Wait Update

Shane contemplating the wait

As of now the wait time continues to increase. When we started the process in August 2005 we were estimating that our referral would be in September or October of the next year. So far that is not to be the case. Every month the referral time increases, we are not exactly sure why this is occuring. The CCAA's official word is that their are not enough "paper ready" babies to be adopted out. Only God knows the real reasons why. We are currently looking at going to China in May of 2007, keeping in mind that the referral date could be even longer. Just to be safe I'm saying that we should have her by the end of 2007 (I really hope it does not take that long.) God's timing and plan is perfect it is just difficult at times remebering that.
The wait is so much different than if I were actually pregnant. When you are pregnant you get to see the changes your body is going through and you have a general idea of when you are going to see that precious little baby. The wait with adoption is more surreal (I'm assuming). We know mentally that all of our paperwork is there so we are technically in line for a baby but it doesn't seem like reality. Almost like it is a story about someone else. It's hard to not let your heart get to involved at this point because we don't have a date. The waiting and wondering is so painful at times, yet I know that the Lord is growing us for this wonderful child.
Shane and I submitted a medical conditions list to our adoption agency letting them know that we would also be open to adopting a child with a mild special need. Sometimes with special needs the process is a little faster, not the reason we submitted our list.
We are blessed to have such a strong marriage and support system of family and friends. I am fortunate enough to be married to my best friend. I look at all that Shane and I have been blessed with and it makes me realize that if it takes 6 months or 6 years that Jesus already knows the little one we are to be given.I find tremendous peace and strength in that.

Why we decided to adopt

We were married in 2001 and begin trying for children about a year after that. No success in that department but plenty of fun trying: ) In December of 2004 I saw a program on Oprah, of all places, about the plight of the babies in China. As soon as Shane came home I talked to him about the program. We put it in our minds that when the time came that adopting from China may be the path for us.
Jump forward to June 2005..... Shane and I talked and we knew that it was TIME!!! After a considerable amount of prayer, the Lord made it abunduntly clear that this was the path that he has chosen for us. We were overjoyed. We started the process with Holt International in July 2005 and our official application was approved in August. Step one down.
The process for us was going to be a little slower because Chinese law requires parents to be 30 or older to adopt and I was not going to turn 30 until March. Everything proceeded fantastically. We got our entire dossier done by beginning of Feb. (For those of you who don't know your dossier is all the paperwork, and there is alot, that you've been working for the past several months. It gives the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs a detailed insight into the adoptive parents.)
On February 10th, 2006 our dossier was sent to China and officially logged in to the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs on March 14th! That was a fantastic day. I was "paper pregnant"!! Now all we have to do is wait and wait and wait and wait a little more until we get her referral. That is where we are now!!

We find it amazing that as soon as Shane and I new that our path for children was through adoption we have a had such a peace about everything. The need to have "biological" children is no longer there for either one of us. We knew we wanted to adopt before we got married so the Lord just showed us the way. Who knew that the baby girl that was being prepared for us was going to be born in China from another women's womb? How amazing is that!!! God is Great. We feel so blessed that we were picked to be parents to this baby girl!