Now doesn't that sound sexy? I have white clumps of adoption forms requesting things like a hand-drawn house plan spilling from my bags, my desk, and ever conceivable work space. It feels like I'm conducting a science fair project that sounds super engaging, until you sit down to it and find only mind numbing data collection. But this weekend we scored our first point against the paperwork beast! Yeah us! We mailed immigration (USCIS) permission forms -- the dreaded I600a -- to adopt.
Scoreboard:
Holders: 1 / Paperwork Beast:0
And guess what?!! Scott opened a letter containing a $500 check at the same time I was sealing the FedEx package heading to immigration Friday! This experience continues to build our faith that God has his hand in our lives, and in this decision. The check was restitution from the person that stole my Jeep over a year ago in St Louis. It was timely and unexpected. We were told by the St Louis prosecutor not to expect a check.
The next step is sending off an inch thick of paperwork and another check to Gladney -- the adoption agency that Scott and I are using. The payment will go to pay for half the agency's program fee and for a social worker to come visit our home and do a 'home study' that the US gov't, the Ethiopian gov't and our agency all need before we get approved to adopt. We're got over half the money together and I'm praying that we'll get to send the package on Easter -- April 4th.
The initial giddy phase of adopting a child has eased into a waiting period. The first couple weeks I was speeding along to get everything together in record time. But the pace has eased since we're still working on getting the funding together. This experience on waiting to see where the money is going to come from continues to grow our faith, and our pray life. Scott and I are encouraged and thankful for both. We're excited to see how the story comes out.
As a avid reader, I think the best stories have some pain, mystery and redemption exploding with a BANG. Waiting for that bang.
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