vulnerability

I am vacillating on whether to send out an update. I have tried to think of a good reason not to for the past couple of days but I am continually reminded that this journey is about more than our family. There is not a doubt in our minds that our adoption story is going to be God’s way of shouting his greatness to people far beyond the borders of our house. Nevertheless, this next step is about as awkward as announcing to the world that you are trying to get pregnant – a little personal, a lot vulnerable. I don’t know why I think God is going to let me off the hook now that things are getting really close to our hearts – all the more reason to continually repeat, to ourselves and to those around us, that our God is good and he is faithful.

So where are we at? We have recently filled out a special needs medical checklist that says we will accept a girl between the ages of 8 months and 30 months with any of the following conditions – cleft lip/cleft palate, minor heart issues (murmur, hole in her heart), missing fingers or toes, partial hearing loss, or hepatitis B (not C).

Our agency emailed yesterday and said that they have received a listing of special needs children (probably around 10) and will begin matching them with families on March 12. Priority goes to families 1) who have been in the special needs adoption process – we are just entering it; 2) who have been turned down for a special needs child once or more – not us; and 3) according to how long your paperwork has been in – for us since December 2006 but many families have been waiting longer. We are really low on the totem pole when it comes to priority and we are relatively very narrow in what we will accept. Both are reasons why bringing Lydia home this year without a doubt requires a miracle. And it would be a HUGE miracle for us to get a referral from this group of children.

Nevertheless, we are praying that if Lydia is in this group then somehow, someway she would get to us. We know nothing about the children, how many there are, their descriptions, nothing. We simply wait for a phone call like 50 other families will do come mid-March. We are praying faithfully that God’s will would be done. We could be showing you pictures of sweet Lydia in a matter of a week, or we could pray ourselves through this round and wait for the next which would come in June. Only God knows. It is scary being potentially so close and yet realistically so far away. Thank goodness for a God who knows what’s best for us. Please pray with us that we will remember and hold closely to his promises. Only he can guard our hearts like we need him to. Thank you so much for walking with us on this journey.

“Lord, we will wait for you; you will answer, O Lord my God.”

Ashleigh and Eric
*in case you are wondering, we are in this thing together, I just happen to be the writer in the family!