Birth certificates, Elections...

As much as we've fallen madly in love with this country recent events have really given us a desire to go home. Losing a dear friend back home to a motorcycle crash was devistating, knowing we will never see him this side of heaven is hard especially when we didn't get to say our last goodbyes at a service. Jon was a great friend and was caring for our cats while we are here. Thankfully God has blessed us with other amazing friends who were willing to take on that burden. It has been 6 weeks tmw since our lawyer filed for our birth certificate. She has tried everything in her power, but with election prep last week and election cleanup this week no one seems in a hurry. Agency has sent an e-mail to embassy so prayers that will work. Also a dear friend stateside as well as here are trying people they know. Perhaps its just God telling us to be STILL!  We are so ready as of late to get home, deal with paperwork, bills, routine things, and summer with our friends and family, but we all know Gods timing is PERFECT!  We wouldn't have our son or this incredible experience under our belts that has forever changed our lives!
We have fallen in absolute love.with the schools here and their work in educating deaf children, our pastor and his wife has been gracious is open their hearts and homes to the HUGE need here and we've seen 3 schools (Brice 4 with our friend  Ludwig from another great church here). Soon we hope to visit yet another in our area, God has used this to really show the need for education and the bible to be taught here! Our pastor works tirelessly and has a faithful group who attend church, he also teaches in the schools, disciples Deaf to take leadership roles and offers adult education classes. I encourage anyone visiting this great country who has a heart for deaf to really check out the work here! Back to our adoption once we get our sons birth certificate then we can get passport, medicals, and visa. At this point we don't think its very reallistic to make our end of May flight so come this weekend we will be making hard decisions to either split up (to save $$) or stay an extra week. I think in the kids best interest is staying together. Elias adores his dad and is gonna have a hard time when daddy goes back to work, but he is his sister's twin! If one says something the other copies! Yesterday they got little birthday party blow toys...you could see his little face go from mad to sad bc despite many on the spot lessons in the mall he couldn't figure out how to blow his and make the thing uncurl! He does everything his sister does and she follows him around like a puppy dog! I think splitting the kids up will be hard so prayers that God provides all that's needed as its needed! Pray for an extreme miracle and us to make our May flight if possible! Otherwise things are GREAT busy volunteering at our local deaf school, going to church, and chasing two kids. Elias has learned to sign E-L-I sign name Elias....he is so cute! But all little boy! He lives to swim, play with hot wheels and steal his sisters barbies! I have been SO grateful for the LONG time incountry bc it has really allowed us to bond without tons of distractions. Its only been the past month that we've done lots of extras! Well my happy boy is awake, sleeping in for a record at 9:30! He was WORN out thanks to a great day with friends yesterday!  Hugs to all and prayers! Dios Bendiga!
Jess