Embassy Day!

Good morning, Sunshine, its your Embassy Day!

All ready to go!

HERE SHE COMES.......

Ohhhh  Ella with Mommy, James and Sarah

Ella Marie Stroup

Headed to Guatemala!!!

Leaving St. Louis 5:00 AM in the shuttle at the airport.   Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory Glory......  This photo is after a 2 hour trip to St. Louis at 2:30AM!!!  Sarah, Shari, James and our good friend Shelly who came with us!!!!

Sarah and James all checked in ready to go!

American Airlines taking us to pick up our little girl

Guatemala Airport

We have arrived!  Do we have enough luggage????

PINK!!!!!!!!

SHE IS COMING HOME!!!   We Have PINK!   Pink Pink Pink!!!   We are so excited to bring our sweet baby girl home!   "Let them give thanks to the Lord for His love and for the miracles he does for people".  (Psalm 107:8)   We thank God for this amazing journey of faith, patience, goodness and love.  The adoption journey is one that will live in our hearts forever and be a testimony to our children of God's love.  As we bring this sweetheart home, we are thankful and reminded of God's great power and mercy and hope.  We started this adoption right as the government was closing the adoption process with zero guarantees that we would be able to bring Ella home.  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, if your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move.  All things will be possible for you."  We have held onto that faith and that hope!  And now our sweet Ella Marie is coming home.   Thank You God.

Guatemala or Bust

It's a match! Ella's DNA is on its way to the US Embassy. I am dreaming PINK! We should be hearing soon. 

"PRAISE the LORD , GOD our SAVIOR,  who helps us every day".  Psalm 68:19.  God has truly helped us through this journey.  When I would get discouraged,  He would pick me up, when I would get anxious, He  would gently remind me that His timing is ALWAYS perfect.  When I would be so very thankful, He was always there to give praise to.  God is Good All The Time and His Love endures forever!  I am so thankful for such an amazing and loving God.  And also thankful for such supportive family and friends who have walked with us through this journey of faith, compassion, mercy and grace.   THANK YOU!

Our Prayers Have Been Answered

Thank you to everyone who went into prayer that we would hear that Ella would get her new birth certificate on Friday........ She must have gotten it on Friday, because they called us today and YES WE HAVE IT! WE ARE OUT OF RENAP. THANK YOU GOD. He answered our prayers! There is so much power in prayer when Christians come together In His Name. Jesus said , Also, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something and pray for it, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. This is true because if two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them. (Matthew 18:19-20)

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME TOGETHER IN PRAYER FOR ELLA TO GET HER NEW BIRTH CERTIFICATE. SHE IS ALMOST HOME!!!

New Pictures of Sweet Princesa Ella!

New pics of our sweet baby girl! She is getting so much bigger and so beautiful each and every day and the wait is getting harder each and every day.   We are so blessed with such amazing children, we need our sweet angel Ella to come home and join her Mom and Dad and brothers and sisters that love her so much.   It is hard to write what is on my heart as I see these sweet pictures because my heart is breaking that she is not here.  But I know that God is good and He is faithful and she will come home, maybe not on my timing but on His.   Oh God please let her come home soon, we miss her too much to wait.   I know the wait is worth it and she is being well taken care of, but we want to take care of her here.  

Please pray Ella get her new birth certificate TOMORROW -  FRIDAY so we can proceed with the process and go and pick her up!!!!!   

When I am discouraged because Ella is not home yet, I must remember that she is coming home and keep my faith in Jesus!!

Jesus said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God, and trust in me." (John 14:1)

I leave you peace, my peace I give you.  I do not give it to you as the world does.  So don't let your hearts be troubled or afraid.  (John 14:27)

So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward.  You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised.  (Hebrews 10:35-36)

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him. (1 Samuel 1:27)

Here are the new pictures of sweet Ella taken on September 11... notice the earrings!!!