Weekly update 11/5/15

How far along are we: 9 months, 28 days

Whats going on in the adoption: Zeke got immigration approval 10/22/15! We sent in applications for visas! We did Zeke's application visa! A lot of little, but important steps towards the end!

What we are waiting for: Article 5 will be dropped off today and picked up exactly 2 weeks later! Then after that, we will be waiting for Travel Approval!!! We should also get Zeke's final measurements so I know what size he is!

Things we did these last few weeks:
-We put Zeke's crib up! Yay
-We had a family trip to the Dells!
-Cleaned up outside. Though you would never know it bc we raked all the leaves out, but the yard is filled again.
-Ordered Christmas gifts online. Since we will hopefully be going in December, we have to be ready for Christmas for when we get home. I think we got the shopping done, now comes the wrapping.
-We got all the gifts that we need for while in China – for guides, orphanage manager, etc.

Things we still need to do:
-Get a car seat for Zeke
-Finish yard work
-Fix basement ceiling
-Put Zeke's clothes in his dresser
-Get gifts for kids while were in China
-Wrap Christmas gifts
-PACK!

Grant updates:

Matching Grant update: We have received $1877 in donations for our matching grant!!! THANK YOU!!!! We still need $1123 to reach our goal of $3000. If you would like to be a part of bringing Zeke home, the instructions are below:

Instructions for helping us bring our son home:
1. Go to http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate/
2. Click, "Give to an Adoptive Family"
3. Type in your donation amount
4. Type in 5464 for Family account number
5. Type Rorabeck for Family name
6. Type in your personal information and submit

We appreciate your gift in helping us give this sweet little boy a home!!!!

******On November 14^th, at 5:30 at our Church(Open Door Bible Church) will be having a Thanksgiving dinner and will be doing an offering to help bring Zeke home! We will be sharing our adoption journey as well as a few more families sharing theirs! There is no cost to come! But if you'd like to make a donation to help bring Zeke home, we would appreciate it!!

Feelings: 

This past week, in my mentor study I read about the many names of God. The one that truly stuck out to me was Jehovah Shalom. It means God of peace. God gives “the peace with passes all understanding.” He gave peace to David right before he gave him the huge task of fighting and defeating Goliath. Imagine how scared David must have been. But God gave him “the peace which passes all understanding.” Or how about Abraham when he finally got a child and God asked him to sacrifice that child. I'm sure Abraham was scared and didn't want to do it. So how do you explain how calm and willing he was. God gave him peace. Or Jesus! God gave Jesus a “peace which passes all understanding” right before he had to be sacrificed and punished on behalf of our sins! I am clinging to God and I know He will give me that peace too in order to fly across the country to get the child He picked for us! God knew this was a big task He was asking us to do. He knew we would have to come out of our comfort zone in order to be obedient to Him. But God will give us the peace to do it! I am clinging to Him!