Moving forward

So graduation has come and gone. Michael in his desire to get his degree finished took his last 5 classes all in one semester. It was a great day of celebration with family and friends. Relishing is what has been completed, the accomplishments and dreaming about what is next for our family.

And tonight, on this glorious Christmas night I am sitting in a hotel room, on our way to a week away in a cabin in TN. Spending some much needed time together. Reflecting on time with my family and friends, time celebrating our Lord's birth and looking to what is in store for us next year. We checked our email tonight and found a huge surprise. Our adoption agency sends out weekly updates on what is happening within Russian adoption. Since Russia has signed a new agreement with the States for adoptions, there have been some rules that have been changing. For example, making two trips is a necessary requirement. The first trip is to go meet your child and make sure it is a good match, and the second trip is for your court date and to finalize the adoption. This trip was supposed to last about 3 weeks to allow for a 10 day waiting period to take place as required by Russian law. To our surprise, it appears that the Russian law will be changing. Changing so much that they are talking about having parents now make 3 trips... count that three trips. Due to the fact that there will now be a 30 day waiting period. 3 trips or 40+ days in Russia is what we are currently looking at now. Of course, not all the logistics are out, there are many questions to be answered. But my prayer is that the courts for the time being do not change this law. I can't imagine meeting my children and leaving them once, let alone twice.

Then I reflect on what it is we are celebrating today. Today a baby was born in a manger. The mother, Mary humbly accepted what God had given her, her calling if you would. To bring the Saviour into this world. She accepted it with no hesitation (from what we can tell in the Bible) accepted it with a pure and willing heart.

Luke 1:38 ³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

And that was simply it, I am the servant and I accept. Amazing. It dawned on me as I wrestle with these thoughts about our own adoption, the implications on time, cost and so on. I am the Lord's servant, and I accept. Not so easy coming from my mouth. Our journey to adoption has not been an easy one. The road so far has been filled with stalls from health problems and the need to allow school to be finished and the struggles of moving through this process. We have been supported by some and not so much by others. But we press on, working on our home study for January, hopefully to have paper work shortly turned in sometime after that. And then we wait for our referral. It will be a process until the day we get our child(ren) home. Not to mention the process of raising them. And yet, my prayer is that my heart is able to say I accept..... Thank you for praying for us and sharing in this journey. Merry Christmas to you and yours.