Adoption Waiting

Ben and I met with our adoption counselor last week, and we have FINALLY turned in EVERY last bit of paperwork needed, as well as complied with the requested "hoops" that we were asked to jump through.  It was hard stuff to hear, but they are steps to help us have the happiest, healthiest home possible for our future baby, so it has been good in the long run.  I had hoped that we'd have our home visit before Christmas, but Bethany is waiting on some background check stuff from Maryland which might take a bit longer.  At any rate, we're ALMOST ready for that home visit and it's time to get our profile ready (again -- it was lost on the computer the burglars took!) so we're starting to see a little light for the end of the approval stage.  Once the counselor comes out for our home visit, she's supposed to have us officially approved for adoption within a month and at that point we will be officially waiting.

Waiting, of course, will be a whole new kind of experience.  It's not quite the same as being pregnant and knowing a due date, because it is a guarded anticipation.   But we'll be waiting for a birth Mom to choose our profile, then for the baby to be born, and then for the 10 day period she has to change her mind to pass.... and then, if that baby doesn't work out, waiting for it to happen all over again.  And if we happen to be chosen by a birth Mom that didn't make her adoption plan and suddenly has a baby to give up then I suppose it could all be pretty surprising and sudden.  Just never know what God will have in store for us.  Might take a few months, might take a few years.  At any rate, I'm getting excited at the anticipation of getting to a new stage of beginning our family.  And I'm going to try to leave the timing to God, as I know His plan is a perfect one, but sometimes that is easier said than done. (-: