Today we got to meet with whom from now on we will call Braiden Roman Anders. We have officially accepted the referral, and Valerie signed his name on the birth certificate copy which will be re-printed with this given name, at the time of the court hearings. We are signing the paperwork tomorrow, and it will also be notarized at the same time. While this is not the final step, it is the securing step that he is ours and the court date is just a small stepping stone in the road. Unfortunately we will still have to come back on the second trip to pick him up in approx 4-6 weeks. The court paperwork process is a little slow over here, believe me we have tried everything to complete it on this trip. We are so excited to be at this place now where we actually feel so secure he is ours. We have been reassured several times that this is the paperwork that takes him off of the orphanage list, and places him in adoption pending. To sum it up nobody else can adopt him, (HE IS OURS!!!). We have decided to change his middle name from our original plans and keep his biological given first name as his new middle name, just for sentimental reasons. We want him to have a part of his beginning life attached to his new life. We were able to meet with him again tonight, and they had him in "NORMAL" clothes to us. We were so excited to see this, he looks like our little boy now. We will keep you all posted on all of the new adventures in the days to come...
22 comments:
You are a beautiful family! Happy early birthday to Braiden Roman so please give him a hug from his Great Aunt Nikki. And, two huge hugs for the both of you.
Lots of love,
Aunt Nikki
Hey guys,
Your mom's been keeping the office up-to-date on all the news and I thought I'd come on and say congrats. How very exciting. God is so good. Hope the rest of your trip is filled with more blessings.
The Tice Family
Congratulations Josh and Valerie,
We are so excited for you. What a good looking little man, he looks like the both of you!
Love ya much,
Aunt Michelle & Uncle Mat
GOD IS GOOD!!!!!!!!!
I'M AM SO GLAD THAT HE IS YOURS!!!! OUR FAMILY WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITH OUT HIM! WE ARE ALL PRAYING FOR THIS COURT PROCESS TO GO BY QUICKLY AND IF GOD ALLOWS THAT IT WILL GO QUICKER THAN THE 4 WEEKS!!! I JUST CAN'T STOP LOOKING AT THE PICTURE OF HIM SMILING OR OF HIM LAUGHING ALL SNUGGLED UP WITH VAL! PICTURES ARE GREAT! BUT I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE VIDEO SO BE PREPARED WHEN YOU GET HOME BECAUSE I DON'T THINK A ONE OF US HERE IS GOING TO BE PATIENT IN WAITING TO SEE THEM!!!
LOVE YOU ALL!
STEPH
Congratulations on taking your first big step closer to being "Braden's" parents offically! Too much paperwork, huh?:) I really like the name you chose and that you kept his biological name for a middle name. Made me get teary eyed. He is so special and it is so AWESOME to see all of you so overjoyed and happy in these pictures together. Making your first memories to becoming a PERMANENT family! Can't wait til you can bring Braden home. He is super cute! Congratulations, again, Mommy, Daddy and Gramma!!
Love all 4 of you!
-Olivia, Royce &family
Dear Josh, Valerie,
Praising God & celebrating with you all. May your rest tonight be sweetened with dreams of your new son. May Braiden's dreams & thoughts be filled with visions of his new mommy & daddy and feeling loved. Continuing in prayer & praise. Cannot wait to love on your adorable son & see your smiling faces. Welcome Braiden Roman Anders!
Yipee!!
Ann & JB
I am so happy and excited for you. Braiden Roman Anders has a very nice ring to it. All the pictures are priceless...what an amazing gift from God.
Love, LaVonna
Valerie,
Thank you so much for sharing your very special journey with us all. I don't know who is getting more teary eyed around the office these days, your mom or me :) Your story serves as a wonderful reminder of the awesome power of prayer and God's immeasurable love for us.
My entire family is glued to your site waiting for updates. In fact, my husband just phoned me at work and asked if I had seen the latest pics!
