PRAYER

What a comfort it is to have a Heavenly Father that listens and responds! Recently I stumbled across the story of this beautiful little girl (Abby) and her family. We also recently learned in our family that one of my cousins - Chelsie Butler - has leukemia. Chelsie is currently hospitalized and undergoing chemo treatments. Today the doctors will do a spinal tap to find out if the cancer has spread to her spine. She is doing great, and I have to believe that our Great God is the reason. Please join us in praying for Chelsie and Abby.

Take a Few Minutes

I found this on another family's blog and was immediately captured by their story. There is so much I have learned about Ethiopia and adoption there since viewing this family's story. Please take the time to be moved by the children of Ethiopia.



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FAQ #2

Why did you choose international adoption over domestic adoption?

Well, let's see there is quite a bit to this answer. To begin with, it was short and simple...we had seen much about the need for adopting daughters from China. Steven Curtis Chapman and his family were our main influence. I think that they brought the idea of international adoption to the attention of much of the Christian community. I'll have to share a snippet about their story from a book I've read in another post. So, since we were aware of the need in China - from the very beginning our discussions were always about adopting from China. God planted that seed early on in our relationship.

It seems like from the beginning that we've always wanted to pursue 2 daughters from China. As we explore the world of adoption, we have discovered many other areas in which the Father has opened our minds and hearts.

I think if we are honest, which we want to be - as we looked at the adoption options before us international adoption appeared to be the "safest." Meaning the "safest" for us...there's not much risk in being in competition with birth parents. Oddly enough, I now find myself hoping that we will be able to discover some link to Abigail's birth heritage just in case she ever wants to search. We pray constantly that her birth parents will come to know the truth of the One True God and the gracious love found in Him so that if it never happens on this earth, one day there will be a great reunion in heaven.

One lesson we're learning on this journey is that birth and adoption are equal in the great Father's plan for a life. He creates the inmost being of each life in a womb and He sets the lonely in families. Children are entrusted to earthly parents by an amazing heavenly Father. An enormous responsibility and stewardship is given to each and every parent.

We see international and domestic adoption as equally great paths to build the family God has already planned out. So, now we would love to adopt domestically. However, there are some strict qualifications on adopting from China at this point in time. Now that we KNOW Abigail is in China, it simply seems wise to pursue international adoption first. Which is part of the answer to another question closely tied to this one, so I guess I'll end with this. In regard to any adoption or even birth of a child being "safe" I couldn't help but think of this from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - the children are asking the Beavers about Aslan:

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king I tell you."

Our Father is not safe, but He is most assuredly good. And the King of all Kings gives perfect gifts.

The Question Asked Most Often

The question we get the most often (in a variety of forms of course) is...Have you heard anything yet?

Because it is asked so often, we may not have very much of a response if and/or when you ask it. Please don't misunderstand any particular response that you may receive from us - we are grateful for your interest.

Our typical answer is something like this: Basically we're waiting on China at this point. Our paperwork is complete and sitting somewhere in an office at the China Center of Adoption Affairs (otherwise known as the CCAA). We are in this invisible, yet very real, line of families waiting to adopt. The current wait time has grown to 35-36 months. They base this on the time that families getting referrals (a referral is info about the child chosen for your family - once given the referral you must accept or decline within a very short amount of time) now have been waiting, which means the timeframe isn't set in stone - it can grow longer or shorter based upon any number of factors.

Unfortunately, it is already time to update our home study and renew some documents needed from our government. For those of you unfamiliar with the world of international adoption, you might find this a bit humorous - our fingerprints have expired and we must be re-fingerprinted! It's all part of the journey.

I think we might need to re-evaluate our answer to this question. Afterall, China is in the Father's hands...so, it's really Him that we're waiting on - and that is definitely a much more comforting thought.