Amy's Adoption Update

Off-topic-post warning!!

I've been hinting for a couple weeks now at some big news I have to share with you all about our family's adoption. And here is is, finally.

Since my husband, David and I began this journey of international adoption, the Lord has been teaching us and convicting us about what HIS desire is for our adoption... About the need there is out there... and about the ethics of adoption (which are rarely ever black and white). Our eyes are being opened to things we were naive about when beginning this adoption. But our prayer through much of this adoption has been for God to break our hearts for what breaks His, and He's been faithfully answering that prayer, and turning our world upside down in the process.

The more we learn, and the further we get in this journey, the harder it has been for us to imagine sitting on any kind of an adoption waiting list (NOT because we're impatient). We have often looked at the faces of the older children on the Ethiopian "waiting children" list and felt God tug at our hearts as He's asked us some tough questions.

We have been doing our best to follow God's lead during this whole adoption journey, and we feel that this is what he desires for our family - adopting two children from the "older child waiting list!" And we are thrilled that He's calling us to this! We had originally been planning to adopt two children between 0-4 yrs. of age. So this is a BIG shift for us, as you can probably imagine. We're still digesting it all ourselves.

There are two particular siblings on the waiting list that have been tugging strongly at our hearts. But we are awaiting some important information from our agency still (and praying lots) before we make any official commitments concerning specific children. We are SO anxious to get this info. You have no idea! It's seriously ALL we want for Christmas!

Adopting off the waiting list brings some additional anxiety, because once we commit, we face deadlines concerning our dossier and fees. But we know that God is in control of all this too.

And let me make it clear that though we are indeed thrilled at this change of direction concerning our adoption, we are probably equally as SCARED! It's just a whole different ball of wax than what we were planning for previously. But all these new changes just require a deeper trust and dependence on God, and draw us closer to Him. And what a blessing that is!

And can I just say, how much I LOVE MY HUSBAND! He's such a great MAN! It's not every husband that would get excited about adopting from Ethiopia. It's not every husband that would suggest adopting two children from Ethiopia. And it's certainly not every husband that would be as excited as mine about adopting two older children from Ethiopia. (Plus, he's hunky!) There is nobody else I would want right by my side on this crazy journey, but him. How did I get so lucky?

Thank you for continuing to pray for us. We need those prayers! We feel 'em! They keep us going!

Read more about our adoption journey here!