I still find myself wondering where my daughter is and I pray for her daily. Last week, as the training approached, I was giddy and anxious. I told my husband that it was like waiting for Christmas morning. Honestly, I was more excited for it to come and go so that we could move on than I was for the actual content of the training. With that said, the training was VERY GOOD! We learned a lot and enjoyed the discussions that we had with fellow adoptive families. We got to spend the weekend without the kids - with a dinner date and a movie included! It was such a refreshing time for us to focus on us, where our family is, and what we feel God is leading us toward in continuing to grow our family.
If you know us at all, or followed our previous adoptions, you know that it NEVER goes how we think it will in the beginning. God shaped and molded our hearts so much over the year and a half it took to bring our boys home, and I am so thankful! This time around we thought it was pretty straight forward as we knew a sister was for sure in the mix this time! We had a very familiar nudging on our hearts, however, this last weekend as we sat and listened to a 16 year old young man who had been raised in the foster system. About halfway through our time listening to his family's story, we turned to each other with a glimmer in our eyes and we knew we were all in, whatever that might be! We always say we are all in - - up for whatever God has planned for us - - willing to be His hands and feet in whatever way we can but He always has a way of showing us that we aren't as in as we thought we were. A gentle whisper or nagging on the heart to trust Him - to follow Him - to not try and control the outcomes. It is in these moments that we are learning to listen and follow His direction. I want to live my life with arms wide open and my heart set on God's desires for my family and my life.
So here we are on a familiar journey following God's hand in growing our family. We realized that children separated from their siblings because families weren't willing to take them all in was unacceptable. If Nahome or Isaiah's brothers ever came up for adoption we would not think twice about bringing them into our family. We realized that the same should be true of our daughter!! They have had a hard enough life without having to lose their brothers and sisters as well. So we are going to leave it up to God. We will see what He has planned and I am excited to sit back and watch how God orchestrates the whole thing - to His glory!
Updates:
* We completed our training this past Friday and Saturday.
* We had our first of two Home Study interviews on Monday.
* We were emailed the remaining adoption paperwork that we needed to fill out on Tuesday.
* We completed our adoption paperwork on Wednesday and mailed it in to them today (Thursday).
Looking Ahead:
* We meet with a family counselor on Monday to gather info for the home study.
* We should hear early next week when we can schedule our remaining interviews.
* I am hopeful that we will have the home study finished up around the end of the month and then we will be able to begin making inquiries on children that are waiting for families.
Be Praying For:
* Our children in our home as they prepare for new additions.
* Our children that God has planned for our family - that they would be safe and loved and that they would not lose hope. That we would be able to get to them in just the right timing so that the transition is as smooth as possible.
* Our marriage as we venture into another adoption - it is not for the faint of heart. Pray that we will be cohesive and unified. That we would lean on God and family for support. It can get stressful and exhausting and lonely.
* Our paperwork as we work on compiling the story of who we are in our home study.
* Our hearts - that we would continue to trust God and His direction and guidance throughout every aspect of this process...from the timing to the waiting to the paperwork to the hiccups that will come. Pray that we will see His hand and trust His plan.
