We've received many questions about the process of Adoption and when we are going to start.  I'm going to try to give you as much information as we have so that it may be clearer for you as well.

 

Questions

Why Are We Adopting Again?

 

Though I have documented each of God's leading in this wonderful journey (to a decision) it is very special and we are treasuring it in our hearts.  We have no hesitation in sharing it with those who wish to know, but it just doesn't feel right blogging about something so amazing.  We weren't thinking of adopting right now.  Really, we weren't.  God showed us Ethiopia in so many different ways until we paid attention. 

 

What Age?

 

We hope to adopt a little girl between the ages of 6 and 12 months.  That is about the youngest you can adopt.  We want to adopt young for two main reasons.

1. We have four beautifully wonderful kids.  Kids that keep us very busy.  We don't feel we can offer the time right now that an older child might need. 

2. I'm going to most likely attempt (depending on age) to adoptive nurse again.

 

When will you start or have you already started?

 

We haven't signed a contract yet (which is the first step).  We hope to sometime this month.  Everything costs money (just processing fee alone).  This adoption (just as Max's was) is truly in God's hands.  We don't have the money.  It will come though, just as it did with Max.  We aren't fundraising this time at all.  God has given us a peace that He will provide.

 

Adoption Process

 

Step 1-Contract-They investigate all adoptive parents backgrounds to make sure that there are no criminal records (harm of children, etc.)

 

Step 2- Home Study paperwork and Home Study- The paperwork is to insure you will be able to properly care for your child. The Home Study is where they come into our house to make sure our child will be raised in a good and safe environment.

 

Step 3-Dossier-Tons and Tons of Paperwork to be submitted and accepted to the host country.  This is often the most frustrating part.  Paperwork has to be exact and from MANY people.

 

Step 4-The Match-Once our dossier is accepted in Ethiopia we wait for the country to match us with a child.  This usually takes 6 to 8 months. We will be shown a picture and possibly a video of our child.

 

Step 5-Travel to country (shortly after match)- We get to travel (24 hours) to Ethiopia to pick up our child.  This is different than Russia in that we don't have to go to court.  She will already be ours.  This is the first adoption (in Ethiopia) for our agency.  They are working with an established agency though (Wide Horizons) and it's a great program.  Our Adoption Advocate will likely travel with us (because this is the first adoption of their agency in Ethiopia).

 

 

When I first found out I was having each of my first three children, I was ecstatic!  I remember telling everyone and the joy everyone felt.   Babies are such a blessing.  Adoption is different.

 

When we went to Russia to meet little Max we found out a sad ideology that lays in the Russian culture.  Orphans are looked down upon; they are less than ordinary citizens.  I know that just like everywhere, there are exceptions to this rule. 

 

When deciding to adopt, just like pregnancy.  You get many questions and statements.  I think these are good for us.  They may make us think of questions we haven’t yet.  They may help us to see something we had previously not. 

 

But once you are pregnant...wow!  Most people are happy for you.  Most are joyous and start planning, but adoption can have a different reaction.

 

Even when God has convicted your heart, He may not have convicted everyone else’s.  Some people may suggest that your making a wrong decision and some may even try to change your mind.  They love you…that’s why they do this. 

 

The thing is though, when your pregnant you cannot undo this.  This child is a part of you.  Is growing inside of you.

 

 When you are adopting the same thing happens.  Once you have made this decision, God starts growing this child in your heart.  There is nothing anyone else can do to rip that from you.  I don’t think they’d really want to either. 

 

I kind of think of it like this.  We are adopted sons and daughters of God.  He is part of our very essence.  Even when we don’t know Him, His love for us surrounds us.  Even when we don’t know Him, He is there. When we have taken ourselves apart from Him.  He is still there.

 

 God gives adoptive parents on this earth just a smidgen of what our relationship is with Him.  It is the most awesome, fantastic, astounding smidgen.  Once this child is placed on your heart it cannot be removed, just as we can never be removed from God’s heart. 

 

Isn’t God awesome!