While financial wrangling was a huge part of our process last year, we also found ourselves “making life-changing decisions.” That particular aspect continued into this year, the last month seeing us putting down some roots into those decisions. Part 1 of this post was written at the end of April -- even since then, things have progressed!
The biggest decision that Hubby and I have been praying over and discussing is whether or not to adopt from the Waiting Child list. This list includes minor to severe medical and/or mental issues and older children; some of the medical issues are correctable with better treatment options in the States.
This is a daunting, challenging, VERY personal decision to make! I have to admit to struggling with myself for months about this. Thoughts flew through my mind, including:
“Can I take on the extra challenge that a Waiting Child will bring?”
“Am I a horrible person for thinking that I can’t handle certain issues?”
“Will the extra needs of a Waiting Child detract from my other kids?”
“Can I handle being THAT MUCH more tired?”
Those are heavy thoughts to process! But I tell you this because God is so incredibly faithful in all things, little and not-so-little. I first broached the subject with Hubby with a clear thought in mind: I think that God may have a child for us with hearing issues.
I don’t know this for certain. We will have a list where we check off which special needs we are prepared to handle. We are open to more than just hearing needs. But my heart has been tender to that particular circumstance for years. I have 4 semesters of sign language under my belt, as well as other deaf culture classes. My sister, Lindsey, worked as a sign language interpreter for the County before she had kids. Our family, both immediate and extended, has already been prepared in advance for this possibility!
So our hearts were open to this. One perk of the Waiting Child list (because I have no doubt God will show us MANY more in the days to come) is that the wait time from the accepting of our application is 6-18 months. MONTHS! The wait time for a healthy infant from China right now is 5-6 YEARS! Our family may grow sooner than we expected!
On Tuesday of this week, I filled out a pre-application with one of the Christian agencies that I have been checking out. It’s a “basic” form that highlights the requirements for adoption, seeing where we might be a fit. Yesterday, I received a call from a case worker. I had of course specified China. If you’ve read my first adoption post, you know that my heart has been with China since high school. She told me that our stats looked good for China, except China requires an $80,000 net worth (the value of our possessions over what we owe). We don’t have that net worth. But, she informed me, they can apply for a waiver of this requirement since we meet all of the other criteria. We just need to be willing to adopt from the Waiting Child list.
Goosebumps . . .
all . . .
over!
Did you get that? A China adoption can only happen one way . . . a way that God just spent the last year preparing us for! In advance of us, He went – as He promised!
I smiled to myself as I told her “We were already intending to adopt from the Waiting Child list.”
I get chills again as I write this. As I realize again that we are certainly not alone in this process. And that somewhere across oceans, our daughter may be already born. Blessings!
The biggest decision that Hubby and I have been praying over and discussing is whether or not to adopt from the Waiting Child list. This list includes minor to severe medical and/or mental issues and older children; some of the medical issues are correctable with better treatment options in the States.
This is a daunting, challenging, VERY personal decision to make! I have to admit to struggling with myself for months about this. Thoughts flew through my mind, including:
“Can I take on the extra challenge that a Waiting Child will bring?”
“Am I a horrible person for thinking that I can’t handle certain issues?”
“Will the extra needs of a Waiting Child detract from my other kids?”
“Can I handle being THAT MUCH more tired?”
Those are heavy thoughts to process! But I tell you this because God is so incredibly faithful in all things, little and not-so-little. I first broached the subject with Hubby with a clear thought in mind: I think that God may have a child for us with hearing issues.
I don’t know this for certain. We will have a list where we check off which special needs we are prepared to handle. We are open to more than just hearing needs. But my heart has been tender to that particular circumstance for years. I have 4 semesters of sign language under my belt, as well as other deaf culture classes. My sister, Lindsey, worked as a sign language interpreter for the County before she had kids. Our family, both immediate and extended, has already been prepared in advance for this possibility!
So our hearts were open to this. One perk of the Waiting Child list (because I have no doubt God will show us MANY more in the days to come) is that the wait time from the accepting of our application is 6-18 months. MONTHS! The wait time for a healthy infant from China right now is 5-6 YEARS! Our family may grow sooner than we expected!
On Tuesday of this week, I filled out a pre-application with one of the Christian agencies that I have been checking out. It’s a “basic” form that highlights the requirements for adoption, seeing where we might be a fit. Yesterday, I received a call from a case worker. I had of course specified China. If you’ve read my first adoption post, you know that my heart has been with China since high school. She told me that our stats looked good for China, except China requires an $80,000 net worth (the value of our possessions over what we owe). We don’t have that net worth. But, she informed me, they can apply for a waiver of this requirement since we meet all of the other criteria. We just need to be willing to adopt from the Waiting Child list.
Goosebumps . . .
all . . .
over!
Did you get that? A China adoption can only happen one way . . . a way that God just spent the last year preparing us for! In advance of us, He went – as He promised!
I smiled to myself as I told her “We were already intending to adopt from the Waiting Child list.”
I get chills again as I write this. As I realize again that we are certainly not alone in this process. And that somewhere across oceans, our daughter may be already born. Blessings!
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