Our Adoption Process

Okay, I realize that many of you probably know more about this process then I do......I feel like such a rookie. But I will attempt to let you know what I know and then where we're at.

Steps to adopting a baby from China:
1. The application- to an agency of our choosing
2. The home study- gathering loads of paperwork including medical exams, background checks, passports, birth certificates, marriage license, collecting letter of references, etc. Two meetings with a social worker who decides if we are capable of parenting, I guess.
3. The dossier- includes getting all of the above paperwork plus much more notarized, certified, and then authenticated. One big piece of paperwork needed takes up to 4 months to finalize.
4. The referral- once the dossier is complete we wait for our agency and China to match us with a baby girl.
5. Receiving our date to travel
6. Travel to China to have a baby :)

We are currently in step 2. We have finished all of the paperwork part and are waiting for Monday which is when we'll schedule our appts. with the social worker for hopefully within the next couple of weeks. Our agency said they hope to have our home study complete by the end of November. In the meantime we have begun the paperwork part of our dossier....which is the HUGE file of ourselves that we will submit to the Chinese gov't.

I think that perhaps for the first time in my life I have been experiencing anxiety. I know that a lot of people have anxieties over many things but thankfully it hasn't been one of my struggles...until now. This is how I have been feeling: I am pregnant and my baby is in China...I need to get to her NOW to take care of her. She is my baby and she needs her momma. Before I can get to her I must jump through a million hoops and I have no idea and no control over how long it will take to jump through those hoops. When will I be able to take care of my baby?

Once I realized I had an anxiety problem this week this verse came to mind: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition present your requests to God. So, that's what I did. I have to admit that I doubted at first. I didn't know how He could take away those intense "maternal" anxiety feelings I was having. But then He started teaching me through a variety of different ways some important lessons. One- He is God, He controls the timetable, and He is always at work working for the good of His people. What may seem like delays to me are actually just a part of His perfect plan. I should be thankful for the delays. yikes. Two- the more impossible the situation, the greater the victory and glory to God. I am currently studying the book of Exodus in the Bible and as the Israelites struggle to persevere in their hardships and God keeps doing amazing miracles to rescue them from their dire straits, God keeps saying, "so that they will know that I am LORD." Perhaps some of these situations and delays are God's way of reminding us that we are not in control and to remind us and everyone around us that HE IS LORD. Already there has been some impossible situations in our adoption process where God has received the glory for meeting our needs in amazing ways. I am thankful that I can already see a glimpse of His glory shining through everything in this process......this makes me just want to chill......and to give the controls back over to Him. Three- contentment is something that is learned, not something that He gives us....read Philippians 4:11-20...."for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances...." . In order to learn contentment we must experience discontentment....interesting. Four- either we believe in Romans 8:28 or we don't. "In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called accourding to his purpose." EVERYTHING in my past leads me to believe in this verse. Why should I let anxieties about the future discredit this promise of God? He has totally proven his faithfulness in my life and I choose to believe that He will continue to work for my good, even through this wild adoption process. Praise you Jesus!

Okay, I am sorry for my rambling. I am just so amazed at how God has given me such peace and has taken away my anxiety; how these anxieties were escalating and then God pointed out my problem with it and then was so faithful to communicate these truths to me and then comfort me when I didn't think I would be comforted until I put my arms around my baby girl.

I will try to update as our process progresses.

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.