On the day we received the phone call from our adoption agency advising us that our application part one was complete and ready to move forward we had a couple of decisions to make.
On advice of the adoption agency we had decided to look into a child younger than our youngest. This meant that the sibling group from Hong Kong was out of the picture, but we had to decide from where in the world to adopt. In the course of the conversation our adviser from the agency said that everything was in order, but since we were open to any of the countries that are available through them, we should take the time to decide a place. One look at the Blushing Bride from across the room (we were on extensions) allowed me to make a quick decision on the phone. "We've been considering these children from Hong Kong; we don't really need any more time to consider it. This is the way we've been following God's direction. So we'll just say firmly that we will plan on our next child coming from Hong Kong." "Then I am happy to tell your," the worker on the line said, "that I can fully approve you're application part 1!"
{Pause a moment for the celebrations that were going on over three different receivers on two ends of the line.}
Over the next couple of weeks we began receiving newsletters from the Hong Kong offices of our adoption agency which included blurbs about other families at some stage in the process with our agency and her sister agency in Hong Kong. This was followed by a couple of email messages with possible children to adopt. Our eye was caught (nearly poked out metaphorically speaking) when we saw the description of a little boy who had recently turned 4. The best line was "He likes to play jokes." I discussed it with the Bride and we e-threw our name in the ring.
The response to this email was that a request would be made to put his case on hold for us. Quickly (within a week), we received the next message saying that our name was placed on his case with a hold. Now it was time to hit the ground running with Application, part 2.
04 December 2012
03 December 2012
Best laid plans of mice and men. . .
"The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry...", and that's the problem. We plan and plan with thoughts of going to God for His outline put to the back of our minds. We talk about waiting for God to work, then we get upset when something doesn't turn out the way we'd hoped it would.
Enter the home study date. A couple of weeks ago, we talked with our social worker and set up the initial home study visit to be today. It was quick, but we envisioned getting all the money before then (per agency's policy). We had faith that God would provide in that time frame. However, it was our time table not His.
Last night, we received an email from our social worker. She said that because we didn't send in the full amount, we would need to reschedule and she would call us today to discuss further. She was really kind about it, but the disappointment and discouragement settled in, rattling me to the bone. I mean, after all, we spent the entire weekend preparing the house and ourselves for this visit. But, yet, in the back of mind yesterday afternoon, I sensed in my spirit a foreboding that something was amiss.
Enter a phone call. While I wallowed in despair and grief, Benjie got a phone call from a family member. Said family member received a bonus and wants to loan us the other half of the fee that's due so we can continue. I wept tears of joy, but also tears of guilt and anguish over my faithlessness. God is a good God. (We also got an email saying another family member donated through the gofundme website.)
This morning, I kept my sick day mostly because I really wasn't feeling good physically. I had been fighting something all last week, and it finally hit me. Anyway, I was home when Benjie and I got the phone call from our social worker. She was very apologetic and reassuring, all the while encouraging us and rescheduled for Jan. 3rd. "Whoa," I thought. That's a long ways off. Not much can be done to change it, so be it.
Long story, but I needed to tell it. God is faithful. His timing is perfect, and His will sure and steady. Our little one will be ours in the way that God has laid out for us. So, friends, please pray that we will continue to keep our eyes on Father God. Blessings!
27 September 2012
Good News Today!
Yes, I have been rather lax in continuing the story of the trek (back to that soon). But as they say, "Life has been happening."
Part of the life that has been happening arrived in the form of an email from the adoption agency today:
"application 2 has been approved!"
And now we wait on our next instructions!
Part of the life that has been happening arrived in the form of an email from the adoption agency today:
"application 2 has been approved!"
And now we wait on our next instructions!
01 August 2012
Decisions and Disappointments
In preparation for our conference call with the agency concerning the next step, we were hit with the advice and preference of the agency to avoid "out of birth order" adoptions. Simply put, what we read advised us against adopting a child who was not at least a year younger than our youngest (either youngest naturally born or adopted) child. Studies that have been done indicated that adjustments are much easier if the new family member be afforded the doting attention that is part of being the "baby" of the family.
So we had a decision to make. Two things precipitated the one we came up with: first, we received a question via email concerning the brother/sister child group that we had expressed interest in. There was a family further into the process who were ready to move forward with this couple of children. That decision was tough but at the same time easy. Our whole purpose in this process is to make sure that as many children get placed in forever families as quickly as possible. We wanted what was best for them, and we did not know for sure what would happen with our journey.
Secondly, we decided that it probably would be best for our new child and our family if we adopted "in birth order". The hard part was telling the children. Disappointment was the rule of the day when they learned that we would probably NOT be getting a "big brother." But as we adjusted to the idea, we still will be excited no matter who God decides to invade our home with.
The final hurdle before our first approval is the phone call.
So we had a decision to make. Two things precipitated the one we came up with: first, we received a question via email concerning the brother/sister child group that we had expressed interest in. There was a family further into the process who were ready to move forward with this couple of children. That decision was tough but at the same time easy. Our whole purpose in this process is to make sure that as many children get placed in forever families as quickly as possible. We wanted what was best for them, and we did not know for sure what would happen with our journey.
Secondly, we decided that it probably would be best for our new child and our family if we adopted "in birth order". The hard part was telling the children. Disappointment was the rule of the day when they learned that we would probably NOT be getting a "big brother." But as we adjusted to the idea, we still will be excited no matter who God decides to invade our home with.
The final hurdle before our first approval is the phone call.
