Reasons for Rejoicing! Reflections and an Update

Reflections:
I promised a while ago to post a list of some of the blessings God has provided that may not have been possible if he had not made this path to children difficult for us. I call the list "Blessings on the Path that Veered from my Plan." Here are a few selections...

* If we had been given our first child when we initially planned, I would not have been able to invest as much in my education - an education that has served me well and brought me to a job that is a great fit and great blessing for me!
* If we had been given our first child when we initially planned, I would have spent less time having really important conversations with friends in Madison and helping some people through hard times. My flexibility allowed me to bless others.
* If we had been given our first child when we initially planned, we would not be in a position in which we call on others for so much support -- and experience so much grace through them.
* If we had been given our first child when we initially planned, we would not have been able to be as highly involved in multiple ministries in our church and small group.
* If we had been given our first child when we initially planned, we probably would not have connected as well with younger people when we arrived in Gainesville - which would mean missing out on some of our greatest times playing board-games and entertaining ourselves with the Wii!
* If we had been given our first child when we initially planned, I would not have gotten to know my students and colleagues as well as I have (I'm always hanging around the office). I have really valued the relationships that have been built during this time of schedule flexibility.
* If we had been given our first child when we initially planned, Rob and I wouldn't have had as much time to enjoy each other's company and support without a lot of other responsibilities pulling us in different directions. I have come to take our time together for granted, but really it is a huge blessing.

And finally....
* If we had been given our first child when we initially planned, we wouldn't be experiencing God's provision of the child who was meant to be ours!!

Speaking of that child....there is good news!

Update:

Just as we were getting really frustrated and looking (again) at changing agencies, we got the news that our agency has been REACCREDITTED IN RUSSIA!!!!

For those keeping score at home, our agency's previous accreditation expired in June 2006, and there have only been two batches of agencies accreditted since then (in June and July 07). Our agency always "hoped" to be in the next batch. Then we were told earlier this week that our agency actually WAS in the next batch. I decided I'd believe it when I saw it. Fortunately, when the accreditations are issued, they are posted on the web, and I was able to confirm that our agency was reaccreditted. (You may recall that I'm not allowed to discuss my agency on the web due to our contract with them, so I can't name it here).

So I talked with our agency's director today, and he said that the best thing to do will be to pick up again on our process in our original region (remember we had done a new set of documents for a new region this summer). He is going to let us know next week exactly what needs updating in our documents there, where we submitted some updated documents in April 2007. We know for sure that a few of the documents need to be redone, but we don't think it will be too much work. Please pray that anything that needs to be done can be done swiftly and without stress :)

We expect to submit our updated paperwork next month, but it probably won't get officially registered with the Russian government before the holidays. (They take a break from late December until mid-January.) However, it will be registered immediately after that. I asked about the time projected between registration and travel. Our director said he thinks that, since we first attempted to register our paperwork with the Ministry of Education (government office that handles this stuff)way back in May 2006 in this region, they should put us at the front of the line even if there are others currently waiting there who submitted more recently. (The others in the process there are with other agencies that were reaccreditted earlier.) He said it is realistic to expect to travel by February.

********* WOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!! *********

God is good and we are so happy to be moving forward.