Waiting.

I'm pretty sure I've never met anyone who enjoys the process of waiting for something that they're desperate to have, without an end in sight.  It's not a fun place to be.  So far, in the adoption process, we have waited- for paperwork to get finished, for phone calls, for interviews, for news, for a child.  When we got the call from the lawyer a month and a half ago that there was a baby boy that could be assigned to us,  I knew it would be a while before the plan came to fruition.  But, here we are, one step away from him being officially assigned to us, meeting him and bringing him home, and I'm not feeling so patient anymore.  I live with my phone nearby in case the lawyer calls.  Christmas is around the corner and our greatest wish is that he could be here with us for that time.  It also means that if he's not, there's another several weeks of vacation (which isn't much of a vacation for him in the less than loving atmosphere of the orphanage) that we all endure before any progress is made again on his behalf.  Our friends are praying.  Our family is praying.  People we hardly know are praying for his release.  Deep within us, we trust that God has a perfect purpose in all things that happen to us, even in the waiting.  Even if he were to lay around a while longer where he's not being properly cared for.  Still, I can not escape the overwhelming desire to rescue him from that.

I've really enjoyed having Natty home from school with me these last couple of weeks.  We try to do something a little special each day- I want her vacation to really feel like a vacation.  I'm almost done with Christmas shopping, so I can really focus on the girls during the day.  I'm still a bit in denial about the 9 person team coming in less than 2 weeks, but excited about what that time with them might hold.  This year, we've chosen to go very simple as far as presents for the girls are concerned.  Large, silky fabrics to play make-believe with, clip boards to assist in drawings, a piggy bank, a sticker album.  Nothing that's a true toy, because those mostly wear so quickly.  Scotty and I will plan to spend a night away as our present to each other, as long as baby boy isn't in the house.  It's nice to keep things simple, know we're saving money, but still making sweet memories as a family.  I'm excited to participate in some of the outreaches the team will be doing so that my girls can have a better sense of how blessed they are.  I'm thankful, as we do advent together as a family, for the reminder that Christ came to free us from sin, from the desire to have things and seek out contentment in them (even a new baby or house) and that one day He will return to bring us to our perfect home.