Still Waiting

Another week and no match. Please pray with me. I trust God in the timing but He also tells us to ask Him for our wants/needs.

I've been learning lately to pray specifically and expectantly so here is how I have been praying. I am praying for a match so that when my agency goes to China in October they can take along a care package for us and I'm also praying that we could be in China for Christmas. This would allow Brooklyn to miss less school. In essence, that means I'd need a match in early September at the latest so that China could approve the match before they leave.

On a side note, you might wonder what is holding up a match. Gladney, my agency, is waiting on the files of some children they met on their trip to China in Spring. Hopefully they arrive very soon.

While I'm Waiting

I feel like I'm endlessly circling the airport, waiting to land.

At this point, all my paperwork is done and reviewed in China and just sitting there waiting. On this side of the ocean, I too am just sitting and waiting. Waiting for THE file to be identified that contains all the information on the little girl who will be my daughter so I can submit my formal request to adopt her.

Why the wait? Because my agency is also waiting, waiting for files to arrive from China about the children they met on their spring trip. Orphanages need to submit a file on each child that is available for adoption. Preparing those files and submitting them takes time.

So, I wait. Most days I wait fairly patiently but other days, I get really tired of waiting. I remind myself then that God has her in His hands and His timing will be right.

In the last year, I have learned a lot about praying specifically and expectantly. For instance, earlier this year I was praying to have my fingerprint appointment come on Tuesday as that was my day off last year. Not only was it on a Tuesday, it was for the exact day and time as some friends so we went to the appointment together. Anyway, there is another specific prayer request I have right now.

My agency staff will be back in China in early October. If I have a match by that point, I will be able to send a small care package with them to give to my daughter. It would include a photo album to introduce her to us and help prepare her for her new family. (Brooklyn still has the album we sent her.) Please pray with me for a match and approval before this trip.

So, I'm waiting.

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord

Photo Album

What does an adoptive parent do when all the documents are done and in China and all she is doing is waiting to be matched to her future daughter? Why, she does a photo album of course! This photo album will go to my future daughter to introduce her to our family and show her pictures of me, Brooklyn, the pets and our house. Now - one more verse of "Matchmaker, Matchmaker, make me a match..."

To Be Matched

Another big step is completed. My dossier documents have been reviewed by China and are now classified as "to be matched". This means that as soon as my agency identifies a specific child and I approve the match, it will most likely go very quickly through China's formal approval of the specific match. From that point, it will take about 3 months before I will be in China to complete the adoption.

So for now, I am trying to patiently wait for the match. Frankly, I am doing pretty well in that category. From the beginning of this adoption, I have felt strongly that the child God has for me was going to come through a match provided by Gladney, my agency. God has got the child in His hands and the timing for all of this is in His control.

Please continue to pray for the matching process and the remainder of the funds I need to have for the in-country fees and travel expenses.