Today marks 1 year since we mailed our application to Holt International to start our adoption journey. It's amazing how many feelings I have when I think back on this past year. It has been a year of changes for our family. In June we signed a contract to sell our house at 10:30 the night before we left for vacation. I had also just mailed our dossier to D.C. to get all the seals that are required. Needless to say it was not the most relaxing vacation we've ever had. While I was trying to relax on my floatie in the pool I was worrying about where we were going to live when we move in less than a month and hoping that everything went smoothly with our dossier. I felt like I didn't have time for vacation I had things to worry about! Ha I worried needlessly because our dossier made it home just about the same time we did and we found a nice place to live. God was taking care of things just like he always does. We closed on our house and moved into a duplex the middle of July. We found the perfect piece of land to build our house on, which was an answered prayer in itself, because we had looked for land for the four years we were in our last house. We bought 4 acres just outside of town in August and started building in September.
We also made a difficult decision to change churches in September. It was really hard on Isaac because he had been to the same church for as long as he can remember. We hated to leave our church but we felt God was leading us somewhere else. We started attending Lifepoint and from the first Sunday we were there we felt as though we were home. The added bonus that we didnt know was how many other families at Lifepoint have or are in the process of adopting! It felt like the icing on the cake for us. It is so awesome to look across our church and see children of all colors and races. Every Sunday I look at the kids at church and can't wait to have our little girl there too.
Sometimes I feel like a year has gone by and we aren't any closer to being matched with our little girl but I know that we are. I know God already knows who our precious baby girl is and we just have to be patient because his timing is perfect. It feels like that part of our lives is on hold. The rest of our life is on crazy fast forward time. Right now we are 2 weeks away (Lord willing) from moving into our new house.(I'll post pics later) We have been so busy working on our house we are exhausted and just ready for it to be finished. Isaac has already started baseball and a few months ago he started guitar lessons. We are ready for things to slow down a bit but building the house has at times helped keep our minds off the adoption.
Most of all when I look back on the past year I realize how much God has done for us. We are so blessed. We know the wait for our baby girl will be long but so worth the wait.
LOVE this post. Isn't it amazing to see how God takes care of us and provides all we need. I am praying you get a match soon and get to fall in love with your little girl even more.
ReplyDeleteYou guys have been through so much. But, God will never give us more than we can handle. Praying for you as your adoption nears :)
ReplyDeleteI just did this post on my blog! We must have applied the same week. :) It is hard to hit the year mark and know there is probably still a year to go, but we have made progress and we will keep making progress. :)
ReplyDeleteKatie,
DeleteI know you gave me an invite to see your blog but I could never get it to work. Could you send me another one?
Thank you all for your encouraging words. Having connections with other adoptive moms is priceless.
ReplyDeleteOh, Angie, thanks for sharing your heart honestly and taking a moment to focus on the ups and the downs. But you know what, you ARE so much closer to your daughter! For some reason, God laid it on your heart to apply in April of 2011, not September of 2010 or July of 2009...you know? There is one year of the wait DOWN--that you will never have to RE-wait! It's a long, hard, drawn-out process that refines us, because it is definitely a fire. :) hang in there, and keep sharing your feelings, b/c I think it really helps you process! We'll be waiting right along with you!
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