TRAVEL DATES!! In HIS time!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 " He has made everything beautiful in its time. "

So, the travel dates came!!  We will be leaving here on July 5th and have Nate forever in our arms on July 7th!!  Return home is July 12th!!  It feels surreal to finally be at this part of this process.  Remember, we started this process in November of 2012.  Committed to Nate in February of 2013, and here we are almost in July 2014 bringing him home!!!  Longest.  Pregnancy.  Ever!  ;)  But, at least I don't have the stretch marks on this one!  But, I have been stretched in other ways for sure!!  I can confidently say that Clay and I have grown more in the past 19 months then in our whole lives up to this point.  There have been lots of tears shed (him and me!) and lots of growth.  Growth in our marriage.  Growth in our relationships with God.  Growth in our trust for God.  Growth in our love for one another.  Growth in our love for Jack and Chandler.  Growth in our love for Nate.  The ability to just let go and let God take over - to trust that HIS plans are better than ours.  To see HIS provision.  I am sure you remember a post way back when I talked about my fear of money issues.  Um.  Guys!  This whole process has taught me so much, but to see God's provision for funding the over $30k to get Nate home!  It is crazy!!!  I love seeing GOD so up close and personal.  Why did I waste so many years of my life not having this intimate relationship with HIM?  I know without a doubt, that we need GOD more now than ever.  We are about to face some BIG huge storms ahead.  We continue to covet your prayers in our lives.  Over the next month for sure, but then on into the next year.  I hear it takes about a year to adjust to a new family member.  Please continue to pray as we transition into our new family of 5!! 

So, flights are booked!!  Hotel is booked!!!  The difference this time is we are not going to be flying out of San Antonio.  The return flight is such a hassle - once you touch down on US soil, you have to get all your luggage and go through customs.  Then, you have to check in all your luggage again, go through security again, and then wait on your flight.  NO THANK YOU!  So, we are departing and returning to Houston.  We will then make the 3 hour drive home with Nate and most likely be home before we would if we had flown.  Sounds like a better plan now.  But we will see!  ;)  So, all that to say - we will not be having a big airport gathering to welcome Nate home.  Plans are in the works by two of our amazing friends to have a little gathering Sunday the 13th at our house.  I know.  Are we  crazy?  But, we know you guys want to meet him!! And, after this initial meeting, we will then go into our "hermit" or "cocooning" stage.  We plan to take at least a month and pretty much just bond with Nate.  Just us.  Clay has 2 weeks off of work! (yay!!), so I will return to work immediately (remember I only work 2 days a week), and then luckily, my boss is on vacation for a bit right after that so I am off work for 2 weeks!  We plan to be the only caregivers for Nate during this time.  Then, after some time, we would love to have visitors and get back into our groove!  But, just give us some grace during this time.  We may be slow to return texts/emails/calls.  We may not be very involved in any extracurricular activities!  ;)   We will be doing doctors visits and just bonding with our little guy.  We don't need a care calendar or any help (if we do we will let you know) - but if you know me, you know what a picky eater I am - I won't eat your food!  Haha!!  So, all we are asking for during the initial time home, is prayer.  Thank you so much for your continued prayer for us.  We are so thankful for you, our support system! 

The Wait

Wow.  Has it really been over 4 months since we made a blog post?  That is crazy.  Sorry if you aren't one of our Facebook followers and this is your only way to follow us.  The latest news....drumroll please.....on May 27th, Clay and I became the proud parents of Nathaniel Luke Richey.  It's official yall!!!!  He is ours!!  So, why aren't we traveling to get him??   I wonder that too.  ;)  Actually, we know the answer to that.  So, after court, there is a 10 day mandatory wait, followed by another 2 weeks before we are issued travel dates.  So, we are currently just waiting for those dates.  Due to the 4th of July holiday, we know it will be at least the 2nd week of July before we can travel to pick him up.  We know that God has perfect timing for his arrival in our family.  We know that God is watching over him every day that we are not with him.  We know that God is providing loving caregivers and that he is being taken care of as best possible for his situation. We know that. Does it make it easier?  Yes.  But is it easy to wait when you have held him, hugged him, kissed him, smelled him, watched him fall asleep in your arms, tickled him, made him giggle, and watched him look into your eyes like your other children?  No.  It hurts yall.  Like deep gut wrenching, heart pounding ache.  The desire to hold him close is almost unbearable.  Not a day goes by that tears are not shed thinking of him.  But, you know what?  A friend told me something that really made me think.  The way that we are aching for Nate...that is how God aches to be with us.  Really?  Yes.  Really.   He craves time with us. He wants to hang out with us.  He loves us more than we can imagine.   Just wanted you to know that.  To think about that.  YOU are loved.  YOU are deeply wanted.  YOU are valuable.  You know, just in case you wondered. 

Sooooo, we will keep you posted when we get our travel dates.  How can you be praying for us?
Quick travel dates, preparation of our hearts for Nate, preparation of Jack and Chandler for Nate (and the rest of the extended family), Nate ---his growth and development, good health and no illness for near future, continued loving care, his heart to be opened to us, to feel safe with us when we get him again, for God's peace and love to surround him.  For continued comfort, peace, and patience as we wait.  For good health and no illness in our family leading up to and during the trip.  For rest.  And for time to pass quickly in the wait.  I could go on and on...those just quickly come to mind.  Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support over the past 20 months!!  Keep it coming.  Next time you hear from us, we will be telling you our travel dates for gotcha trip!!!!  Yay!!!