The Journey Begins Again

Sometimes God moves in ways we never expect.  Our dream was complete, our calling fulfilled, our family settling into it's new "normal" of three kids and chaos... and slowly, things started to happen that moved our hearts to take a leap of faith and start the adoption journey once again.

Yes, you heard me right.  WE ARE ADOPTING AGAIN!!  We just received our "Provisional Approval" today, so after having this news bubbling inside me for many weeks I am now free to let the it burst out as I share the excitement with you!

We are not supposed to share many details publicly yet, but I can tell you that "IT'S A BOY!"  And...this part may come as a surprise... he is 9 years old!  (I wish I could see your face right now, because as we've told a few friends and family members we've gotten some good reactions that I wish I had a hidden camera for.  The bulging eyes and jaw dropping kind.  Sometimes even the "you must be crazy" look.  Haha!)  

So that's our news!  For those of you who like the short version, there it is.  But, if you're curious as to how we made this big decision, you can keep reading.  I like to share details of our journey so I can give God the glory for His faithfulness.  :-)

How it all began...
Nine months ago we brought our daughter home from China.  It was an amazing experience and she transitioned really well, no doubt an answer to many prayers.  A week or so following our return I got an e-mail from our adoption agency giving us details about how China will let you use some of your documents again for a second adoption.  I deleted that e-mail SO FAST my thumb got whiplash, then told Curt about it and we laughed.  The thought of going back again so soon, or adding a fourth child to our busy family, sounded like crazy talk.

Then things started to happen.  Our 4-year-old son started adding the line "help me get a brother" to his bed time prayers.  Our 7-year-old daughter started making comments about how we "need a big brother to make our soccer teams even" at home.  Curt and I would secretly look at each other with huge eyes and shake our heads, wondering where these ideas were coming from.

About 3 months later we attended an adoption event at a church and heard stories from families who had planned to adopt only once, and ended up going back again and again.  While we didn't feel called to do that, we did feel God asking us if we would be WILLING to do that, were HE to place it on our hearts.  When we got home from that meeting I went to our agency's website and scanned the profiles of the children who were waiting for a family.  When I told Curt what I had done, he admitted he had just done the same thing!  But neither of us felt God tugging on our hearts to adopt one of those "waiting children", so we figured we had passed the test of willing obedience.

Let me tell you what a "Waiting Child" is referring to in the China adoption world.  These kids are waiting on what's called the "Shared List".  There are over 2,000 kids on this list at any given time, and any agency can pull a file from this list to "Match" the child with one of their waiting families.  (Remember, we waited 14 months to be matched with Violet.  She didn't have to be put on the Shared List because she found a match right away.)  Some of these children's files have been to multiple agencies, gone down the lists of waiting families, and NOT found a match.  So they keep waiting.  The reason?  They might have a special need (mild or severe, or corrected, or multiple needs), or they are too "old" for a family to be interested, or both, or who knows why else they are waiting.

There are advocacy groups online (password protected for the children's privacy) who share the photo and profile of some of these children in hopes of finding them a family.  That is where I saw a boy whose smile captured my heart.  I printed his photo and put it on our fridge so that we would remember to pray for him to find a family.  At the time, I didn't realize that family would be OURS.  Of course it was always in the back of mind, and I hoped it might be the case, but I knew that God would really have to give us both that direction.  So I waited.  And prayed.  Curt started asking questions about him, so I kept doing more research.  The more we learned, the more we realized how magnificent this boy was.  He HAD to find a family.

After having his medical files reviewed by 2 professionals we decided to take steps towards starting the paperwork to adopt him.  BUT, that night his file disappeared from the Shared List!!  This meant that either a)another family was stepping forward to adopt him or b)an agency had pulled his file to see if they could match him.  Thanks to our adoption networks on facebook we were quickly able to track his file down, and found the the latter (b) was the case.

We kept praying for him to find a family, and were very willing for that family to be us.  Week after week, for 6 weeks, we left it in God's hands.  By the end of that time I was SO attached to him I couldn't imagine him NOT being a part of our family.  Then the agency released his file, after not finding a match once again, and transferred it to our new agency for us!  We had our paperwork ready to go!!!  After submitting numerous forms, we had to wait 9 days for our "Provisional Approval".  That came today.  And that is how, finally, I am able to share this news with you!!

There is so much more I want to share!  Like how God used his Chinese name to confirm in my heart that he was our son.  But I must save it for another day!  Thanks for joining us once again on our adoption journey, the sequel!  We will be needing your prayers and support!!