It's been a few weeks since I've posted so I wanted to do a quick update for those of you following our adoption journey. Guess what??? We are still waiting... It's getting harder and harder to be patient. I'm hoping to hear any day now that the care package we sent has made it to China. I hope it's not lost! We are waiting on our Letter of Acceptance, which is the next step in the process. The timeline is 60-90 days from our Log In Date. We are right on 60 days now.
We have a surprise beach trip planned with Eden as our last vacation as a family of 3. While we are counting the days until we bring Zoey into our family, we also sense that this is a special time with Eden. We are trying to pour into her as much as possible now, constantly reassuring her of how special she is and how even though Zoey will need more attention at first, it does not mean that we love her more or she is more important. I can tell Eden is processing this because she is asking LOTS of questions.
Eden is such a deep thinker and she feels very deeply as well. I know that the transition for her may be as hard (in different ways, of course) as it is for Zoey. But I have no doubt that God goes before us, beside us, and behind us. He is the BEST parenting expert and adoption expert out there! I am also so blessed to have the staff of Lifeline Children's Services and the International Adoption Clinic. Not only are they honest and full of useful information, they minister to our family by praying for us and truly caring about us...not just about getting Zoey home, but about the often secret and seldom-talked-about struggles that happen after the adoption is complete. I hope to have some great news to share soon! In the meantime, I am enjoying each day and purposing to draw near to the Lord more every day.
I am also trying to prepare for what I'm certain will be a crazy fall season as we transition from 3 Masons to 4 (some of you are laughing because you have lots more kids). I've already taken care of 2nd grade homeschool curriculum for next year, and hope to hear some answers to questions about Zoey's sleeping arrangements in the orphanage so I can get her room ready next month. I will be pulling Eden's too-small clothes down and getting Miss Zoey's wardrobe as ready as I can from a whole different continent :0) I am thinking through how homeschool is going to work with a little one in the mix. My friend Heather called her young daughter a "wild card" when it came to school which made me laugh out loud. In the coming weeks I will be preparing casseroles and freezing them to have some easy dinners on hand for those first weeks/months home. As I learned with Eden...I will be exhausted between jet-lag and possible sleep issues.
Lastly, I am setting aside one day a week to fast and pray for my sweet family...for my marriage, our relationship with Eden, Zoey's grief, fear, health, transitional issues, medical needs, bonding with Zoey, and Eden and Zoey's relationship. When I think back to what God has done from the day we met Eden, I am in awe of His goodness and sufficiency. I cannot fathom what He has in store.
Thank you all for following our journey. Your prayers carry us through the long days of waiting and hoping. We love you!
