Saturday 22 March 2014

Back on track.

Here we go again! We thought we'd be back in court maybe by the end of May, and now it could be in the next couple of weeks. Maybe even just go straight to the decrees? Who knows? We hope for the best! All the while, our mental state is greatly influenced by our many experiences with screeching halts. We are moving forward again- that is the best thing. So we pray, and trust the timing that is not our own.

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Waiting for the Rainbow

Here's the thing, right now we are in a storm. A big one. Our adoption is the hardest emotionally it has ever been. Our house is between tenants and the exiters are making everything extremely difficult. Matt's schedule while in school for the next two months is kinda crappy. Among other minor daily/weekly/monthly struggles we have found ourselves enduring a storm, the stresses have amounted. Mind you no one is dying. Knock on wood. So often I am aware of the storm and it is hard to remember the promise of a rainbow. I am trying hard to remember. This is only a season. I wish my life was boring :)

Friday 21 February 2014

Roadblock

Here's the thing: Adoption is hard. Sometimes, even though you're waiting for the very best present ever, it can suck. Today is one of those days. Our case went to court, we've heard that COURT is the most anticlimactic thing in this whole process- it's 15 minutes and then you wait for your decrees and your visa- pass go collect $200. Well not for us. Maybe it's sad that we even half expected this because we were on a roll which meant we were about due for a roadblock. Everything will be easy God said. NOT. Did I think that an intelligent God would give this baby with a complicated story to a family who did not have a heart for advocacy? To someone who is less determined than all the opposers? To a family who is not well practiced in the area of patience- practiced doesn't have to mean you like it...(Is there an adoptive family without these qualities?) Only if He wanted to teach them to have those virtues. Yes. Stubbornness can be a virtue. Some people call it perseverance. And we have it. God picked us. God picked her. If only people would get out of the way. Lucky for us, we also have really good people. People praying for us, giving us direction, advocating for us and most importantly we have people loving our our kid for us.

I worked on her room a little this week, in the anticipation of court and forward movement. And I had this old canvas that I wanted to rework to go in her room. After I read how our court hearing went this morning, I prayed. And what came to mind was this (for Ellinor...and us)- 'May the Lord bless you and KEEP you, may the Lord make His face to SHINE upon you and be GRACIOUS to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you PEACE.' And now it's hanging in her room. (It maybe isn't done yet, we'll see.)

 Pray with us. The judge is requiring more documentation specific to our case and when we have it we will have to reapply to get another court date. Feels a bit like this:
 *Please note that this is the exception to the rule, this is just how our adoption is proceeding. We want our baby home!

Wednesday 29 January 2014

We got a court date!

On Saturday morning I woke up to a facebook message saying  that we have a court date!!! February 21st in Taiwan (approx. 8:20pm February 20th here!) We can't wait! People also have been getting their first decrees much quicker than before! We are so hopeful that our girl will be home this summer. Every time we are discouraged and get to thinking- maybe it won't even be in 2014, everything flips and we hope that we'll be ready! Always trusting in God's perfect timing because I cannot coordinate this! Pray with us in February! After our court date we'll need a first decree, a final decree, then a visa. Then plane tickets!!!

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Peace

We are currently experiencing a minor set back, a sort of delay in the Taiwanese courts. Am I discouraged? A little. I have no reason to lie. But more than that I'm hopeful. Hoping for the day I hold her. And try not to cry so many happy tears as to frighten this child. Until then, I don't pray for patience, God grants me patience and I most likely even take that for granted. I don't take for granted the amazing family who is loving our daughter unconditionally. Loving her around the clock so she can love us and love Jesus. We love that little girl. She is part of us already. She makes an appearance in every family picture J draws. She is familiar to us. Like we've known each other since the beginning. She belongs with us making pancakes on Sunday mornings. Not yet. I don't feel impatient. I feel excited. So while I have all the thoughts of what things will be like, I pray for peace. Because there isn't anything I can do at this moment to tell any judge that the information s/he already has is enough. I just pray for peace in my soul so I can enjoy every moment of our family including Her. Even before she is home. I don't want to miss anything because I was worried about something else. And if that doesn't give you an idea of how good the people advocating for us are, I don't know what will. I am grateful and patient and peaceful. At this moment. And hopefully in the moments to come, God willing.