7,067.6 miles......

the distance between Evelyn and us.......

Evelyn's Care Package

We sent a little care package to Evelyn in Korea yesterday and here are a few things that were in it:

A few little outfits, socks and a stuffed Golden retriever

so she can be prepared to meet Nate and Honeybear!

A blanket that we have been sleeping with for the past few weeks so that it has our scent

A Hallmark recordable storybook with us reading the story to her so that she can hear our voices

A picture album with pictures of Patrick, myself, Nate, Honeybear and our house so that she can what we look like and what her new house looks like.

The Korean symbol you see on the front of the book is her name.

A letter we wrote to Evelyn's foster parents and had translated into Korean by a friend of ours who is a Korean citizen

1. 

Honeybear helping.....

Honeybear saying goodbye to the puppy.

She couldn't understand why she couldn't have it...

All ready to go and on it's way to South Korea!

{Saturday's Song}

"Amos Story"

This is an amazing adoption song

written by Aaron Ivey who adopted

his son, Amos, from Haiti after the massive

earthquake of January 2010.

The words from this song are so true for us today:

I’ll find a way to get you here

If it takes my fleeting breath

Another sunrise hits the ground

And it’s a dark lonely sight

Lightyears away I hope you know

There is somebody searching

For the way to get you here

I will get you here...

evelyn.

one month ago today we saw

her face for the first time...

...at birth...

...at 2 months...

...at 5 1/2 months...

praying the Lord will bring you home soon.

{Saturday's Song}

We would like to share with you some of the hymns and songs that have become very meaningful to us over these past few months of struggle, trial, and longing for a family. The words to many of these songs are simple, yet profound. We are thankful that God has given us the enjoyment of song and music.

The link below is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman. He wrote this shortly after he and his wife lost their 5-year-old adopted daughter, Maria Sue, in a tragic accident in May 2008. Needless to say, it has become our "theme song" and the inspiration for our blog.

"Our God Is In Control"

Celebrate the Small Things

A dear friend of ours recently gave me some wonderful advice... She said "celebrate the small things during your adoption process. They may not seem big to those around you but they are one step closer to bringing Evelyn home!" She and her husband recently adopted a little boy from South Korea and they know EXACTLY what we are going through. She has been such an encouragement to us throughout our journey to Evelyn.

Today, September 1, 2010, we have 2 "small things" to celebrate...

First of all we received our I-171H from the USCIS after MONTHS of waiting. Let me explain...the alphabet soup of international adoption can get a bit confusing...

The I-171H is a document stating that "It has been determined that Dr. & Mrs. Patrick O'Mara are able to furnish proper care to an orphan as defined in the Immigration and Nationality Act." We must have this initial approval in order to apply for Evelyn's Visa. The next step after receiving this approval is to file form I-600 to start her Visa process.

That leads me to our second reason to celebrate today...

This morning we received an email from our adoption agency, Holt International, that Evelyn's Legals arrived from Korea today! They originally told us it could take 4-8 weeks to receive these documents...ours only took 2 weeks!!! The legal documents from Holt Children’s Services of Korea include:

• Affirmation and Oath Certificate

• Certificate of the Guardian

• Family Register

• Statement of Guardianship

These documents are required by the USCIS to start her Visa process. So as soon as we receive the original documents from Holt we will apply for her Visa!

Since we received our referral things have moved quickly and smoothly but please continue to pray for us and for Evelyn as we wait patiently on the Lord to bring her home. We know that His timing is perfect.

Until then thank you for celebrating the "small things" with us...