So it's June 4th, and today marks the day from which we have two months until "application day" -- the day that we can officially apply to adopt from China. The only thing keeping us from applying now is the minimum age requirement. To adopt from China, you and your spouse must be 30 years old. You can however, begin the process six months before your or your spouse's 30th birthday since it takes approximately six to complete the paperwork and adoption study in order to be sent to China. So basically, by the time our paperwork or "dossier" (daw-see-ae) is sent there, we'll both be 30 years old.
Oh, how incredibly long these two months will be -- and this is just the "wait" to begin the process! I'm trying to ignore the Waiting Child List at this time (a list of children available for adoption -- from the program we're adopting from). Trying to ignore it because I feel it just needlessly sends my heart into a frenzy every time - knowing if by chance our child would be presented, we simply can't even consider since we're not able to start the process NOW. And yes, boy do I wish we could start it NOW! I'm learning patience already -- which is so important to have throughout the entire adoption process. Waiting for a referral, then waiting to travel once receiving the referral I can only expect will be a tremendous feat of patience.
We're trying to use these two months as "prep" time. We're praying, reading, reading some more, saving and racking our brains on how to afford the adoption, and getting acquainted with those around us who have adopted. This Thursday we'll be visiting one of our pastors and their wife whom have adopted three children from Korea through the same agency we intend to use. We look forward to getting better acquainted with them, and immersing ourselves in their rich wisdom on the whole process.
So, two months it is. Two more months of constant dreaming, wondering, thinking, praying, and reading. Perhaps this is an over-all good thing. I know God will work mightily on us just within this short time. I know life will get crazy once we're in the process (all while homeschooling) -- so I'll take these first two months of summer, and try to sit back, relax somewhat, and just prepare. I say this all while totally gritting my teeth in anxiousness to begin the process. Writing for me is like medication for the anxiousness. A release. A solace. A sustenance during a time of thirst. So bear with me during these next two months --- oh boy, and especially during the months thereafter! I'm ready for the intense landscape we'll be flying over in the tiny and turbulent airplane we'll be manning. The unforeseen territory. The unexpected mountaintops. The rain. The storms. The beautiful sunshine squeezing through the clouds. Finally reaching the destination. And most importantly, back home again, but this time with our hearts and arms full of love from China.
So, in the meantime, until it's August, we'll stay busy preparing to board our small plane to take us on the journey of our lives -- all in hopes to board a bigger literal plane to take us on a physical journey to get our little one and bring them back home.
