This is the place where we are have documented the road we have walked in order to adopt our four children from Brazil and the road we are now on as a family. We are keenly aware that adopting is not just a process we've chosen to go through, but part of God's plan for us and for our children. May He be glorified through the process and through our family!

Friday, December 21, 2007

First Referral

From the AWAA Weekly Update 12.21.07:

America World has received its first referral of a 5 year old boy for the El Salvador Program. ...Due to confidentiality we are unable to disclose the reasons, but the family referred the child did not accept this referral. America World will continue to work with the Office for Adoptions on this referral as well as for all families waiting to be matched with referrals. America World continues to advocate for this child as well as all of the children in El Salvador. In the new year, we will continue to partner with other organizations to assist children in being paper-ready to be eligible for adoption.

This is bittersweet news because, HALLELUJAH! El Salvador's new process for international adoptions works and there is now a small light at the end of the tunnel. But, how my heart breaks for this 5 year old boy. Offices in El Salvador close soon for Christmas and won't open until the second week of January, so no one will hear anything until at least then. We're praying that this will be the beginning of the opening of the floodgates of blessing for many children and many families. It feels like another step closer to our child.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Christmas Epistle

This week we sat together to write our annual Christmas letter. We took the opportunity to officially announce (to those live far away and might not have heard) that we are waiting to adopt a wonderful child all the way in El Salvador, whom God has chosen to be our son or daughter. We stated in the email that we hope next year's Christmas Card will be from a family of 3. What a wonderful Christmas present that would be!

It's hard to see Christmas arrive and know that our child is not in our home yet. We wish we could shower him or her with love and gifts and teach him or her all our holiday traditions and share with him or her all our favorite holiday memories... and create new ones. We trust the Lord that that will come even though our hearts already feel the empty spot our child will someday fill. We trust and pray that God has provided a safe and happy place for our child to begin their life and that he or she will somehow sense that we are waiting to bring him or her home.