Adoption and John Piper

Stumbled across these today, after first reading a quote somewhere out in the blog world:

A short video commentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgNXQ2CazUg
(For you Valley folks, he references Ephesians!)

And for those with more time, a longer read: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByDate/1991_Adoption_The_Heart_of_the_Gospel/

Adoption and the Church

My mom sent me the link to this powerful posting on adoption by Albert Mohler on his blog: http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=1504 .

I often feel embarassed to bring up our adoption because I don't want to be seen as bragging, like I'm proud of doing some good deed. In truth, being obedient to the call of adoption had very little to do with our decision to do so in the beginning. We were just interested in having more children and were open to the idea of doing so through adoption. (While it is not impossible for us to have more children biologically, given the difficulty of my second pregnancy it is not a very desirable option.) The fact that God commands us to care for orphans -- at home and abroad -- only serves to affirm that we are doing something right. He's the only One to whom we have to answer and it is our hope that He will find us faithful.

Glitch

After admiring our renewed FDL, we discovered that it still referred to the agency AGCI was partnering with for the Vietnam program. Oops! USCIS is going to have to redo it. Julie assures us that it shouldn't be that big of a deal. We're just relieved to have discovered it BEFORE we really needed the document. We have plenty of time on our hands (in terms of the adoption -- not in our REAL life!) to have it fixed! Whew!

FDL!!

Hooray! Praise the Lord! We got our Favorable Determination Letter this weekend -- we were out of town, so I'm not sure exactly which day it came, but we're talking less than two weeks since our fingrerprint appointment, people!
This is the document that essentially gives us pre-approval to bring an orphan home. It needs to be completed before we can accept a referral, the significance at this time being that when our time finally comes we already have everything in place!
And now back to waiting....

AGCI Picnic

Saturday was our annual regional AGCI picnic. It was for all the families in the area who have adopted through AGCI, are in the process of adopting, or are interested in adoption.

While I was excited to mingle with other families, I was anxious -- me? anxious? never! -- about the idea of meeting new people and bringing our boys into such an uncertain environment. After all, our case manager AND social worker would be there -- what if they saw what a unfit parent I am?!

As is often the case, however, we ended up enjoying ourselves -- even if my husband did have to force me, like the big baby that I am, to start conversations with complete strangers. The boys had a blast in the swimming area, which was enough distraction to keep them from uprooting/flooding/otherwise destroying the picnic area. We met many very nice people who are also in the Ethiopia program and exchanged information so we could keep in touch. (I am hopeful that we will actually do so, unlike the old summer camp ritual that never comes to anything!)

If nothing else, we got a picture with our case manager, Julie, (left) that will be nice to have to show our daughter someday...and not just as proof of her brothers' goofiness! And, no, I am not pregnant. That's just the beauty of a poofy shirt combined with a wiggly child.

Wait List Update

We got our wait list update for the month and we are...still #23. I think we would have moved up because there was a family moved off the girls' wait list this month -- they choose to accept a 2 year-old boy instead! -- but for a turn of tragic events. Remember the baby girl with special needs? A family was all set to bring her home and help her through her surgeries, but she unexpectedly passed away due to some unforeseen health complication . In circumstances such as this, the family is returned to the wait list and placed at the top. When we received word of this the email actually said that if we had a problem with that or needed further explanation we should contact our case worker! I can't imagine being upset with such a move for that poor family! They essentially lost their baby -- before even bringing her home! My heart hurts for them. And I pray that they find healing and are able to be united with another child, if that is what they wish to do. So we didn't move up the list this month -- I really am okay with that.