For several years my husband and I have talked about adoption. Our plan was always to have biological children and then once they were in school we would start the adoption process. Last summer, our first child was about 18 months old and we were starting to talk about bringing another biological child into the family. But God had other plans.
All of the sudden, adoption was constantly on my mind. It was all I could think about at home, at work, at church. So, without my husband's knowledge, I began to really look into it. I researched agencies, I watched webinars, I talked to friends who were adopting. And then I got up the nerve to tell my husband.
Thank goodness he didn't think I was crazy. In fact, he was feeling the same way I was. So I presented him with my list of agencies and we looked at them together. We finally chose one and a year ago this month we officially began our adoption paperwork.
No one ever told us adoption was easy. And I'm glad they didn't, because it's not. Our families were happy when we told them the news, but they didn't jump up and down and cry happy tears like they did when we told them we were pregnant with our daughter. Our paperwork took several months longer than we thought it would to complete. Then our agencies timeline for a referral (when you are matched with a child) was increased by several months. And just recently, my husband was laid off. We put our case on hold while he searched for a new job, praying that he would find something soon. My heart ached for that child we haven't even seen a picture of yet because I knew the longer we were on hold the longer it would be before we got to meet them.
Just last week my husband started a new job. We called our agency and told them we were ready to go back on the waitlist. Now I am, again, filling out paperwork, hoping that everything will fall into place quickly. Our hopes are that we will have a referral sometime in December or January.
Though this journey has at times been disappointing and frustrating, I know that God has a plan for our family and we are following in His will. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you' — this is the LORD’s declaration — 'plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" And it is on those words that I rest my fears and stress.
All of the sudden, adoption was constantly on my mind. It was all I could think about at home, at work, at church. So, without my husband's knowledge, I began to really look into it. I researched agencies, I watched webinars, I talked to friends who were adopting. And then I got up the nerve to tell my husband.
Thank goodness he didn't think I was crazy. In fact, he was feeling the same way I was. So I presented him with my list of agencies and we looked at them together. We finally chose one and a year ago this month we officially began our adoption paperwork.
No one ever told us adoption was easy. And I'm glad they didn't, because it's not. Our families were happy when we told them the news, but they didn't jump up and down and cry happy tears like they did when we told them we were pregnant with our daughter. Our paperwork took several months longer than we thought it would to complete. Then our agencies timeline for a referral (when you are matched with a child) was increased by several months. And just recently, my husband was laid off. We put our case on hold while he searched for a new job, praying that he would find something soon. My heart ached for that child we haven't even seen a picture of yet because I knew the longer we were on hold the longer it would be before we got to meet them.
Just last week my husband started a new job. We called our agency and told them we were ready to go back on the waitlist. Now I am, again, filling out paperwork, hoping that everything will fall into place quickly. Our hopes are that we will have a referral sometime in December or January.
Though this journey has at times been disappointing and frustrating, I know that God has a plan for our family and we are following in His will. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you' — this is the LORD’s declaration — 'plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" And it is on those words that I rest my fears and stress.
9 comments:
Thank-you for sharing this and congratulations on your place back on the list. God is good and generous!
Blessings,
j
www.beneaththeacaciatree.com
You know, God does have a plan and while the delays are frustrating, I have heard it time and time again and can personally say that each delay brings you to YOUR child. You will know the timing was perfect when you meet your child - I can almost promise you!!
Ellen
Praying and praying for y'all and I'm looking forward to the day that the word "ON HOLD" is off your name on the FBI list :)
I am so glad that your husband was able to find a job! Praise God!
You are right! The journey of adoption is not easy, but the reward in the end is SO worth it all!! We had MANY bumps in the road in our Guatemalan adoption and quite a few during our paperwork process for Ethiopia. But I am glad that God gives us the strength to get through it!
Oh I get this. I'm not knee-deep in the adoption process [yet] - but I get the waiting. I get the trusting & the job-searching...and I definitely get the risk. And you're absolutely right: God's timing is PERFECT.
Praying for you & and your family.
We have named our baby Bethlehem and I am constantly reminding myself that this is BETHIE'S adoption, and GOD'S adoption, it is NOT MY ADOPTION.
So my timeframe really doesn't matter much :) Cause it's NOT MY ADOPTION.
So glad to see you guys are back active on the wait list! Praise God for His provision and for your faithful hearts. So excited to see how God's plans unfold for your family!
So glad you guys are back on the waitlist! Such a beautiful post and I love that both you and your husband were thinking about without the other one knowing! What a wonderful thing to tell your future child.
Still looking forward to my next grandchild.
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