Update

Nothing.  That is what we know.  The mother's court occurred today and the judge decided to give her more time to get her act together.  Now we wait until they schedule another court date, probably mid to late July.  More waiting...pray for patience for us and for more peace until this process is complete.  Thanks for all of your support and prayers.

Please Pray Tomorrow, and an early Happy Birthday!

Tomorrow is the rescheduled court date. Please pray along side us for a resolution. Over the past couple of months I think I have come to understand a little more the phrase "peace that passes understanding"... I've felt most of the time, just a supernatural peace that things will work out when they work out. I'm not sure I expect his birth mom to show up tomorrow, and I'm not sure that I expect a resolution tomorrow, but I expect that God's will will be done. So for now, I will just continue to pray for him, us, and the outcome.

Next week is AS's 9th birthday. There is some confusion over the date (he says it's in July, another document said one day next week, and his birth certificate said another), but we're going with the birth certificate. I hate that he will be spending it in the orphanage, but I don't know what else we can do. What a gift, though, would an expeditious end to this waiting be!

New Court Date

We just found out when the mother's court date has been rescheduled for: June 22.  Although that is further in the future than we wanted, we are praying for a good outcome that day (or, just that they won't reschedule it again).

Still waiting

So we just spoke to our social worker. She tells me that AS's birth mom didn't show up for court. S tells us that they will reschedule her court to another day between 1 week and 10 days from now. If she doesn't show again, the police will have to go get her, or the court will determine the outcome in her absence. So yet again, we know nothing. It's not great, but it's not the end either. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that she didn't show, but it's a little frustrating. Our boy has been in an orphanage for over 2 years... I'm just sad that she can manipulate the situation like this.

Mother's Day

This past Mother's Day was more difficult for me that I can express. I had such joy in my children, the cards they made me, and in my family. But sometimes looking at them, I realize someone is missing, and it's a painful reminder. On Saturday I took ZK to the park for a run. She had a really good run, and she said "at the end I prayed. I said 'thank you' for the great run, and I prayed for [AS]". The week before she didn't have a great run, and we had to have a conversation about perseverance. I told her that running is like every other hard, uncomfortable thing we have to do, and we have to persevere even when we don't want to. Our family absolutely has to persevere in Jesus in order to get through what we're going through with this adoption process. I'm so glad that our little family can support each other and share and learn important lessons from God. I've been thinking about this story... The story of my life, my kids' lives, and our family's life. What will be the testimony? Is it what we have done? Is it what happened to us? Or will it be what Jesus did? I really hope it's the last. Because really, none of this is about us, but about the reason we're doing it. It's because of Jesus. I know some people won't understand that statement. But one day, all things will be made new and perfect, and I rejoice in knowing that this isn't as good as it gets.

A Mother's Day Poem from our Adoption Agency

A Mother's Day Poem
 Once there were two women who never knew each other
One you do not remember, the other you call Mother
Two different lives shaped to make you one
 The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it
The first gave you a need for love, the second was there to give it
One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name
One gave you a talent, the other gave you aim
One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears
One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears
One made an adoption plan, that was all that she could do
The other prayed for a child, and God led her straight to you.
Now, which of these two women, are you the product of? Both, my darling, both, just two different types of love.
~ Author Unknown

Here's what we know

We need to come up with an additional $4,000 along with the money we will need to travel back, gift to the orphanage, and pay for accommodations and food while we're there. I'm not really worried about the money part... I'm more worried that they will continue to cause problems, and that we will go back and again have the same problems. I shouldn't worry, but I do. I also think a lot about what AS is thinking, and how he's dealing with this. His life has been so short, and he's been through so much. I am just praying his heart will not be hardened or closed. I just want to go get him. And even though it looks like our kids will be out of school, they're not wanting to travel back with us, which is probably for the best since we'd be dealing with court etc. Just pray for us... this has just been so difficult. Dave and I were standing in his bedroom last night, and it just feels so empty. Just a reminder that he's not here.