We are officially two months along in the adoption process. Wow, it seems like it has been WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY longer than that!! I know it sounds pathetic to say that my patience is being tested, especially considering that we should be good at waiting…experiencing infertility is one HUGE lesson in practicing patience! But seeing our (fingers crossed) little boy’s face everyday in the photo that we have displayed in our kitchen makes me impatient, because for every day that the process is delayed, it’s another day that he is in an orphanage rather than in a home with a family to love on him, provide his needs and tuck him into bed at night.
We received word last Friday that our home study report is (finally) complete and had been received by our agency. Today we received word that our background clearance from Illinois had been received (finally!) — background clearances have to be done in any state prospective adoptive parents have lived since the age of 18, and Kevin & I briefly lived in Illinois. Now, our home study report is being reviewed for completion. Our next step is to receive clearance to travel to Indianapolis to be fingerprinted. After that takes place, our completed dossier will be sent to the Philippines, and then we wait for approval to adopt from that country, and then approval to adopt the little boy that we already feel as though is ours. We are realizing that it’s silly to attempt a guess at the timeline, but that’s us…silly people. So we are guessing that our dossier will reach the Philippines by the end of October. And if all goes well, our approval to adopt and our approval to adopt our specific child will occur in quick succession.
I know, that update is not all that exciting. Most people that ask (and it occurs daily that someone asks where we are in the process!) are hoping we have a travel date and know exactly when we will be bringing him home. You can’t imagine how much I wish that were true! I already have our Christmas card design floating around in my head just in case he’s here…but of course, I have the alternate Christmas card design in mind if he’s not here…and at this point I’m quite certain he won’t be. I am even preparing myself for another YEAR of waiting…because I know that could be the reality. Hale came to me three days ago and said, “Mom, what happens if the Philippines doesn’t let us adopt him?” Yeah, even THAT is still a possibility. Ugh…….
But because this adoption was a calling from the Lord…and we truly believe that…we still have peace about this process. I still envision this precious child teaching us more than we could ever hope to teach him. I envision walking into the bedroom that he will share with Hale, every night, to see two brothers sleeping peacefully. I envision the normal ups and downs of a family, but instead of herding four cats, KJ & I will be herding five. And I.Can’t.Wait. I have reorganized Hale’s room and closet; I’ve hung the little clothes that we have begun collecting; my mom has begun cross-stitching a ‘blankie’ just as she has done for the other four (not to mention a fifth stocking to hang on the fireplace!); I’ve even tried to convince KJ, without success, that we will be needing a vehicle with more seating!
So for now, we will continue to pray for our little guy. We ask that you do the same. Pray that he is well, that he is being taken care of by people who love him enough to want to see him go home to a FAMILY. Pray for all of us – that the Lord continues to provide peace and patience throughout this process. Pray that our children will be understanding while we are called to travel to the Philippines to bring our precious child home.