Pray and give thanks for there is much joy!

16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Nothing is really ever definite in the adoption process, but there is reason for great joy in the Sims house. We will most likely get our referral next month! Our LID (log in date, paperwork logged in at CCAA in China) is November 24, 2005. Thursday, our adoption agency notified us that families with LID's through November 21, 2005, had been issued their referrals. CCAA has been issuing referrals at a rate of about 7 days a month. If everything holds true, our referral is next. There is a light at end of the tunnel.

I want to thank all of you who are praying continually for Our Little Mei. God is at work and has a very special little girl picked out for this family. Also, thank you for praying for Marley and Luke. They have been dealing with the delays very well. I would also like to thank all of you for your love and kind words about Mei and the adoption. We truly love you and the encouragement this gives us.

Last, but certainly not least. I, again, would like to share our family's prayer for Mei, in hope that you would continue to pray for her. "Dear Lord, please wrap Your loving arms around our baby to let her know that she is loved by You and by a family that cannot wait to have her and hold her; Lord, please wrap Your almighty arms around her to protect her from harm; Father God wrap Your comforting arms around her that she might have a peace knowing that she is wanted and is already a part of our family; Holy God wrap Your healing arms around her so that she stay healthy; and Precious Lord wrap Your compassionate arms around her that she may know the tremendous sacrifice that her birth mother has made by allowing her to be loved by and adopted into our family. Lord, thank you for your holy presence throughout the entire adoption, and please continue to guide us to our sweet little Mei. Amen"