Café con Raul

This week we had the opportunity to meet with our Colombia in-country attorney, Raul Velez and his daughter Anna Christina.  The information he provided about the process was as invaluable as the Colombian coffee he brought was delicious!  By the end of the meeting, I was exhausted mentally.  So much so, that I was silent the majority of the drive home.  Gasp! The massive amount of facts has bottlenecked somewhere in my brain.  Right now I'm having to just chip off small pieces at a time to process.

There were several things that I took away from the visit.  The first being, how much Raul and our agency love what they do.  They are dedicated to the placement of these children in good, loving, Christian homes.  And they work very long hours to make that happen.  I'm so thankful for their faithfulness to this calling.  The second was a ton of legal process gobbly-gook.  But all things that we needed to know to expect.  Then Raul asked us to just close our eyes for a minute and picture the children we would receive from Colombia.  I cannot adequately describe to you the emotions I felt in that moment.  It was a jumble of excitement, trepidation, joy and a twinge of sorrow all wrapped in one emotional package.  What has happened to the me who isn't big on crying or emotional displays?  She is nowhere to be found these days.  And maybe that isn't such a bad thing.

I am amazed at how funny the Lord is.  I never really thought much about having children before I had them.  I was not the little girl who dreamed of what her wedding would be like one day or what she would name the little boy and little girl that happily rounded out her family of 4.  But the Lord knew differently.  I was not the mother who wanted a large family.  Too messy, too expensive, too exhausting.  I was clearly finished with growing my family after our first two children.  But the Lord knew differently.  Isn't it just like the Lord to take you and put you in a place where you are utterly unprepared and uncomfortable?  The one place you were not willing to go.  In this way, there can be no doubt as to who is in control.  I'm so thankful that He knew all along where I would find my joy in this world.  I am so glad that for once I listened.

Application accepted!

We received an email last week and a letter in the mail this weekend officially accepting our adoption application!  Along with that acceptance came a 130 page document to print, read and mostly fill out.  Paperwork doesn't bother me too much.  Brant, on the other hand, about broke out in hives.  So I spent the weekend evenings after the kids went to bed filling out 32 pages of the forms that are "immediately" due. Brant did a lot of initialing and signing.

I sent all the forms in along with our first major installment (ouch) today via Fedex.  We will go to the police precinct on Thursday for our first set of fingerprints.  These are for the state and federal child abuse clearances.  There will be more biometric fingerprints to be done in Birmingham after the home study.  Friday we have a one hour telephone interview with our agency social worker.

I know the process will be tedious at times.  Especially some of the upcoming paperwork including many, many discussion questions and an autobiography (neither of which Brant will be able to escape). But I'm really trying to relish even these mundane parts.  At least they are making me feel like progress is happening.  I slightly dread that period when I've done all I can do and just have to wait.  Did I mention that patience problem I have?

Continue to pray for us as we feel our way through the beginning.  I want to be completely in the Lord's Will.  I do not want my preconceived ideas to interfere with the best path for our family.  I am so thankful that He always has known and always will know what is best for me.  We love you all and appreciate you taking the time to pray for and encourage us!

The last thing I want to share today is an amazing quote which captures so perfectly what the Lord has laid on our hearts.  This is exactly what our adoption journey is about.