Adoption 101

How amazing is it that today I had planned on doing a quick post on our adoption and woke up to see a video link on my FB page of CJ when he was still living in Guatemala!  How it brought back so many emotions!  (yes, insert...tears)   A bilingual friend of ours, bilingual thank goodness because some of you all have heard my pitiful attempts at Spanish, lived across the street from where CJ lived, had a son about the same age, happened to take video with him in it occasionally, and then later blessed us by sharing those videos on youtube so we could see glimpses of what we had missed.  Does it make up for 21 months of lost time, nope, but boy did it bless us beyond words!
Did you notice the 21 months part?  Yep, 17 months it took to get that kiddo home in addition to the 4 months before we got his referral.  I could have almost birthed TWO kids by then!  17 months of a lot of whining, crying, stalking email, whining, crying, praying and did I mention whining?  Just ask a few of my closest friends...never mind, don't ask them...it was a pitiful 17 months and I am blessed that most of them still even like me!  Adoption is hard folks!  No matter how your scenario shakes out.  But, oh, how our lives have been blessed by the Lord.

I said let's adopt now...and God said, wait 6 or 7 years
I said domestically...and God said, how 'bout Guatemala
I said anywhere I do not have to travel to...God said how 'bout go three times
I said let's adopt an infant and bring him home fast...God said how 'bout an almost two year old you have to wait 17 months for
I said I want a fancy airport homecoming...God said how 'bout an empty airport
I said I want an easy transition...God said, yeah...right

See where this is going?  I had a lot of great ideas...really, they seemed fine to me, BUT God had another plan, and in hindsight I know that it was a better plan!  But first I had to let go of my ideas, wants and selfish desires and let the Lord work.  And he did, His timing not mine!  Doesn't He do that everyday, if we just let Him.  So friends, as we struggle each day with our hopes and desires, let us gently remind each other..His timing, not ours!  I can now look into the beautiful brown eyes of our youngest and say God's timing is perfect!

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On an adoption topic, if you get a chance, check out itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com to read about another family who is experiencing delays and learning what it means to wait on the Lord! While I do not know Missy personally, I am convinced if we lived closer we would be friends. She has an obvious heart for the Lord, her family and the world of adoption. Her post, I Don't Want My Kids to be Happy, drew me to her site! She has made me laugh, cry and whisper quite a few amens!! Enjoy
(Update 10/22- Missy finally brought that sweet child home.  You should see Bethie now...beautiful!)

Another blog I think you will be forever challenged by is someone I have actually met and am blessed to be friends with.  Laura and her husband have two biological children and four adopted children.  Talk about amazing...see why I think so at bryanandlauraadoption.blogspot.com