Kristyn's Graduation_May 10, 2012

During our time of adoption waiting, we were blessed with the opportunity of spending time celebrating my beautiful sister's graduation!!!!! We are SO proud of her!!!!!

You Can Help Stop the Cycle!

Outlet

We may not know when an adoption opportunity to be a mom and will come around, but we do know when an opportunity to play the roll of mom and dad will come around. We received word last week that next school year we will host a Chinese high school exchange student in our home! We are SO excited about this amazing opportunity that God has blessed us with. We did discuss this opportunity with our case worker, and she encouraged us to do and said it would be good for us (whatever that means . . . hopefully not that it will be a long time before a placement happens). Hosting our princesses for two Christmas seasons was a great door to love on them for a short time. Now we have the opportunity in front of us to love on another child for a long time! So far this has helped me tremendously . . . probably too much! I'm a very ambitious person, so I've already ordered her bedding, drawn out some room floor plans, thought of ideas for paint colors, looked at decorations, and decided on the furniture we will borrow from family. Our exchange student will not come stay with us until August, but I've enjoyed already thinking of the decoration possibilities, influential opportunities, and life alterations. Please be praying for our exchange student: schooling, transition, salvation. We have so much love stored up to give, so we are excited to have an outlet to let it overflow!

Now and Later

What's the latest?

No word yet on a placement. :( It is definitely a challenge having to wait so long for something you've longed for for a long time! Technically, our portfolio has only been available for viewing for only 6 months, which isn't long in the large adoption picture, but it is a long time from when we first started the actual first adoption process. Key word . . . long. Although the timing seems so long in our own eyes, in God's timing it is perfect and right on time . . . not a second too soon or a second too late. One of our adoption friends told us from experience that once the child is in our arms, the waiting will be all worth it!

Although no word yet on a placement, we have received an update on when our home study paperwork needs to be updated. It really should be done by the end of May, but our case worker said it is okay for us to wait until the start of June. I am thankful for that since May is a crazy time for teachers!

How does a waiting adoptive parent deal with the wait?

For me, I find it easier to cope with the waiting when I am busy (which easily happens). I can always find something to do. Right now my attention is focused on finishing out this month of school and looking toward summer! Staying busy can be a problem at times, but it definitely keeps my mind occupied.

We have certainly had our challenging days of waiting. Some times it's easy to let Satan have his way with our thoughts: Why hasn't it happened yet? Do people even look at our portfolio? Do we look too young in our portfolio? Is there something wrong with us? At the same time, we have to remind ourselves that the way we are is perfect for the child and birth mom God has for us. I'm so thankful we have God to trust in!

Being open to what God has to teach us during this waiting time is a way to deal with the wait. God has definitely been pruning us both. There is so much God has been showing me about myself that I needed to know before our adoption placement takes place. Although waiting STINKS and being pruned STINKS, what God has done in my life lately has really been a blessing. I've heard so many times that one person cannot please everyone or be everything to everyone. I've known for years that only God can be all that one needs, but I still try to make everyone happy. Now I'm actually learning that I can't please everyone the way I want to. I have to stop making unnecessary expectations for myself. For those of you parents, I'm sure you would tell me that this is one of the best lessons I can learn before adding a baby to my already full plate.

SPEND TIME WITH GOD IN PRAYER AND IN HIS WORD! This is the best way we have dealt with the waiting process. God's Word gives comfort and guidance. It lifts us up and helps us keep our focus on God and His perfect plan. Reading God's Word and digesting it has been incredibly fulfilling during this time (as it always has). Communication with God through prayer is also exciting, refreshing, comforting, and necessary.

Focus on now. Although we wanted a child many years ago, if we constantly think about how we want our adoption to happen right now, we will miss right now. God has allowed us to do things we wouldn't have been able to do with a child. God has opened doors that we couldn't have gone through with a child. God has also put us in places of influence where our situation can really show how powerful and in control God is. For example, I have about 100 teenagers that I see daily in my classes. I don't need to miss out on what God is doing right in front of me through my teaching platform. Also, Eric and I have been blessed with 9 1/2 years of childless marriage together! It has really been a blessing to have that time together! In addition, God is working in us now to make sure we are ready for what He has prepared for us later.