And 'D' Makes 10!

Some [better] late [than never] updates...

Been back with my boy for one week. I am so thankful to be here with him and very thankful for the time I was able to be home with my family. As much as I really love this city (and I have made many new friends here), I have to say that this has been the most complicated adoption in-country. Thankfully there are not roadblocks, nor are there doors we are looking to kick down, just obstacles that slow the process.

Last week we had a scheduled court hearing on Friday. Unfortunately, due to different judges here in this district insisting on different things, my petition for court was not as this judge had wanted. Today we were able to have our hearing (I'd say "again" but the first hearing never actually happened though we all showed up for the hearing and were before the judge in the courtroom), however, the hearing before mine ran late and apparently the judge had somewhere he needed or wanted to be. All went well but we are scheduled to come back in the morning for the final decision...and then the judge was out the door in a flash. *sigh* A bit frustrating to say the least.

My facilitator was congratulating me but I am not ready to celebrate. Honestly, I am not sure how much I will be able to feel like I can truly celebrate tomorrow even with a decision in my favor. While I have always been told that the time to celebrate is when the wheels of the plane lift off the ground, headed for home, I've always felt comfortable enough to celebrate some with the ruling of the court. I am bummed that I will be more hesitant to do so this time.

I am not excited to be away from my family for an additional week due to the delay with the court hearing. I am not excited about the additional costs that were added to the process because of the extra week. I am not excited about the funds that still do not exist or the not knowing what will happen from this very moment forward. However, God has been incredibly good to me. He has surrounded me with American (missionaries and another adoptive family) and Ukrainian followers of Christ who encourage me. I just cannot put into words how grateful I am for the time of worship, bible study, prayer, and fellowship I get to have while I am here. I feel like the Lord is teaching me SO MUCH through this small but mighty church here. They are such an inspiration to me.

Some of you have watched our journey over the past 9 months kind of twist and turn with where we thought the Lord might be leading us (onto the mission field overseas), but the Lord showed me my 1st mission in my home town, lead us overseas for our son, and now has me here learning more about missionaries. Over the past week I even got to befriend some wonderful people here from the States on a short term missions trip. Never having been on one myself, I feel like God has used them to show me some things as well.

It just blows my mind how God uses everything, how He confirms that He has been and still is doing a work in my heart and life to become a true servant of His. It is my greatest desire.

So while the adoption process is somewhat slow going, it IS going, and God is using this time to grow me in ways that I probably haven't truly even been able to process yet.

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This update now comes 2 weeks after the above.

I have our son! Our adoption is complete and we are now waiting for the final documents in order to leave the country.

This has been quite the journey. It seems with every victory in this adoption came some lever of disappointment. It has been so frustrating that I can't just enjoy the blessings God has bestowed upon us because some difficulty, delay, or pressure comes coupled with it. At this moment though, I have joy. Our precious boy is sleeping beside me and never has to go back to the orphanage again.

It's been a loooong day. I am praying prayers of peace over my little guy and for a good nights rest for us both. I am hopeful that tomorrow things will be a little easier on him; he had a BIG day.