90 Days for Noelle - Day 1

**Happy New Year to everyone! I hoped to start this morning, but I am about 90% sure I have caught the flu from Cora, so I am struggling.**

  Let me begin by giving you some DRC info. The official language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is French. They actually have four officially recognized languages, but French is the "official" language. Be that as it may, there is a good chance that our adoptive daughter will be young but, will probably recognize French sounds (or Lingala). Language is Jessica's area so she will have to break out the Rosetta Stone, brush up on some French and teach me as well. We are not sure exactly how the name thing will work. Will our daughter already have a name? Will she be too old to give her the name we would like to give her? Who knows...to me it's not the most important thing. I would guess she will probably have a birth name and we would like to use it (maybe as a middle name) but we would also like to name her ourselves. Anyway, because of the time of year we made this decision and began the process, and because we hope to complete the adoption before Christmas next year. We are leaning toward the name 'Noelle'. It is a French name meaning Christmas and to us there could not be a better gift to receive than another daughter. So from this point on we will refer to our "daughter to be" as Noelle. We may change this and if we do we will notify you here.

Now for the title.......

  Let me start by explaining what "90 Days for Noelle" is. Each day for the next ninety days we want to pray over a specific aspect of our adoption. There are so many "uncontrollable" factors in an international adoption, but we know that God is in control. We would like any of you who read this to join us in our focus each day and say a prayer for the adoption. Today is the first day of the New Year and this adoption is about saving a life. Noelle's life. 

Psalm 139:12-14

¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
   the night will shine like the day,
   for darkness is as light to you.
¹³ For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.

God, we thank you for everything you have done and are going to do. We ask that whether Noelle has already been born or is still in her mother's belly, that You keep your hand upon her. That You keep her safe and protected until the day that she is forever united with us. We pray for her health and well being and that she feels Your love every day that she is on this earth. In Your name we pray, Amen.