opened up my email to see a letter from the Embassy in Kampala.
The subject title was
“Congratulations” and here is what it said:
“You couldn’t have had a better Christmas present than the approval to take Shabi home.
Merry Christmas”
As I sat there staring at the screen I felt like this was a really sick joke! I couldn’t believe that someone would actually write this to us. But just to make sure, I logged out and signed Josh in. Sure enough he had the same email from the Embassy in Kampala. But he also had a document from USCIS in Nairobi.
By now I’m shouting for Josh to come in the office and figure all this out with me! This was all just too good to be true. We have had set-backs at EVERY step of the way since leaving for Uganda. Surely this wasn’t what we thought it was.
We went to open the email but it was encrypted and didn’t have any way of opening it. Those first few minutes were absolute torture as we tried everything we could to open the attached verdict. We called Josh’s super-smart brother to see if we could forward it to him and see if he could figure it out. A few minutes later he called saying that he opened it and that it was on its way back to our Inbox.
After refreshing the page 47 times while we waited, we received it…the approval notice for our I-600 and word that our case was on its way back to Kampala! No questions asked. No further investigation needed!
We cried. We jumped. We squealed. The kids went absolutely CRAZY!
Then we sat down and thanked God with everything we had for answering our prayers with a “YES” this time!
We have to wait to hear back from the Embassy with a VISA appointment before we can schedule our airline tickets to go pick up our daughter, but she is coming! She’s really coming home!
We know that we are very fortunate, as many families are getting opposite news from Nairobi, and we don’t take lightly that we are blessed to be able to bring our little girl home in the next week or two. Friends, know that we are continuing to pray for your families and your processes! We know our news is bitter sweet as you read it…
A big thank you to those of you who have continued to lift our family up! Our God is so good. He’s been so good to us all along. I still feel like the ripples will continue as He reveals all the ways the Lord has worked throughout our process.
The best is yet to come!
Julie said:
YEAH!!! I have tears of joy streaming down for you all! I wasn’t expecting to read that and can’t stop crying now, SOOOOO HAPPY FOR YOU ALL!!! What an incredible Christmas gift :). God just wanted to surprise you :).
Love,
Julie
bwanaeddie said:
That would be an amazing Christmas present for you guys. Continuing to pray with you in the days and weeks ahead!!!!
Lydia said:
I am so excited! What a miracle! God is good and He’s still in control! 🙂
Kelly parkison said:
Praising the LORD with you!
sfaulkner36@gmail.com said:
Yay!!!! I’m so excited for you!!! What a great Christmas present!!
Stephanie F.
Tonya K said:
Jehovah jireh! Tears of joy for all of you!!
Lane Family Adventures said:
What a praise!! I have been keeping up with y’all and have been praying for you, and like everyone else, am in tears hearing this awesome news. I just knew God was going to give you that miracle…it was only a matter of time. God is good…always!
Kelly Via said:
Jonathan, the kids, and I are just overwhelmed with excitement and joy for you guys!! We’ve been praying and waiting in expectancy for this day to come; now it is here!! God is so good. Congratulations, and a Merry Christmas!!
Cana said:
“Yes! They found a way around that silly rule! It wasn’t easy, but they persevered!”
Alethia is coming home! Praise the LORD!!
Tasha said:
Cana is so funny, lol:)
Rita said:
Persevered? Wow, Kelly! You have big kids! With big vocabulary! 🙂
Stephanie Myatt said:
When I first read your story a week or so ago, my heart broke for you!! I read some of it out loud to my husband and we immediately stopped and prayed for your family and sweet daughter. I am crying as I write this, just overjoyed that God has all things worked out in his plan and there is a reason for all of this. You are a true inspiration to many!! We are just at the beginning stages of our adoption journey to Korea, and I am so thankful for the stories Of your family and all others that have gone before us!! I am so happy for you!! I pray things happen quickly and you can get to your sweet girl ASAP!! Merry CHRISTmas!!!
Stephanie Myatt said:
🙂
Whitney said:
Tears of happiness are streaming!!! God is so Good! Merry Christmas!!!!
Todd Byers (@ToddWByers) said:
So happy for you both.
Stephanie Skaff said:
Praise the Lord! I’m so happy for you. Crying tears of joy.
Rita said:
Praise the LORD!!! And MERRY CHRISTMAS VIAS!!!!!
Missy Abi-Najm said:
This is so amazing … we can’t wait to meet her when she comes home … congratulations!!
Donna Huffman said:
I am weeping with joy for you guys! God is good and He is faithful! I love you all very much! Merry Christmas! Praise the Lord!!!
Megan said:
Praise the Lord! So happy that you are hers!
Rita said:
Ok, I just spent a few minutes digging through Josh’s blog but I can’t find it … but I’m fairly confident it was Zeke who told Josh that he needed to go get the little girl who was sad or something like that?!
Won’t that preach … that Zeke got it and his confidence was never shaken. Y’all, I need faith like that child!
Tasha said:
No way! You are totally right….I totally forgot about that! My boy makes me smile:)
Lindsey said:
Praise HIM praise HIM praise HIM!!!!! Oh wow, guys…..this is awesome news. We are majorly rejoicing at the Broomes house!
Meg said:
Yes! Amen! I’ve been praying with you guys! I’m so excited for you! Praying the visa goes smoothly and for safe travels for you going to get your beautiful baby!
kimberly1221 said:
Praise the Lord!!! Merry Christmas:) God is soooo good!
