Saturday, July 12, 2008
The Long Awaited Update
I had a little panic attack regarding our adoption about six weeks ago. All of our paper work was done and had been sent off to the Secretary of State for Authentication when our family discovered that my mom was ill.
She had been feeling OK but upon a routine blood check they discovered she had a very high white blood cell count. After a few weeks we were told she has ALL which is an acute form of Leukemia.
I had my little freak out and wasn't sure we should be adopting if my mom may get really sick. I would obviously want to be there for her and wasn't sure how that would work with a new little one or two in the house who also really needed me at the time.
Over the past few weeks God has comforted my heart and let me know it will be OK. My mom looks great and is feeling fine at this time. They discovered she had ALL by chance so she has not started showing any symptoms and could not for many years. Our extended family encouraged us to continue on our original path assuring us that if anything happened we would not be alone and the entire family would work together to see that everyone was taken care of.
This made me feel immensely better so we are back on track (after a few month delay) and anxiously hoping to have all our documents in Ethiopia very soon. There was something wrong with the signature on the the license from our Home Study agency so I have to get a new copy from them for the Sec. of State. Other than that all our documents are done and waiting to be sent off.
Truth be told I am not sure I really could have halted this adoption. My heart has already been attached to the children there.
When I look back at the timeline we had set for ourselves we had hoped to be traveling this summer to pick up our kiddos. I never would have dreamed that nine months into the process we would not have even gotten our paperwork there. I am sure there is a reason for this and I try and remind myself DAILY that God is in control of this journey and not me. I'm sure there are reasons why our timeline has been extended. I just need to keep reminding myself of that.
I will let you know when we send everything off to our agency, hopefully very soon. If California has an earthquake you will know it is the day we sent everything off, all my jumping up and down caused a seismic disturbance. The courts close in Ethiopia on August 5 this year and do not reopen until some time in October. Our agency will continue to give referrals while the courts are closed but no one will be traveling until the Fall.
OK, OK, I would love a quick referral. The odds of that are not good however. I am praying for a referral before the end of the year. However, I am repeating my mantra that "God is in control of the situation" over and over so as not to drive myself crazy.
If you know me, no comments on the last sentence. Yes, I know. I am already crazy!
She had been feeling OK but upon a routine blood check they discovered she had a very high white blood cell count. After a few weeks we were told she has ALL which is an acute form of Leukemia.
I had my little freak out and wasn't sure we should be adopting if my mom may get really sick. I would obviously want to be there for her and wasn't sure how that would work with a new little one or two in the house who also really needed me at the time.
Over the past few weeks God has comforted my heart and let me know it will be OK. My mom looks great and is feeling fine at this time. They discovered she had ALL by chance so she has not started showing any symptoms and could not for many years. Our extended family encouraged us to continue on our original path assuring us that if anything happened we would not be alone and the entire family would work together to see that everyone was taken care of.
This made me feel immensely better so we are back on track (after a few month delay) and anxiously hoping to have all our documents in Ethiopia very soon. There was something wrong with the signature on the the license from our Home Study agency so I have to get a new copy from them for the Sec. of State. Other than that all our documents are done and waiting to be sent off.
Truth be told I am not sure I really could have halted this adoption. My heart has already been attached to the children there.
When I look back at the timeline we had set for ourselves we had hoped to be traveling this summer to pick up our kiddos. I never would have dreamed that nine months into the process we would not have even gotten our paperwork there. I am sure there is a reason for this and I try and remind myself DAILY that God is in control of this journey and not me. I'm sure there are reasons why our timeline has been extended. I just need to keep reminding myself of that.
I will let you know when we send everything off to our agency, hopefully very soon. If California has an earthquake you will know it is the day we sent everything off, all my jumping up and down caused a seismic disturbance. The courts close in Ethiopia on August 5 this year and do not reopen until some time in October. Our agency will continue to give referrals while the courts are closed but no one will be traveling until the Fall.
OK, OK, I would love a quick referral. The odds of that are not good however. I am praying for a referral before the end of the year. However, I am repeating my mantra that "God is in control of the situation" over and over so as not to drive myself crazy.
If you know me, no comments on the last sentence. Yes, I know. I am already crazy!
8 Comments:
This surrendering of control and re-learning of just how sovereign He is and will be over our lives is one of the greatest take-aways we will all have from our adoption journeys, don't you think? I just wish there was an easier and less draaaaaaaawn out way to learn it all, right?!
With you on the journey :)
It really is much more complicated than I realized.
Many of my family members have recently been diagnosed with various things. It is scary, and it makes you wonder what you can handle as a family. I'm glad yours is such a supportive family.
Wow, Ethiopia celebrates my birthday by shutting down the courts for a couple of months? They must really love me!
LOL
But, I agree, God has a plan in the delay, and it is for His perfect reason. I love it when He shows us the why afterwards, though, because it is always so perfect.
We started our adoption just two weeks before my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died four months after our daughter came home. I don't have any idea how I did it all--driving six hours back and forth, over and over...plus dealing with a new child in our home. God doesn't give us more than we can handle. I can attest to that. I made it through, and was so thankful we didn't stop our adoption. That little girl helped to heal my broken heart! I couldn't imagine life without her.
I pray your mom stays well for years to come and that things move quickly for you in Ethiopia.
Hang in there. We'll pray for you and also your mom!
I can't even begin to imagine the huge amount of patience it takes to deal with all the paper work and other issues involved with adoption! I am so glad that God has given you a peace about going ahead with it! Praying for your mom's continued good health, and for a speedy process to get your new little ones!
We have been praying about adopting for so long and my husband has been on the fence. My husband is finally comfortable with going to a seminar at a local adoption agency and then his brother got into a serious car accident and has been in the Trauma ICU for the past two weeks. We are still going to the seminar but it makes us nervous to pursue, even though we haven't decided yet, with all of the unknowns about his brother.
I guess that there is no perfect time, just God's perfect time. :0)
I hope your Mom gets good treatment and I'm glad they caught it early. Hopefully all goes well with her AND the adoption! Can't wait to meet your little one.
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