Divine encouragement as we wait

I have had a lot of questions about our adoption since finding out we are likely going to be waiting a while longer for a referral.  Questions like, maybe our child is not in Taiwan after all, and perhaps it is not God’s will for our family to adopt?    I admit it, I am guilty of having a timetable for when I would like to adopt. . .and I am afraid I have been trying too hard to make it all happen without seeking God’s will.  If our family is going to adopt a child, I am learning that it will have to be in God’s timing.  Our adoption may not happen next year, or even the following year…or at all.  Is that okay?  Yes.  Would we be disappointed if God closed the door on our adoption?  Yes - but we want to be obedient to His will.  God is using Psalm 27  and Psalm 46 to speak to my heart:

“Wait on the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14

“Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” – Psalm 46:10

As I look back over the last couple of years, I can see how God has been at work in our family and in our adoption.  He has answered many of our prayers, sometimes in ways we liked, sometimes not.  In thinking about one of those answered prayers, at the time I was very disappointed in God’s answer.  But looking back, God knew what was best for us and that is so clear now.   God has been faithful and we will wait on His timing and direction. 

Travel tips for parents and planes

Thank you to all of you who left comments on the previous post about our wait for a referral – we were encouraged and will keep hanging in there. 

Now. . .onto more fun stuff – traveling with children.  We’re always on the lookout for good advice for traveling with small children, with the hope that someday we will put those tips to good use on a trip to Taiwan.  This advice comes from Scott Hanselman, a well-known software blogger, who has recently taken his two toddlers on a trip to South Africa.  He has an interesting theory on baby jet-lag and psychological manipulation – check out his blog for all the details.

Waiting, An Update on our Adoption

We received an update on our wait from our agency this week.  It looks like another year of waiting.  This is the first time I have felt really discouraged since we started this journey.  I had hoped at two years we would have a referral and just be waiting to travel - but this latest update puts us waiting well beyond the two-year mark just to be matched with a child.  I am thankful that God has a plan for our family and He has already chosen the child who will someday join our family – my hope is that we will meet our child much sooner than we expect.

Christmas Preparations and Home Study Update

• Christmas shopping – done! 
• Christmas cards – addressed, stamped & mailed! 
• Christmas decorating – hopefully this week. . .

I must confess I have veered off course for the Grand Holiday Plan.  I am now operating on my own plan. . .which is not quite as structured.  At this point, we have about 24 days until Christmas and I am in a mode of ‘just get it done’.  Christmas shopping is complete, and I am hoping most of the items I ordered online will start arriving this week.  I was looking over our Christmas budget plan for this year and was surprised to see that we came in about 50% under-budget. . .we had to get a bit more creative, but I think our family and friends will enjoy our gifts to them.

I hope to start decorating our house this week.  We will put up a small 4-foot tree for our children a day or two before our big tree goes up.  That way, our children get used to a tree and they have their own ornaments with which they can play. . .and hopefully they will be less interested in the more breakable ornaments on the big tree.  It worked last year, so we’ll see.

On the adoption front, we are in the midst of updating our home study.  I returned to the doctor today to update my medical forms for both our home study and our dossier.  It seems the only thing that has changed since last year is that I have gained a few extra pounds. . .ugh.  I think it’s time for me to set a weight-loss goal as a challenge while we wait for a referral!