27 July 2012
Get a Doctor's Note
Just a few pages and a small fee later, application, part one is sent off. This step was relatively painless, and helped us to solidify our resolve to follow through with this daunting possibility. Questions still plague and drive our minds. Do we really need another mouth to feed? Will this new little one really become part of our family? And even closer to home: will we really be able to tackle this mountain?
But along the way there are assurances. Some of them come in the form of what we think are glitches. In email conversation with one of our agency rep's, we discover that we need a doctor's letter--from both H and B as to current status of our health. Mainly they are wanting to have a doctor address recent major medical issues. We can recall H's surgeries as well as her recent addition of a hearing instrument, but I'm hard-pressed to remember much about my last surgery (a hernia repair before I ever met H!).
We thank God for electronic communication because we were able to clarify that only H's most recent medical reports were necessary (I'd hate to have to track down a surgeon from 15 years ago). The short of it is that the GYN sent a nice report on to the agency, and the GP wanted to have an office visit just to check and make sure all was still going well. He included in his letter a short paragraph about how healthy I was, too, which was very kind. The GYN also mentioned that she had met me and found me to be a supportive husband to H and that we would do well in the direction we were looking. What wonderful doctors we have!
On a side note, just to keep things light, I thought I'd also share with you my own scatter-brained nature. In the package that included stamped and addressed envelopes for the doctors to send copies of the letter to the agency and to us (for our records), I put both envelopes to the agency into one package and both envelopes addressed to us in the other. Not to worry, though, both doctors' offices used their own stationery and postage (the GP even gave us our stamps back).
Then came the phone call.
But along the way there are assurances. Some of them come in the form of what we think are glitches. In email conversation with one of our agency rep's, we discover that we need a doctor's letter--from both H and B as to current status of our health. Mainly they are wanting to have a doctor address recent major medical issues. We can recall H's surgeries as well as her recent addition of a hearing instrument, but I'm hard-pressed to remember much about my last surgery (a hernia repair before I ever met H!).
We thank God for electronic communication because we were able to clarify that only H's most recent medical reports were necessary (I'd hate to have to track down a surgeon from 15 years ago). The short of it is that the GYN sent a nice report on to the agency, and the GP wanted to have an office visit just to check and make sure all was still going well. He included in his letter a short paragraph about how healthy I was, too, which was very kind. The GYN also mentioned that she had met me and found me to be a supportive husband to H and that we would do well in the direction we were looking. What wonderful doctors we have!
On a side note, just to keep things light, I thought I'd also share with you my own scatter-brained nature. In the package that included stamped and addressed envelopes for the doctors to send copies of the letter to the agency and to us (for our records), I put both envelopes to the agency into one package and both envelopes addressed to us in the other. Not to worry, though, both doctors' offices used their own stationery and postage (the GP even gave us our stamps back).
Then came the phone call.
01 June 2012
Adoption Discussion
It was around Christmas (the most recent one) that serious discussion of adoption began. Question 1: US or International adoption? We had a plan for either route, with relationships in organizations both here in Illinois and one who works in the international waters.
We did a little research into the international agency and decided to go that direction. We were touched by the story of a brother and sister from Hong Kong. And decided to start the process. Which brought us to step 1: Tell the families to see if they would be open to the idea of such an expansion to the family.
The kids reacted this way (all three): "I want a big brother."
The sibling group we'd seen from the waiting child website would fit that argument.
The parents and all the brothers and sisters all would support our decision. When we called my youngest brother to see if he'd like to be an uncle again, he thought that my wife (who can't physically have more babies) was pregnant again. When everyone understood that we'd be adopting, they were okay with it (not always ecstatic, not ever sad).
The next step is ready--fill out application part 1.
We did a little research into the international agency and decided to go that direction. We were touched by the story of a brother and sister from Hong Kong. And decided to start the process. Which brought us to step 1: Tell the families to see if they would be open to the idea of such an expansion to the family.
The kids reacted this way (all three): "I want a big brother."
The sibling group we'd seen from the waiting child website would fit that argument.
The parents and all the brothers and sisters all would support our decision. When we called my youngest brother to see if he'd like to be an uncle again, he thought that my wife (who can't physically have more babies) was pregnant again. When everyone understood that we'd be adopting, they were okay with it (not always ecstatic, not ever sad).
The next step is ready--fill out application part 1.
14 April 2012
And the Journey Begins
This is how it started (at least as I remember it):
We met while going through missionary orientation. She to a 2-year assignment to Egypt, and me to a career in Ukraine. The long and the short of it is--we met in March and married in November. Our first was born the following September.
During the course of living life, we began talking about adopting a child. We had another--a son--born while we worked overseas. Back in the 'States we lost one then had another daughter (that's 2 girls and one boy for those keeping count) shortly after moving to our present location in Illinois. Now, fast forward about 5 years:
She started having pain (though we thought we wanted one more baby). With a doctor's help we still couldn't have another baby and the pain got worse. And so we committed to the surgery word--hysterectomy. And now we couldn't have biological children any more. Adoption was now the topic of the day.
We met while going through missionary orientation. She to a 2-year assignment to Egypt, and me to a career in Ukraine. The long and the short of it is--we met in March and married in November. Our first was born the following September.
During the course of living life, we began talking about adopting a child. We had another--a son--born while we worked overseas. Back in the 'States we lost one then had another daughter (that's 2 girls and one boy for those keeping count) shortly after moving to our present location in Illinois. Now, fast forward about 5 years:
She started having pain (though we thought we wanted one more baby). With a doctor's help we still couldn't have another baby and the pain got worse. And so we committed to the surgery word--hysterectomy. And now we couldn't have biological children any more. Adoption was now the topic of the day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)