Waiting

We get asked a lot these days - "How's the adoption going?" Our friends and family know we've been involved in this process for over a year and all we can say is that we're still "waiting."

Our generation has lost the ability to wait. I think of the instant access to someone by calling them on their cell phone. We no longer need to wait until the 9pm news to learn tomorrow's weather forecast - we can check this on our smartphone...while on the bus! However, some parents wait years to have a child and we've been in this for only fourteen months.

I look to the Bible for direction, especially during times of "chaos and confusion." Here are some examples of waiting in the Bible:

Ruth waited for Boaz (Ruth 3:18)
Noah waited for the waters to subside (Genesis 8:10-12)
Abraham waited for God's promise (Hebrews 6:15)

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." Psalm 27:13-14

in Russian!

My better half took C to the playground yesterday. There were several kids playing but one child took a liking to C and played with her. The nanny followed this other child around while finishing up a conversation on her cell phone. Once the nanny gets off the phone she relays instructions to the child she is caring for...in Russian!

So my better half strikes up the conversation...in Russian! Albeit only greetings at this point, but it was a great connecting point with someone born and raised and Russia. We look forward to the chance to speak Russian...in Russia!

Refresh

Have you ever sat at your computer at the end of an eBay auction hitting the refresh button on your browser? Or maybe you've been waiting all day for a package to arrive you ordered through our Amazon.com link? Well, I've been that way about our updated documents that have been sent to Russia. Every few hours/minutes I would check the website for updated tracking information. Today, our documents were delivered to our region by DHL (15:59 to be exact).

I'm not really sure what happens next. I'm guessing there will be some more waiting.

Home Study Update Approved by DCFS

The title of this post says it all. Thanks for praying for us as it took only one week for approval! It's being returned to us and we'll get it apostilled immediately.

Free Amazon Prime Shipping

Did you know you can click the link above to shop at Amazon and support our adoption? Amazon is also offering a free Prime membership for students. Prime membership gives you free 2 day shipping items. Detail here. Thanks again for your support!

When Life Is Hard

I started reading the book When Life is Hard by James MacDonald today. God puts trials in our life to change our conduct or our character. "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives" (Hebrews 12:6).

Some things that make us cry are given by God because He loves us. I admit I wish I could get through this circumstance quickly and forget it completely - to get to that "future and hope" in Jeremiah 29:11. But He "knows" the plan for me. "Knows" as in watches over, protects, and cares.

Updated Adoption Timeline

It's been a while since we had reason to update our Russian adoption timeline in the right column. It's a great feeling to add milestones to that list - more signs that we are moving forward. We received word from our home study agency today that our background clearances came in and that our home study was sent to DCFS for approval. Although we need to send it to our agency by August 1 we've been advised that DCFS is processing home studies slower than normal. Last year our home study was approved in three weeks (fast!) so we're praying for similar results.