Rita said:
Merry Christmas guys!!! Told ya God had this!!!! 🙂 luv ya 🙂
Sue Sene said:
I’ve been following through Rita. What awesome news!! I couldn’t help but cry! What an awesome work of the Lord…and to use your son to help you get a glimpse of unwavering faith! Rejoicing with you!!!
Nick Martineau said:
What a great Christmas blessing! I’m so thankful and I can only imagine the joy in your home. Thank you Jesus for bring Alethia Grace home!
Dee Langley said:
PRAISE THE LORD PRAISE THE LORD PRAISE THE LORD!!! He is so good!! I knew your hearts were hurting so bad when you had to leave but I also believed that you would be granted your precious girl as well. I am rejoicing with you!!!
THANK YOU FATHER
THANK YOU FATHER GOD!!
CarolynNC said:
That is so awesome – moved me to tears of joy for you. Truly, what a generous, wonderful God we serve. Can’t wait until you have brought her home! Blessings to all of you and Merry Christmas!
Peggy Taylor said:
Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in power and Love–OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD. Praises to Him and happiness and joy for you.
Stephanie and Travis Armstrong said:
Tears of JOY for you and your precious daughter!!! What a miracle, what a gift and just in time for Christmas. Prayed for her return when Katie Martin forwarded the link to your blog to me…With great pain I checked back, hoping for a miracle, but found you still in the wait. When I saw her post today and clicked on this link I could do nothing but cry!!! So excited for you. SO EXCITED FOR HER!!! Praying for all that needs to unfold in the days to come, but mostly just PRAISING THE LORD with you today!!
naomi said:
I am so thrilled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yes!!! God has been so good to you and what a testimony!!!
Can I please be at the airport when you finally arrive home? Pretty please? I live only 20 mins from RDU!!!! It will be the best celebration ever!!! Unless of course we are in Uganda…. we leave in three weeks!!!
I would love to meet you all!!
Blessings,
Naomi
Erin Patterson said:
What fantastic news!!!!! I have been praying for all of you and I am so excited to hear that Shabila will be coming home soon! 🙂
Ali said:
That is amazing news!! God does work! Your story gives me hope that our adoption will go through as well.
Star said:
Congratulations!!! I am sobbing right now…I even went and texted my husband! You have an amazing story! God bless!
Joy Ezelle said:
Alethia Grace, Its time to come home baby girl!
Your Aunt Joy is is absolutely Stoked to get you home!
Praise the Lord! God is so good!
sarahszar said:
Amazing!!!!
Emily said:
who-hoo!!!!!!!!!
Stacey said:
Thank you, thank you, thank you Jesus! Praising God here and you certainly made my day! WOW!
Merry Christmas Vias!
Amanda Borgelt said:
Praising God! I am so happy for you all!!!
Amanda Borgelt
lindsey doyle said:
rejoicing over your family….i have prayed for your little girl every time i pray for ours. i am thanking our father and praising his name over your family.
Michelle said:
Couldn’t stop crying when I read this! Praise the Lord. “God is good-all the time. And, all the time-God is good!”
Sarah Crane said:
oh sister…SO pumped for y’all!!! Ever since i heard your story on the plane ride back to America four weeks ago, I have been praying. I didn’t know y’all had a blog until a friend shared with me this week one of your posts about your baby girl…and now THIS!!! Good tidings of great joy for your sweet family! Rejoicing with y’all!!!
Leslie Cohen said:
WOW – can’t stop crying and one recurrent thought keeps coming back to me. Isn’t it just like OUR GOD, to celebrate His birthday by giving us presents. As He has called Tommy’s dad home this week and relieved his pain and suffering, heaven gained a new angel. I can only believe that as He took one home to be with Him, He also gave one new life; a new life with you and your precious family. Beautiful little Alethia, as close to an angel on earth as I could certainly ever imagine, is given this new life, this opportunity to finally come HOME. We can only drop to our knees in humble praise of just how big our God is. Keeping you prayer as we all celebrate. Much love Tasha.
Susan said:
Jingle bells……..and every tear will be wiped away, we serve a God of promise its time to celebrate. Friends your adoption has been hard Yes, but again what a big honor that God set your entire family apart to bless us all walking alongside you, you are a great family, a strong team, a role model………….Congratulations and Merry Christmas ……..see you soon.
kaylietess said:
Oh My Goodness, I was praying for y’all
15 minutes before I read this post and just felt so mug peace about your circumstances. Praise JESUS!!!!!! Congratulations!
harveyj1 said:
Praise God!!!! Such amazing new for your family and I am so happy for you guys!!!!
robyn wilson said:
To God be the glory! We rejoice with you!
Nelda Pimental said:
Praise God!!! Just received an e-mail from your mom. I had been praying that Alethia may be home before the Christmas!
Stacy said:
Praise the Lord!! What a Merry Christmas indeed! Our God is so good and so faithful.
Whitney said:
Praise God! So excited for you all!
Ashley said:
Praise, praise, praise the Lord! Your army of prayer warriors is now storming the gates of Heaven with thanks. Can not wait for the first family photo at home. And a Merry Christmas indeed!
vtabbey said:
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek. such awesome news!
Russ said:
I teared up this morning when Kaylie told me, and again as I read this post at work. Praise the Lord for His Grace, Mercy, and ever loving kindness. I am so excited for you guys.
Joelle said:
Praising the LORD!!! And praying that all continues smoothly as you go forward from this! 🙂 AMAZING!