Referrals like crazy....

I keep up with a Yahoo chat group for families who are adopting from Ethiopia and using the same adoption agency we are using. It has been an incredible resource for me. I have learned so much and have enjoyed hearing about other's experiences with the adoption paperwork process including homestudy and dossier processes and getting immigration approvals. I have also followed several families who have been waiting for referrals just like us. I have been able to share in other families' joy when they finally received referrals to their children. I have then followed families who then began the next wait for a court date, and then the wait to hear if they passed court and are legally parents of another child or children. I've also been able to hear about their journeys as they have prepared to travel, the actual travel experiences and then what it's like once they come home with their precious child or children. It has been a fabulous place for me to visit and feel like a part of a bigger picture. Remember this is God's plan -for these children to have forever families. It has helped me to not feel so anxious and to know that we're not out here alone in this place waiting for God to reveal the addition to our family to us.

So I logged on today expecting to read a few postings about this and that. But it was like a rush of water. I started reading and read about a family who received a referral, and then another, and then another, and then another -all this week. It just kept on going. I heard about 9 referrals of 12 children total. Now remember that not every family who is utilizing our adoption agency is a part of this chat group, so this is only SOME of the referrals that have come through. I heard there were others also.

I think there have been more children referred to families this week than in the entire time we have been on the waiting list (since July), so this is amazing news. I am trying not to get too excited because I know there are still other families ahead of us, but it just means we're getting closer to meeting our daughter who is waiting for us in Ethiopia. More news to come in the coming months.... I hope!

Update.... But still just waiting

I spoke with our Case Manager at our adoption agency again today. Here's what I found out. We're number 17 on the list. The 16 families ahead of us are requesting any age, gender and number of children, but approximately 7 of them are anticipating a referral of a child that is similar to our hope. So, she said it will probably be Spring before we get our referral.

When we went on the list in July, we were told to expect to wait up to ten months for a referral. I however had other ideas and was hoping to be matched by October. A couple months in I realized that was not going to happen. Then I was hoping before the end of the year.... still 21 days to go, but that's just not looking like a possibility. Then I began hoping we would be matched sometime early in the year. Now they are estimating it will be in the Spring. As long as we're matched by the end of May, they'll be right on schedule. So we continue to wait. That's my news!

What Now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1YcViDGO28&feature=player_embedded

Orphan Sunday

Have you EVER found an interest in adoption? ...even one teensy little question in your mind as to whether you could adopt? Have you ever found yourself wondering how another child could enter into your home? If you've even for a moment ever considered adoption, please do not just walk away from this thought. At least pray about it and ask God if this MAY be His calling for you and your family. It can be scary, but what if this is HIS request of you?

If you have considered this for even a moment or know someone else who has, please take 3 minutes to read this blog http://weloveourlucy.blogspot.com/ and meet a boy who needs a home. If you're not called to adopt, but you know someone who has been, please pass this along. If you haven't been called to adopt and you don't know anyone else who may be either, please at least pray for this boy to find his forever family.

Today is Orphan Sunday. http://www.orphansunday.org/

Adoption Update

Can you believe it? I finally have an update. No, it's not "the news", but it is an update on when we may expect to hear the news, which is great! The adoption referrals have finally started to pick up at our adoption agency, which is so exciting since very few referrals have occurred since we have been on "the list" for the past 3 1/2 months.

As of last week there were approximately ten families ahead of us who were requesting a child in a similar age/gender range as we are requesting. I know that three of those families, who have been waiting for approximately 6-7 months, each received a referral this past week. This means there are approximately seven families ahead of us now. So we're making it our way up the list! I was really hoping we would receive a referral before the end of the year, but after speaking with our Case Manager this week, she estimates that we will likely not receive our referral until after the first of the year. That is OK though. I would rather know it will be longer than I was hoping, than sit around waiting and being disappointed.

I will leave you with some recent photos of the girls I took before our walk the other day.

Isn't this typical sister stuff?

Nice Smiles!!!

Buddy Artists?

Here are some pictures which were colored by our budding artists!

Can you believe this was colored by a two year old? This is NOT a joke. Emma colors every day, and if we would let her, would color ALL day every day. She loves it! Every evening when I get home from work she says, "Mommy, you color with me?" Nice work Emma! You're a pro!

This is a picture she colored at day care today. That might be a better job of staying within the lines than I can do. Although I have been practicing my coloring every day too lately!

This is likely more typical coloring for a two year old -by Abigail. Happy Halloween!

This was colored by Abigail also.

Grandpa Wilson

Today, once again I had the conversation with the girls regarding what baby sister's name should be. Abigail responded first with "Adey" (which is the name of our great friend's daughter whom they recently adopted from Ethiopia). After explaining that we should probably chose a different name, she responded with "Grandpa Wilson". Without missing a beat Emma responded, "We can do THAT!" It was cute. Sorry Dad, the name Grandpa Wilson is for sure not on the list of possible names!

Yesterday we celebrated our 9 month anniversary of us being officially called to adopt, and we completed all our paperwork and have been officially waiting for our referral for just over 3 months. We still don't have any news to share. The Ethiopian courts have reopened after closing for their rainy season, but the referrals are still pretty slow, so we haven't noticed any movement in our placing on "the list".

Will keep you posted.