Cautiously Optimistic/Hopeful

We received and email from the adoption agency stating that things are still in the works for getting that interim agreement to improve the adoption process and hopefully soon be able to resume adoptions.

Here is a portion of what we received from the adoption agency:
Approximately two weeks ago a meeting took place at the US Embassy between DOS officials and officials from the Vietnam Ministry of Justice. This meeting went very well and both sides extended their desires to begin the negotiations on a new bi-lateral agreement.
Last week in Hanoi there was a meeting between the Ministry of Justice, DIA, Provincial Justice officials, MOLISA and directors of the orphanages that are approved to participate in inter-country adoption. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss proposed changes in the policies and procedures for inter-country adoption in Vietnam.

Significant steps have taken place in the last several weeks in an effort to commence negotiations on a new bi-lateral agreement. The proposed changes being considered by Vietnam are welcome changes that we believe are in the best interests of the children of Vietnam and will greatly improve the practice of inter-country adoption in Vietnam.

The DIA has yet to make a formal announcement regarding the returning of dossiers not matched with a referral prior to September 1, 2008. The DIA is currently holding onto these files, as there has been recent movement on negotiations toward a new agreement. If a new agreement is not put into place in a reasonable about of time it appears that these dossiers will be returned to the agencies. If this is the case, Faith will hold these dossiers at our office in Hanoi until they can be resubmitted.

The ups and downs of this adoption process has been huge. We are trusting that God's plan and will for our family is to bring home Ava. We are also trusting that His plan if far better than ours. God's plan is for all children to have loving homes and we thank God that we are being obedient to his calling to open up our hearts and have Ava be part of our family. What a huge blessing!!! Through this journey of adoption and through parenting God is refining Rich and I as parents/spouses/children of God. I thank God for all that even in the midst of emotional pain it brings. I know when Ava is finally home we will look back and see the perfect plan and the reasons that it went the way it has. Instead of looking at the problems of this adoption looking so huge, I am being challenged to change it around and remember that God is bigger than any problem we may encounter.