A little more trust (and a little more us)

The last email I received from Taiwan said that we were near the top of the list to receive not a referral but an application. From said application it would take 1-3 years for a referral. Well we weren't actually close to the top of the list, we are at the top of the list, and so i'll be filling out another application today. There are a few complications and details to be sure of, but in the mean time, why not fill out another form that might lead us to our daughter. It feels kind of weird, to just switch countries. While quite fairly on the other hand, there is just peace in trusting that God knows our daughter; born or not yet, Vietnam or Taiwan, orphanage or foster home, what special needs she may have, how old she'll be when we receive her picture. All of these unknowns should make someone like me (a control freak who itemizes her Christmas list so there are little to no unknowns...) not even enter a journey like this. But i'm excited. So excited. Because I know she'll be perfect, and I know she'll be ours. A gift from God.
I've picked up a few things for her, as we come across important milestones on our journey to her (or as we come across really great deals). My justification of course, is to not have to buy everything when we get a referral or even after we meet her to know her true size (Toms shoes?).
                                                           
                                                                    


This application feels like a milestone kind of. When we first got on the list to wait for an application, we were so excited and then Taiwan's adoption process went through some major changes, which slowed some things down alot. So we hold it all loosely.We're just all pretty excited to have our little here in our home. Even the big bro includes her in our (his) future plans... "When my baby sister comes home, we should go to Disney Land!" He used to try wrapping his head around when that would be. When we did our home study visits, he thought our social worker was going to bring her on our last visit. So we tried explaining that she probably wouldn't be home until he was in Kindergarten. Then he wanted to grow up faster (and even kind of felt bad that he couldn't) so she could come home. Now that all things adoption are paper work and waiting, we try not to talk to him about it. My good friend, who has adopted twice, told me it may take as long as he's been alive, for her to come home. Good perspective.

Last thing. I'm obviously very new to blogging. And in my experience, no one's experience is the same and so it's hard to find a that resonates closely enough to my own. That's why I share. It seems not many Canadians adopt from Taiwan, and no one who is currently adopting from Vietnam is writing about it.  What does it mean to adopt from the special needs list? Matt and I are very blessed to have a community of adopted and adoptive friends who have a plethora of experience who we can talk to. I am grateful for that and am happy to share our experience with anyone who wants it.