On Our Way

After what has seemed like a VERY long wait, we are on our way with our adoption process. We are planning to adopt a baby girl from Ethiopia.

We began talking about adoption in the summer of 2009. I was ready, but Keith, although he was not opposed to the idea, did not believe it was the right time. Shortly after we had our first big adoption conversation I found out I was pregnant. We were overjoyed and believed this was the answer to our prayers and why God had not led us to adopt at that time. However, a few weeks later we experienced a miscarriage. It was the hardest thing we had ever faced as a couple, but we felt God's mercy and grace in a new way. God also began using that experience to bring us to where we are today.

In September 2010 we spent a weekend away researching, talking, and praying about adopting. Over the course of a few months our hearts began to become more drawn to adopting in general, then to international adoption, then to Ethiopia. It really was a process and not some "Aha!" moment. In January we decided that  God was directing us this way and we decided we would proceed through open doors until God closed them. Our applications were approved for our international agency and our homestudy agency and we were ready to get moving. Then, due to an unexpected delay in the form of changing health insurance companies, we had to put everything on hold. My husband as usual was cool, calm, and collected, trying to help me remember that God was in control. But, it was a challenging time for me (patience is not my number one virtue). I argued with God and tried to push things through for a few weeks until God began to get through to me that I could trust Him, even with the timing. I am now glad for the delays, so that I could learn some lessons right at the beginning of this process. I'm sure there will be many more along the way.

Our first homestudy visit was today. Keith was smirking at me as our social worker made her two-minute tour of our home to make sure there were no safety issues. Two minutes  - after I had spent about five days cleaning and organizing EVERYTHING. So, I can officially say my Spring cleaning is done and we are all enjoying our sparkly-clean house.

We like our social worker and think she is going to be really easy to work with. Our visit today was mostly paperwork along with the walkthrough. Next Tuesday is our second visit. She will do individual interviews with Keith and myself. Our last visit will be two weeks later. This one will cover marriage and family topics.

We also our busy taking online adoption classes (most of which have been helpful so far) and gathering paperwork for both our homestudy and our dossier (I'll post more on that later.) We are excited to be on our way! We appreciate your prayers through this process.