And right now, all I have to show for it is a big stack of paper :(
This is just a partial sneak look at the piles of paper. The actual stack is even more impressive, and also realize that there is a separate accordion file of paperwork that went towards a failed US domestic adoption. It's a lot of paper. And no child.
Right now we are on this silly sounding little step called "US immigration approval". The US government must approve our petition to adopt a baby from a different country and "immigrate" him or her to the US (even though we don't plan to move to the States, our adopted baby will move to a US passport and become a US citizen).
We've been waiting on this step for over two months. When we submitted our petition the average wait was 40 days. Apparently we are above average.... in a way that you would NEVER want to be above average!!
Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, can move forward til we get this approval and send it along to our agency.
So we wait. and I have (some) moments where I am so full of hope in the Lord. Not hope that my circumstances will change, not hope that approval will come tomorrow, not hope that the process will get quicker and less painful. But HOPE because Jesus is who He says He is, because He sits on His throne, because His plans are perfect and because He chooses to work mightily through suffering and because I am guaranteed an eternal inheritance in Heaven.
Sure, I'd love to have that approval this week. I'd love to have a referral (match with a specific child) by the holidays.
But who am I to tell God what to do and when to do it? Even when it's clear to me (or to you) what the "good" outcome of any given hardship would be, I'm realizing more every day that I don't have the first clue how to be the Lord of my own life, much less the Lord of the Universe.
Food for thought while I wait.....
3 comments:
It's so clear that a mighty work of redemption is being done in the "small story" of your own life, in the life of an orphan who will one day be yours, and both of those stories are part of the bigger story of redemption that God is working out. One day we'll stand on the mountaintops and look back and sing praises that he was in control of both our stories and the whole universe. So thankful for your sharing your part of that big story. lots of love to you friend. miss you lots.
Love you dear. Sorry that the waiting is so hard.
Hi Laura,
Well first off I read your blog now and feel like I know you way better than when we lived nearer.
And second of all I thought of y'all tonight and your adoption. I was sharing with a new friend here who is Chinese and she was talking about how she could really see the change in Christians lives and how she really likes that we love people- her example was a couple that she stayed in their home for a tourist trip. They were so nice and welcoming to her and the happened to have adopted two sons who they weren't related to them (sounds close to y'all right? welcoming, adopting a child) and how that is such a contrast to the general idea towards adoption in China. I know to be seen isn't your motive for adopting but I wanted to encourage you that it will be noticeable and memorable with your neighbors. I pray y'all will wait well and that it will get processed soon!
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