It is my Birthday tomorrow, and I am celebrating our adoption home study being complete and paid for! God has done great things through this adoption process. As I document our progress for the twins (due July 2014), I figured I might as well add a few progress reports for our adoption as well. If you are new to our family-making saga, catch up here.
How far along? Home study is complete! We have now been officially in this program for 8 months now. If this were a pregnancy, I’d be nearing the home-stretch. Adoption takes a bit more time, so I’ll say we have finished our first “trimester”. The next stage is submitting our Dossier to South Africa, then wait 1-2 years for the right child (the one God has in mind) to be placed with us (the family He has chosen for this child).
World-traveler size: Who knows!? Our beautiful “baby C” might not even be born yet. Our program designates a child between the ages of 1-4 years.
Best moment this season: Receiving God’s provision, financially and emotionally, through this whole process. Though the adoption process slowed down to accommodate the coming twins, we continue to take steps in faith and great expectation! Every financial milestone we encountered in this last year, God has provided effortlessly.
Gender: Not sure (I think it will be a girl, Shane thinks it will be a boy).
Lullaby of the Season: Somewhere, Beyond the Sea from Finding Nemo… I sing this song often while thinking about our dear world-traveler. Whenever and however God chooses to bring us together, it will be a great adventure indeed.
Truth I’m dwelling on: Experiencing pregnancy and adoption at the same time has been a whirlwind. I deeply appreciate Romans for bringing perspective:
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?” Romans 8:22-24
Wow! All of creation—the trees in my yard, my dog on the couch, the babies in my belly—we are all longing for reception, completion, and the perfection of meeting our Father face-to-face. I am so excited to meet our world-traveler in person (even just to have a picture!), but none of it compares to the longing I have, along with all creation around me, to be one with Christ.
Looking forward to: Doing more training and working on the next set of documents.