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Friday, July 23, 2010

A Second Adoption, First Child

While we journey along to adopt one of God's children from Jamaica, we have decided to begin our second adoption. We feel led to provide a home to a child in the US foster care system; whomever God has chosen as our child. We will take the DSHS parenting classes this fall then submit our homestudy. I could become a mother by Mother's Day 2011. There is also the chance that we may have to wait longer than six months for a child, but at least we will have a child in our home before three years has passed. We are expecting to bring our Jamaican child home three to four years after we submit our home study.

When I spoke with Phillip at the local DSHS office on Wednesday I was excited to learn they offer straight adoption from the foster care system; we do not have to go through foster-adopt. I was on Cloud 9 for several hours. We would be matched only to children who are legally free for adoption. I have witnessed too many families experience heartache through foster-adopt. For some, the process works from them; it is not for us. These two adoptions may not be our only ones. I envision providing a family to several children through the years. We will continue this roller coaster called the Adoption Adventure.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Unknowns

Pondering if we should seriously consider starting a second adoption process, this time from the US foster care system, while we progress through the Jamaican adoption process. It may be three or more years before we bring home our Jamaican child. I can handle waiting two years for a child, but three or more I do not think I can remain motherless that long. It looks like it will be one or more years before we get matched with a child then another two years before we bring the child home. It could take several years to adopt from the foster care system, also.It is hard to watch other families get matched immediately and bring their children home in less than two years, sometimes less than one year.

Someone this weekend, possibly my sister, said, "You should have started the process sooner." That does not make enduring the process any easier. My sister endured three years of trying to get pregnant and I watched her deal with the disappointment during that time of trying. Our wait may be just as long or longer. While I won't endure month after month of disappointments, but a long time of not knowing when we get to bring our child home.

Patience - a difficult lesson that is difficult to endure when my heart longs for something that the Lord planted in my heart. I know He will follow through on his promise of children, I just do not know when the promise will be fulfilled. I continue to pray for patience and peace to endure the wait. I pray, I persevere, I endure, I do what is required to meet the adoption requirements and to prepare our home for our child. Some day I will introduce a child as "my child".

My child, I wait for the day I can hold you. The Lord has you chosen for our family. He chose us to be your parents. You are a beloved child of God and we will be blessed to be your parents. One day I will tell you, "I love you." One day I will introduce you as "my child". One I will hold you in my arms and tell you "I am proud to be your mother".

My child, I wait. I wait to see your photo for the first time. I wait to meet you. I wait to bring you home. I wait to teach you. I wait to hear you say, "I love you, mommy." I wait.