God Places the Lonely in Families

That was the title of a blog post I read yesterday. It's so true. Today we got news that we didn't want to get. Ukraine will not accept our immigration as it has less than 6 months before it expires. Our SW is trying to get a new approval expedited, though technically we can't apply for an extension until sometime in March, which will then put us into submission sometime in April or June. However, at that point our other paperwork will likely be declined since we signed it all in December. I feel it's been one thing after another, and right now we are unsure of what our next step should be. I've been praying that our steps would be clear, and that we would know without hesitation what we should do. We've tossed around a few ideas, but right now, Dave and I are not both at peace about the same idea. Please pray for us that we would know what we should do. Pray that we can find peace in whatever God's will is for us in this process. Two children have gone home because we went in obedience, but they didn't come to us. I wonder if it would have been better to be more circumspect, and now I understand why so many adoptive parents are. The pain is so unbearable when it's just your own, but when it's on display for the world to see, I almost feel like it's that much more. On the other side of that, is the absolute joy I've had in seeing how this has changed our family for the better. Our eyes have been open to plight of the orphan and those struggling around the world. Our focus has gone from the things of the Earth that will pass away, to the things that are eternal. I pray that God will fill the lonely in our family. I pray that His will is done, and that He can have mercy on us during this time. I pray that He will redeem our lives. So many times during this process, I have thought of Paul's obedience even through difficult times. I think of Solomon's words in Proverbs, and the words of the Psalmist and they comfort me. I am glad for the things we have gone through, and pray that God will direct our steps.

Here's what we know

Well, we don't know too much more right now. We finally got everything re-submitted to Jana, and it's all in Ukraine. Sasha is working on a submission date for our dossier, and then it'll be around 6 weeks before we hear anything. We've got no new information about the boy, but that's OK. We're waiting on Sasha for a bit more information on the situation, but we're not overly concerned about that at this point either. We did find out that we need to send him another $6,000 in advance for translation fees and fees he incurs during the time before and while we're in country. In essence we will need to raise about another $4,000. We're not terribly worried about that part since we've been completely blessed by God to have the money when we needed it! Please continue to pray for us in:
1) Preparation of the heart of our boy
2) Prepare our hearts and the hearts of Zoë and Addie
3) Ease of travel (getting plane tickets and no hold ups)
4) Peace during this time, and patience as well
5) For our families. We have been blessed to have most of our family support our decision and leading to adopt, but that is not universally the case. We've had some opposition which has been difficult. Additionally, that our families will understand and have patience with us as we go through this process.
6) That God would bless our finances enough that we would have the extra money needed.

Thank you to each and every one of you for your prayers and support. We've been so blessed to go through this difficult time. I pray that our hearts and attitudes can be what they need to be.

A little more info

I had been waiting until we discussed the opportunity with our kids and had sufficient time to pray about it, but now I can share a little more. A few days ago, our social worker presented us with an unusual opportunity for adoption in Ukraine. It seems there is a boy in foster care that needs to be adopted due to some circumstances in the foster family. We got a little bit of information about him and a picture. After talking to the kids about it, we have decided to go for it. Of course at this point we're cautiously optimistic, and proceeding as we had before. Our dossier is in Ukraine and being translated again, and we're just waiting for submission and our appointment. Dave and I will be fingerprinted again on Wednesday afternoon. Please pray for that because I basically have no fingerprints... they don't tell you in nursing school that that could be a problem since nurses tend to wash their hands so much. In any case, Merry Christmas! This is the first Christmas since traveling and expecting our son to be home with us, which is proving to be more difficult than I could have imagined. But we're happy and pressing forward with joy in the Lord!

An Opportunity

Well, we've been presented with a unique opportunity. We'd like to ask you to pray for us as we decide if this is something God wants us to pursue. We will share more as we get closer.

Well, that part is finally over...

The birth mother's final court hearing was yesterday, and the judge ruled to give her parental rights back.  We have felt that this conclusion was coming for a while.  Although it wasn't the conclusion we wanted, we are glad we can close this chapter.  We pray that this is good for the boy, and that his mother can keep her parental rights.  While we could appeal this ruling, that seems futile at this point.  We would have little chance of winning and this would just drag on for several more months. Our goal throughout this adoption has been to provide a home for a child without one. In a way we were able to do that. Without us spurring this mother on to change her life and try to regain her rights, he would be staying in an orphanage or completely changing his life by coming to a new country.

While this hurts, we do have a plan from here.  We plan on trying to adopt from Ukraine one more time.  We will need to update some of our paperwork, as much of it expires in November.  It will take a couple of months to get everything updated.  The cost won't be as great as starting over completely, but will be more than completing an adoption we had already started.  Once everything is approved again, we will head back to Kiev to get another referral for a child.  We hope to travel there in January, assuming all of our paperwork is completed and approved by then.  In the meantime, please pray that we can get all paperwork completed and approved, and that we will choose the referral for the child that God wants for us when that time comes.

Closing the Chapter

Well, I'm not sure what to type exactly, but this morning my devotional was about waiting expectantly. Waiting in faith on the Lord to change my circumstances, and know that any minute He's going to. We got an email from our social worker who heard from the facilitator in Ukraine. They said that they'd likely get a result some time in October. I know what you're thinking, October is next week. And it is, but in Ukraine everything seems to work a little more slowly. But I am waiting expectantly, for a conclusion to this chapter. I can't help but think that we can't give up hope about this child or the next, but know that whatever the Lord has for us will be right in the end. As I think about the roller coaster of emotions this process has been for us, I am so grateful for each step and each day. I am thankful that in my weakness, God is strong, and that He has given such amazing strength to Dave to drag me along on the days I want to give up. I am thankful for each person who has come along side us and supported us even when the process doesn't make sense, and it would have been easier to question why we were continuing and what we were doing wrong, because certainly if this was God's plan it would be going more smoothly. We don't have the answers, and I am thankful for that. If I knew, I wonder if that would make it any easier? I still pray each day for our boy, and know that God has a plan for his life, and I pray that one day it will be realized. I pray that God's glory would be revealed in His time. In the meantime, we continue with life, not giving up, and waiting expectantly.

The Master Plan :)

Well here is where we are after the meeting today.  We will wait for the final ruling from the judge on the mother's court case.  We think that will be by the end of this month.  Obviously, if the judge rules in our favor, we will head back to get that child.  If the judge doesn't rule in our favor (expected), we will work on updating and resubmitting paperwork to get referral for another child from the Ukraine SDA.  Our dossier that we sent is tied up in the court system in Bilgorod. So getting it back at this point is pretty much impossible. We will work on submitting a new dossier and other paperwork.  It will take a couple of months to do all of this, so hopefully we will head back to Ukraine around the first of next year.  We talked to our facilitator about finding a child in a region he is familiar with and feels confidant that we can successfully complete an adoption there.  He thinks he can do that.  We feel God wants us to adopt from here, so we are giving it one more try!  Thanks for your prayers!