According to my day planner we turned in our formal adoption application January 20, 2011. It included a mound of paperwork that had been preceded by a preliminary application. I flip through the black, worn planner only a few pages and come to March 10, 2011, the day we were told adoptions in Ethiopia would decrease by 90%. Two weeks later, on March 24, we started our home study and completed it only 4 days later. Our home study was officially completed and ready for us to pick up on April 20, marking the first day we could apply for grants and mail immigration paperwork. We did both that very day. April 30 we held our fist ever adoption yard sale and three weeks later we went for our USCIS (immigration services) fingerprinting on May 17. We enjoyed a week in Disney at the first of June and came home anxious to receive our USCIS approval. Our wait was short as it arrived on June 16. The USCIS approval was the final paperwork needed to complete our dossier. So June 17th I was running around crazy getting every form county sealed after confirming all were correctly notarized. We enjoyed Father's Day weekend and hit the road early Monday morning, June 20 for Nashville where we had our dossier state authenticated. Early the next morning I took our completed dossier (and a bajillion copies I had stayed up late making and organizing) to our social worker at our local Bethany office. She then sent our dossier over night to the Bethany Christian Services headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Our part was over for a while. A long while.
We received an email August 2 stating our dossier had been translated and registered in Ethiopia. The wait continued. In my heart we have been waiting years, but only 4 1/2 months (since June 20 when I dropped off our dossier) according to
my day planner.
Fast forward through those 4+ months to yesterday. I sent an email to the coordinator for referrals in Grand Rapids simply introducing myself and our family, as we had learned we would be dealing with her directly from here on out. I just wanted to know how referrals were coming along for others and if, indeed, the average wait time was still 3-6 mo to receive a referral. The response wasn't what we wanted to hear, but we understand the reasoning. The wait time has increased from 3-6 mo to 6 mo-12 mo. This wait time begins when our dossier is translated and registered in Ethiopia, August 2. So, we (technically) have only been waiting just over 3 months in what will likely be a 6-12 month wait to see the face of our sweet Lakin. The reason for the delay is simply that more investigations are needed for each case prior to a referral (a match) being given to ensure the child really meets the definition of "an orphan." This part wasn't in
my day planner.
Then, I stop and pray. I can calculate, figure, read blogs and yahoo groups, speculate, and presume all day long and drive myself crazy or I can remember I have a different
Day Planner.
He is Day Inventor. Day Giver. Day Sustainer. Day Changer. Day Maker. Day Planner. He has reminded me at least a million times recently in my study of Esther, how precise are His ways. How precise is His time. And His timing. I know for sure that His time table supercedes all averages, delays, or legalities. He is the One who placed Esther in the palace over 5 years before she exposed Haman's plot to kill all the Jews. He placed her there in His timing, preparing her for His plan to be fulfilled in His way. It wasn't Esther. It was God. It wasn't her days plan. It was her
Day Planner.
Writing tonight with a heavy heart, I am still confidant in His will, His way, His love, His timing. The wait grows more difficult with each passing day, but our strength continues to be renewed as we wait for Him. I feel sure there will come a day I will pull out my black, worn
day planner
and stand amazed at the One who holds my every tear in a bottle,
my Day Planner.
Carrie, you've mentioned before about how much like a physical pregnancy this adoption has been for you. As I contemplated that tonight, a thought came to mind. I spent about 80% of the time I was pregnant with Lilah, worrying. Satan had put a fear in my heart that she would not survive. And no matter how hard I tried to rebuke those thoughts, it managed to steal a lot of the joy out of my pregnancy. So I counted down the weeks, days, hours for her arrival when I knew she would be safe in my arms. (I can only imagine you feel a similar feeling wanting Lakin safe in your arms, knowing she's getting all her needs met.) As my due date came and went and no baby, I spent so many hours crying out to God to please bring about the birth of Lilah. I so wanted to allow Him to start labor in His timing, but it was so hard to be patient. And of course I heard multiple times by well-meaning people to enjoy the last days of my pregnancy because someday I would miss that excitement and anticipation. And of course, I never liked that suggestion :) . Anyway, my reason for sharing is that as I read your blog, God laid it on my heart to tell you to try to enjoy the excitement and anticipation of that once in a lifetime meeting that will be here before you know it. The last weeks of a pregnancy always seem to last an eternity, but there is an end in sight! Enjoy a little extra quiet time with the kids, knowing that like any other new mom, once Lakin is here, things will be busy for a while. Just as He watched over Lilah, He is watching over Lakin, providing for her needs until that perfect moment when He places her in yours and Marks arms. Just like He knew when every dimple and tiny tuft of hair were perfectly in place with Lilah, He knows when Lakin has had each and every moment and experience she needs to have to prepare her for the life she is about to begin. Because of your strength and unwavering faith in His timing, He wouldn't settle for anything less than perfect for your beautiful family....your due date is approaching...
ReplyDeleteSo, so true. What an incredible way to see His work. Praying for your family!!
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