May is turning out to be a pretty significant month for us. Not only is it my birthday month(WOOT!), but almost exactly a year ago, Bobby and I started on a fantastic journey. We began the wonderful, roller coaster journey of ADOPTION! Yes, I said adoption. =0) And yes, it has been a bit of a roller coaster...but we are excited and have so much faith in what God is doing in us through this process. Let's start at the beginning, shall we?
Adoption is something that Bobby and I have always talked about doing. It's something we felt called to do at some point in our lives, we just didn't know when or how. So last year, we went to and informational meeting at an adoption agency. We really went to just see what the process was like and how we would get started, though we were really thinking for some time in the future. It was such a great meeting and we both came away feeling our calling to adopt growing. I think it was that very night in the car on the way home that we both looked at each other and said, "What are we waiting for?" So, we began our journey. We filled out the preliminary application, met with a social worker and decided where we wanted to adopt from...a beautiful country half-way across the world, Ethiopia.
We were excited! The next 10 months where a blur of paperwork, doctors visits, home studies, interviews, notarizing documents, more paperwork, re-doing several documents for incorrect dates, getting our dossier together and finally making the trip to Richmond to get the whole thing state-sealed. We then drove to our agency and handed in our paperwork. ::Sigh:: Now we just had to wait. Wait for them to send it off to Ethiopia. Two months ago today, our dossier headed over to Ethiopia. The real wait begins now...waiting for them to tell us who our precious child is. Our process is far from over, we are probably going to have to wait two more years to see our babies face...but it's worth it. We cannot wait to meet our baby, but as we wait we learn all we can about their country and about how to care for them the best way we can. And we pray for them...every day I pray for them. I can't wait to hold my baby in my arms, to kiss them and tell them that I love them, but not yet and God's timing is perfect. So I rest in that. I rest in His promises. I trust my Savior to take watch over my baby until I can hold them in my arms.
Bek, your post brought tears to my eyes. our church has adopted four beautiful children from ET in just the past few years. we are honored to have been a part of the process of bringing them 'home' and are prayerfully considering how God would use us in this aspect of ministry - the essence of TRUE religion in caring for the orphan & the widow - down the road. love & admire you guys for following the Spirit's prompting and taking this leap of faith. i eagerly await the day when i can see that precious little person cuddled up in his/her mama's arms...your arms. you are going to make a great mama, Bek. praying for you both!! if you need any encouragement/support, i'd love to put you in touch with some dear friends of mine down here in FL. there is a big ET adoption community down here and full of very sweet, godly gals who are now proud mamas of adopted children. <3 <3 <3
ReplyDeleteoh, and Happy (early!) Mother's Day!!!
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