ADOPTION UPDATE

Could there be a more boring picture for an adoption update post?  Probably, but this is what it is still looking like for us.  We are finishing up our paperwork.  Which feels to be never ending, though there is a dim light at the end of the long tunnel.  I found out today that our home study is officially completed and certified, so that was great news!

We are hoping to have our dossier (our packet of every document known to mankind about our existences that will go to the Ethiopian government) completed by September 1st, which means that is when we hope to go on the official waiting list.  We expect to wait a long time (12 to 18 months just to get a referral, which is when they say, we have these specific children for you to adopt) , mainly because what we are hoping for - sibling brothers under the age of 4 - is a pretty narrow request.  Our agency has been very upfront with us, which I so appreciate.  The way we see it is that it would take us a really long time to complete two separate adoptions, and we know we want to get two boys, so it feels worth it, at this point, to wait for a set of biological brothers, even though that will lengthen our wait time for this adoption.

We are going on two separate waiting lists, the healthy child waiting list, as well as a waiting list for certain special needs.  At this point, we believe that God has lead us to Lifeline (our agency), and we are willing to put our family in their hands, though ultimately, it is all in God's hands, which I am so thankful for.

Another plus to doing one adoption is the cost issue.  I will be upfront and tell you (which you could pretty easily find out from searching around on the internet), we expect to spend a bit over $30K for one Ethiopian adoption.  It includes all of our agency and home study fees, as well as a referral fee to the Ethiopian government and travel to pick up our child.  When we added another child, we realized that would only add an additional $5K to the cost, which seems very reasonable and another reason to be willing to wait the additional time necessary for a sibling set.

In the midst of talking with the agency, we found out that we are actually just as likely to get twins as we are to get a set of brothers because of the way Ethiopia works.  I would LOVE twins, and in many ways, I believe it could simplify things to be dealing with mostly the same developmental stage.  However, as we look out on this whole process, it is good to know that God knows exactly which boys should join our family - which boys will become our sons.

As I was working on tracking down some of the last documents we need, it hit me how close we are.  Not that we will have children home any time soon, but that it is almost time to wait and see who God brings us.  Our job will be done, for now.  The real work will start a long time from now.

We have completed most of our education, which has been extensive.  It has been both incredibly helpful and equally daunting.  One of the reasons I never wanted to adopt is that I had a feeling it would be really hard.  All of that reality came true through our education, and I started thinking, "I don't want this kind of pain in my family, in my child."  But quickly after that thought, it hit me that the pain exists whether I choose to engage in it or not.  The tragedy is there, and I can either be a part of redeeming that story or I can walk away.  I want to be part of the redemption.  It's the least I can do after all that Christ has done for me.

So, that's where we are.  It is exciting, nerve-wracking, thrilling, challenging and so many other things we can't even name yet.  We are glad to be living God's story for our family - thanks for following along!