John and I have had our share of countdowns, from our long distance relationship to pregnancies to adoption. The longest of all these has definitely been the adoption. We signed the agreement with our agency in November of 2012. We are coming up on the 4 year anniversary!! Now if anyone has been thinking about or looking into international adoption, please don’t let this deter you. We had several holds for various reasons (the largest and greatest of which is turning two years old in just a few days!).
We are reaching the end of our countdown and can see the end of the road. Our travels to China are just a few months away. It is still hard for me to come to grips with the reality that this is definitely going to happen. Much like my pregnancy with Ella, it’s difficult to have faith that this process will end well. FAITH. Boil it all down to the bottom and that’s what is staring up at you. What is holding us up when we don’t want to stand any more. When we cry and want to give up because this process is so emotionally taxing. God has been there for us in ways that I am still seeing revealed. Here we are, almost four years from the beginning.
About two months ago John and I were faced with another decision – another test of faith. At one time (going way back when we were going to be Colombian parents – Colombia, you will always be in my heart!) we had decided that we would be open to a sibling group. While China does not have sibling groups (with the rare exception of twins), it does allow for two unrelated children to be adopted at once. We would have a small window of time, only a few weeks, that adding a second child would not greatly delay bringing Charlotte home. Did we want to take advantage of that time? Was it what we were called to do? Could our family handle it? Could WE handle it?
After a lot of discussion and prayer we decided, as many do, to put God to the test. Yes, we said, we are open to a second child during this small opening of time. But it had to be a boy. And had to have simpler special needs. And be a year old or younger. Now, it may not sound like much of a challenge to you, but if you know anything about China you know this isn’t leaving much room for success. Take that God. See we're open, but you know, if you don't have the time to produce a miracle, we totally get it.
And God laughed. He likes to do that a lot in our lives....
"What is impossible with men is possible with God" - LK 18:27
In less than a week were presented with a file. It’s been a longer wait period than anticipated, but I am overjoyed to announce that we will go to China as a family of three – and come back a family of five! Jack, to be named after his father, just turned one this past June. He is a beautiful, happy baby and I can’t wait to kiss him! Jack has a cleft palate, which will probably be partially repaired before coming home, and Pierre Robin’s syndrome. Both are entirely manageable, but will require many doctors visits to assess his condition once home. He is from the Jiangsu province, but is currently staying in a small Healing Home in Beijing.
Once this is complete then the fun starts. We’ll have to submit a few more forms, get visas for travel, and apply for travel approval. I won’t bore you with the details. If everything is super speedy we could see travel by the end of November, but it’s possible it won’t be going until after the New Year. Our agency travels in groups, so once we have travel approval we will need to see when the next group is going over. We will also need to plan ahead, as adding Jack to our family adds a week onto our time in China (that’s three weeks in total!).
Are we crazy to take this leap? It's been suggested. But I know that I won't regret this decision, this little boy that will someday call me mommy, for a single moment for the rest of my life. When I am quiet (though the occasion is rare) and I have a moment to listen and reflect, the echo in my heart isn't doubt, but love and serenity. This is is how our family was always supposed to be built, even if we didn't always know it. The decisions we have made in the past - to seek out international adoption, to choose Colombia, to switch to China - these were all steps we had to make to find our children. As our anniversary of officially starting this journey approaches I don't look at it with any sadness, but with a true and complete "cup runith over" kind of joy. To quote the Rascal Flatts:
God bless the broken road that lead me straight to you....
We’ll update everyone as we go along – but for now just jump up and down in joy and join us as we rush to prepare for our daughter and SON to come home!! We aren't there yet and can use all your prayers as we continue daily to make the decision to trust in the path that we're walking.
"but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." - Is 40:31
-Theresa