Please know that our family continues to lift you all in prayer. Blessings :)
Gretchen Mattice & Family
Josh and Valerie,
We have been having so much fun watching from afar. The boys have really gotten into it...Garson wrote the last two comments. They are all praying for you at school. Thank you for letting us feel connected through your pictures and comments. Love and Blessings, Wendi Greathouse and family
Congratulations! Oh my gosh I am so excited for you two! I can't wait to meet Braiden in person! I miss you and we will make the 4 weeks you are home fly by with fun filled times and lots of late night talks (about Braiden of course!) I am so excited that I can barely type! Yeah woo hoo I am bubbling over with excitement!! Most of my office has been filled in on your news cuz I am so excited!
Love and miss you,
Meredith
You guys look so happy and complete. It is so nice to see the smiles. Our prayers are continued always. What size does he wear? He is absolutely beautiful! I mean handsome sorry Josh. Thank you so much for letting us be apart of your special journey. I am so happy for all of you. Love Tess
Congratulations Mommy, Daddy and Braiden! What an awesome day! I have joyful tears in my eyes, reading your updates and seeing your darling boy! You are a beautiful family! Can't wait for Daniel to have a "play date" with Braiden! Sending many prayers your way!
Love, Sarah, Glenn & Daniel Houston
What an answer to prayer. Congratulations mom and dad! We are praying that the remainder of your trip is filled with MANY joyful moments with your son.
Joe & Sarah
Cannot wait to see all of you together. How wonderful it is that our family keeps growing. Won't our holidays be great with all these cousins to watch grow and play together!!!!
my love,
Aunt Annie
I can't tell you how much we are loving being a part of this through the pictures. We feel like we are getting to know Braiden Roman just watching him play with you guys and seeing his cute little smile! I love how his middle name is Roman. All of you (including Gramma) have such a glow on your faces it is so wonderful to see! Can't wait to meet him in person and give him lots of hugs and kisses!
Love,
Matthew, Sheila, and Olivia
We are all so excited to see you all as a family. The pics are great. He's just PRECIOUS!!!!!!
See you soon.
Office Buddies
Congratulations. We are so excited for the 3 of you. We can't wait till we can hear all the stories in person. Braiden Roman Anders sounds very cute and in those new clothes he looks even more like a very good combination between you both. Praying that the 4-6 weeks goes by so fast that you feel like you just got back and have to leave right away again.
God Bless.
Holly & Ryan
What else can we say but PRAISE THE LORD!! Saw the smiling pictures this morning and cried with joy. You are a family now, what a good feeling that must be. Oh yes, that means we are great grandparents again! Blessings on all of you.
Love you much, Us two Earnest's
He is so cute!!! I never thought I would hear my self say that and if you tell anyone I'll deign it. I am so happy for you both. God bless you and, I talk with you soon, Brant
Finally...Hello Braiden...I am sitting in your Gramma's kitchen with your Papa, and I have the biggest smile on my face. You are beautiful, handsome, and you are now our family. I am so excited for all of you...Braiden, you will bring so much joy to this family...and oh boy, we are huggers and kissers. I can't wait to hear from your Mom, Dad and Gramma when they get home all about you...I am plunking myself down on your grandparents couch and not moving (okay, maybe for snacks)Even more so, I eagerly await to meet you. You are joy, joy, joy and a blessing from our Lord. Love to each one of you (please give Braiden a hug and kiss from his Aunt Kai) GO&WB"s...I love you xoxoxo....
God has so shed his grace on our family today!
I do not always understand why God works the way that he does. I know that we are told that His ways are mysterious and that His thoughts are above our thoughts. But through this process many times I have felt that we were looking through a glass darkly, never being able to see or understand what God had in store for our family. But now when I see Joshua, Valerie, and Braiden together it is as though that is how it always was supposed to be. My faith is reassured that God's ways are always perfect and His love is always pure. He never leaves us or forsakes us. Those times in this journey when we have felt most alone and looked back to see that there has been only one set of footprints in the sand, and wondered why God had seemingly left us alone, when I see the three of you together, I realize that God was carrying us along the whole time.
I love you all and agree with Sheila, everytime I see these pictures my eyes are wet with tears. -Papa
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