Where Does My Help Come From?

I wrote this post below a few months ago.  For some reason, I never finished it.  However, it seems  appropriate to share it today as we've finally reached the end of our paper chase.  This morning, I decided to go to the UPS store and get all our papers photocopied in case our USCIS document came today.  I felt like it was close to arriving.  I spent the day going over our dossier paper work and making sure everything was in order.  Then, the mail arrived and with it our long awaited document from the USCIS!  God is so good to us.  He is with us every step of the way as we journey through life.

I took this picture around the time our home study was completed.  I decided to add it to this post because it is a reminder to me that the whole journey of adoption is so much bigger than me.  There are many things in this process that are out of our control.  The delays often seem to be man made.  But having completed two adoptions, we've seen how the timing is nothing short of miraculous.  God holds our times in His hands.  As I look at this picture of the sky, a favorite verse of mine comes to mind:

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth."

Psalm 121:1 - 2

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the paper work, the long wait, the complications that are a part of adoption, but our help comes from the LORD, and He made all we can see.  It's not too hard for Him.  He makes all things beautiful in His time.  

Finally, it's here!

We have been waiting for three months for a document from the USCIS.  Finally, it arrived in the mail today!  Now our dossier is complete and we'll be able to send it to our adoption agency this week.  Next, they'll finish the final steps for us and then ship our dossier for Cayleigh over to Ethiopia.  What a relief to be done "paper chasing".  Now the real wait begins.  Currently, families are waiting about two years for a referral for an infant/toddler.  As we've learned from prior experience, the current wait time is likely to stretch out longer.  So, we don't really know how long it will take to get a referral, but being able to get in line makes a referral a possibility.  We are so happy and thankful to be at this point in the journey to our future daughter.  We'll update the blog once our paperwork has arrived in Ethiopia.

Merry Christmas...a bit late!

Ethiopia Adoption Update

How are things going with our Ethiopia adoption?  Our home study is complete, and our dossier is almost finished.  We are just waiting for the USCIS (citizenship & immigration) to send us a  fingerprinting appointment and then grant us pre-approval to adopt a child that has probably not been born yet.  That's basically the last step in the "paperchase" part of the process.  I'm guesstimating that we will send our dossier to Ethiopia before Christmas.  Although it's exciting to be almost done with all the paperchasing, we know that there is still a long wait once our papers are submitted to Ethiopia.  Currently, families that sent their dossier to Ethiopia in November of 2010, are "on deck" waiting for a referral.  We are so familiar with slow downs and long waits for a referral.  That doesn't worry me, but it does causes me to approach this adoption with a guarded heart.  I'll get excited when we are "on deck".  Unlike our previous adoptions, I'm also much more peaceful about the timeline, the delays, and the unexpected things that occur during the paper chase.  Having two energetic kiddos here with me this time around helps a lot too!

All in all, we are happy to be pursuing Cayleigh.  We think about her and talk about her frequently.  Kieran actually talks about her the most.  It's who he is, and I love that he is excited that we are adopting again.  Even Marisa is comprehending some of it.  She talks about sharing her dolly with her new sister, and comments on the items that are hers that will someday be Cayleigh's (like the high chair).  I'm very thankful to know what direction we are supposed to be going, and grateful that we can  actively take steps to bring our daughter home.  I do wish the the wait time for a referral would decrease, but I've never seen that happen in the years that I've been keeping a keen eye on international adoption.  Mike and I are definitely glad to be veteran adopters as it is making this journey simpler in some ways.  Also, as always, God is supplying the funds when we need them.  We are humbled and grateful that the Lord has chosen us to be Cayleigh's parents through the miracle of adoption.

Thanks for thinking of us, and for praying about our adoption process.  We'll post again once we have any updates to share.

Thanksgiving Trees

We have been busy painting today.  I've posted all the details on my Mom Thoughts blog.  So, if you'd like to know more about our project and what we plan to do with our Thanksgiving Trees, head on over to my other blog for more details.  Otherwise, enjoy a few pics of our cuties.  :)