Forty-One Months...And Counting!!!

It's so hard to believe that our Dossier was logged in China's adoption system forty-one months ago on the 13th of this month! Wow! Yes, we have officially been in this journey more than four years...but the L.I.D. is the "measuring stick" in regard to when it is our turn for Referral. So we rejoice that we are forty-one months closer to our sweet little one/s in China! Amaaaaaaaazing!

It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful God's timing is in this journey of life and blessings. My initial hope was that our older children would still be living at home when our baby girl/s arrived home from China. Of course the wait time when we first logged in was eighteen months...so that was a feasible concept...then. But the wait time obviously grew....and grew...and grew. Then our Rachel went to college. Now our Micah has gone to college. And we continue to wait. At first I was a bit disappointed that we didn't have them all home at once. But now I realize that God's design is far better than my own plans. Now that our older children are in college, and now that I have this time to renew, refresh and restore some goals in my own life, the timing will be so perfect when we bring our little one/s home. My classes will be completed. (Unless I take on more...which is always a possibility since I love learning and enjoy working toward the goal of Crisis/Trauma Counseling.) The nursery will be ready. I will have a season of time at home with my precious husband. And our older children will not be so far away, either, whether in college or in jobs. Plus, I can devote lots more time and focus to JennaBeth/EmmaKate's needs once we return home. It's been a nice season of catching our breath, enjoying the adjustment time and preparing for another season of the blessing of parenthood! Of course, there are always those Holidays when Rachel and Micah will come home and we will all be together...finally!

I still enjoy observing the reactions of people when they ask how we're doing with the "Empty Nest Syndrome." When we respond that our nest isn't empty because, instead, it's an Adjusting Nest Syndrome as we prepare to adopt, there are so many wonderful responses. Some folks are shocked. Most folks are very excited. Some folks then ask that other interesting question..."Oh, so you're going to start all over again?" Then we surprise them again by saying..."No...because we never finished!" How exciting is that! We're definitely not typical parents...but that's fine with us. We love living life as fully and unexpectedly as possible! :) Why live boring when there can be excitement instead? And won't it be a great joy when our future grandchildren someday play with their "Aunt/s" who may not be that much older than her nieces/nephews? Wow! What blessings that will be! What a great way to embrace life!

So...Forty-One months and the counting continues! Our estimate right now is late spring/early summer for Referral..and then a couple months later we will travel to China. We continue to ask your prayers for our little one/s in China. Also, please pray for our family as we continue to seek God's guidance, direction, provision and protection during this season in our lives. It would be greatly appreciated if you would ask God to perhaps time it so we may attend our Rachel's college graduation next May instead of going to China at the same time. :) But we trust that He knows what is best and He will take care of it all. Of course, I wouldn't mind having a stroller at our daughter's college graduation, either! Life is blessed and we are so grateful. We deeply appreciate your continued prayers, love, companionship and joy in our journey. We're getting soooooooo close. Hopefully it won't be long until we will not only hug our JennaBeth/EmmaKate in our hearts...but in our arms, as well. We look forward to sharing more joy of this journey with you as we meet her...and as we live together as a Forever Family. May your journeys continue to be blessed with love, joy, peace and hope.
Cherishing this amazing journey together,
Terri & Family ♥