Drum roll please...
As of today our family is three members bigger!!! Yes, it's actually true. The decision has been made and signed...and will go into effect after 14 days!!!! The waiting is over and a true miracle has taken place!
Today was amazing. Last night we found out that the train schedule would not allow someone to go to Warsaw and get back to Poznan with enough time to get to the courthouse since the judge leaves at 3pm. So, it was decided that we would pack up the family truckster and head to Warsaw with someone from the lawyer's office...at 3:30AM!
We made the trip, 4.5 hours one way, with no problems. We found the two buildings we needed (the ministry to pickup our document and another adoption agency to pickup a document for our friends who got their final approval today in their adoption) and everything worked out perfectly. One building opened at 8am...bingo, got the document within 5 minutes. We drove to the other building which opened at 8:30am. Bam...got that document in 5 minutes and hit the road again headed back past Poznan and on to Wolsztyn. About 11 hours total (around 13 by the time we got back home)...but mission accomplished!
It was awesome at the court. When everything had been decided, the judge asked for all of us to come into the courtroom...kids included. He began to read the decision which included the new names of the kids. What a deep sense of joy to see the kids' faces as their names were read: Rachel Paulina Shattuck...Benjamin Peter Shattuck...and Matthew Jordan Shattuck. For them to know that they are ours...they have parents...they have a future! So incredible!!
This doesn't mean that everything is completely done. After the 14-day period is up and the final decree is received, we'll have to begin working on everything for the US side of things. Our friends, the Whites, told us tonight that they'd been told that the US part of the process could take as little as 5-7 days. That's pretty awesome news since we are all so ready to get home to our family and awaiting friends! We'll see how it all plays out.
What a surreal feeling. It's done. It's really done. No more frantic phone calls. No more freak out sessions, trying to figure out something to do to keep the ball rolling. No more thoughts about what would happen to the kids if this thing fell apart. They are ours. They are Shattucks.
We have not stopped thanking God for everything that has happened since yesterday. And to wrap things up here tonight (I'm beat) I'll just tell you how that has even infected the mind of a special little soon to be 5-year old. About 10 minutes out of Wolsztyn, on the way back home, Mattie (I guess that's how we're going to spell that?) got our attention. When we asked what was up he asked if it'd be ok if we all prayed together. He began to go around the van telling each of us it was our turn to thank God for everything...and he closed our prayer time himself. How amazing to witness God at work in everything from the Polish government and legal system all the way to the heart of a small child who felt compelled to call us all to pray and close by adding, "thank you for God and thank you for my family."
Has it all been worth it? You better believe it!
Thank you Lord!
Today was amazing. Last night we found out that the train schedule would not allow someone to go to Warsaw and get back to Poznan with enough time to get to the courthouse since the judge leaves at 3pm. So, it was decided that we would pack up the family truckster and head to Warsaw with someone from the lawyer's office...at 3:30AM!
We made the trip, 4.5 hours one way, with no problems. We found the two buildings we needed (the ministry to pickup our document and another adoption agency to pickup a document for our friends who got their final approval today in their adoption) and everything worked out perfectly. One building opened at 8am...bingo, got the document within 5 minutes. We drove to the other building which opened at 8:30am. Bam...got that document in 5 minutes and hit the road again headed back past Poznan and on to Wolsztyn. About 11 hours total (around 13 by the time we got back home)...but mission accomplished!
It was awesome at the court. When everything had been decided, the judge asked for all of us to come into the courtroom...kids included. He began to read the decision which included the new names of the kids. What a deep sense of joy to see the kids' faces as their names were read: Rachel Paulina Shattuck...Benjamin Peter Shattuck...and Matthew Jordan Shattuck. For them to know that they are ours...they have parents...they have a future! So incredible!!
This doesn't mean that everything is completely done. After the 14-day period is up and the final decree is received, we'll have to begin working on everything for the US side of things. Our friends, the Whites, told us tonight that they'd been told that the US part of the process could take as little as 5-7 days. That's pretty awesome news since we are all so ready to get home to our family and awaiting friends! We'll see how it all plays out.
What a surreal feeling. It's done. It's really done. No more frantic phone calls. No more freak out sessions, trying to figure out something to do to keep the ball rolling. No more thoughts about what would happen to the kids if this thing fell apart. They are ours. They are Shattucks.
We have not stopped thanking God for everything that has happened since yesterday. And to wrap things up here tonight (I'm beat) I'll just tell you how that has even infected the mind of a special little soon to be 5-year old. About 10 minutes out of Wolsztyn, on the way back home, Mattie (I guess that's how we're going to spell that?) got our attention. When we asked what was up he asked if it'd be ok if we all prayed together. He began to go around the van telling each of us it was our turn to thank God for everything...and he closed our prayer time himself. How amazing to witness God at work in everything from the Polish government and legal system all the way to the heart of a small child who felt compelled to call us all to pray and close by adding, "thank you for God and thank you for my family."
Has it all been worth it? You better believe it!
Thank you Lord!
posted by Michael Shattuck at
1:03 PM
5 Comments:
Outstanding. This is great news. We have been praying for you guys. God is good.
I get chills just reading this post. I am so happy for all of you!
Outstanding! Your post made me tender. Can't wait to meet the new Shattucks... can't wait to see mom and dad.
Thanks everyone for the comments and emails. We are constantly reminded of how blessed we are to have such an incredible family and group of friends!
I cried!! Isn't God good....and yes, it is a wonderful picture of being adopted into the family of God. Aren't we glad that it isn't as difficult a process as what your three went through!!
Hang in there.
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