Week in Review

I guess this is my "week in review." I don't have any big news to share tonight, but felt the need to write anyway.

I found out tonight that the Immigration office that is processing our paperwork is now working on applications that were accepted on or around January 15th. Our application was accepted on February 10th, so we MAY have our immigration approval around the middle of May. I was really hoping that it would be sooner than that (originally hoping for mid-April when our journey began) but I am trying to be thankful to the Lord for a mid-May approval date. There are offices all over the country that take many months to give approvals so I really shouldn't complain about a 6 week turnaround.

I feel that our hopes of having the children this summer may be quickly vanishing. Liberia's government is doing an incredibly great job of trying to tweek the program in order to better protect the children. However, the side effect of that is adoptions are going to take longer from now on. When we began this journey we were told that we could have our children in as little as 2-4 weeks after referral. Now the process may take as long as 3-6 month after referral. I do NOT do well with the wait emotionally once I have seen my child's face so waiting 6 months to hold them and tell them I love them will be incredibly difficult. Please pray with me that the adoption process is MUCH quicker than 6 months.

Tonight our family took a walk around the block just for the fun of it. The kids rode their bikes, our new puppy walked next to us on the leash (biting it most of the time) and our faithful cat Simion walked behind us, meowing all the way. =-) As we walked through our cute little neighborhood and I looked ahead to see our two beautiful children I couldn't help but be reminded to thank the Lord for what I already have! We have the best little family! I really want to try not to get down about not having Kendi and Canan yet, as these are precious months that I can spend with Taevy and Samren before they take on the additional role as big brother and sister.

Speaking of Taevy and Samren, the Lord is truly preparing them for their siblings. I think Taevy was a born caretaker so it doesn't surprise me at all to see her caring for Sophi Kate and Sam (the children I watch during the day) so effectively. Today she changed Sophi's clothes and even put a new diaper on her after they played in the sprinkler! But I think even more touching to me is to see her trying to teach the younger children things. Taevy is extremely dedicated and patient when she tries to teach them made up games, or new words, or new motor skills. It blesses my heart. And Samren! What a change we have seen in him! He seems to have been our perpetual baby. But lately he has really begun to get geared up for being a big brother. He says things like, "When my baby boy Canan gets home I will teach him how to..." or "When my baby boy Canan gets home I will help him to..." We're just so proud that Samren is FINALLY beginning to take pride in being a "big boy!" And it's totally cute the way he always calls Canan his "baby boy"--especially considering that there is more than a fair chance that Canan could outsize Samren from the beginning!

I guess that's it for now. I am a ball of emotion. At this very moment I feel blessed, frustrated, excited, tired, scared, patient, AND impatient!