Waiting is so hard. This entire adoption process is full of it. We gather paperwork and wait for it to come together. We send our paperwork out to get authentications and wait. We wait to have our home study and then wait while it is finalized. We wait to get a match and then we wait to see if we get approval. We fill out adoption grants and wait to hear if we have received anything. All the while, we wait to bring our little girl home.
Today is a hard day of waiting. I want to hold Liana today. I want her to know that she has a forever family. I want to be able to celebrate her birthday and other important days with her. I want Ellis to meet his sister. I know that someday the waiting will be over but right now... well, it is just hard.
We will probably be DTC (Dossier to China) this week. That is a big deal in the adoption community. That means all the paperwork we have been gathering over the past 5 to 6 months will be compiled together in a packet and sent to China. Once it is there we will wait for it to be logged in, translated, looked over by the officials, and then we will be officially matched with Liana. After the dossier is sent, we wait. It will be completely out of our control. Once the dossier is submitted, it is usually 4 to 5 months until we can travel to get our daughter.
Thankfully God is still in control. In all honestly, we have had very little control from the beginning. But He has ALWAYS been in control!
This entire adoption process is one of surrendering to God. We lose control as we submit paperwork and wait. We don’t know where the money will come from and we wait and trust in Him to provide. We think we have a certain idea of what our child will be like, He has another. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Knowing and sensing that God is going before us and is with us makes it all worth it!
