A Step Forward

Yesterday was a good day.

Andrew and I drove nearly two hours south in anticipation of meeting a sibling group at a small adoption event.

It was a pretty quiet ride as we each tried to figure out what we were thinking and feeling about walking down this road again.

As soon as we walked into the event my eyes began to scan the room wondering which children we had been matched with.  There was a beautiful little blonde who instantly captured our attention.  She seemed to be very outgoing and appeared to be having the time of her life in the bounce house.

These events can be incredibly awkward so Andrew and I found a place to sit down and just sort of take it all in.  As we were sitting there observing our surroundings a woman walked up and introduced herself.  She was the adoption specialist who had contacted us.  She informed us that our sibling group had not arrived yet and she encouraged us to mingle with some of the other children who were there.

Andrew and I remained seated.

We haven't figured out to mingle at such events.

A few minutes later she returned to our table to let us know our sibling group would not be coming.  The snow would not allow them out of their driveway.

In an attempt to salvage our trip she told us of another sibling group present that she wanted us to interact with and consider.  It was the beautiful blonde, her sister, and her brother.

As we ate lunch we watched these three beautiful children and talked a bit about their story, what little the adoption specialist had told us.

We realized that our hearts were already gravitating to the sibling group we had originally come to meet.  Despite the fact that we hadn't met them or even seen a picture of them, we felt led to continue down that path before considering any other children.

Our hearts are not capable of considering more than one possibility on this journey.  We feel like the only way to do that is to make a pros and cons list and then we are discussing lists instead of people, instead of children.

It takes the humanness out of it.

Our hearts simply do not allow us to do that.

We called the adoption specialist over and told her how we were feeling.  We told her we were so glad we made the trip and were able to meet and speak with her.  Our conversation allowed us to learn a little more about the sibling group we have been matched with.

She told us she expects to have all the needed paperwork within the next week or two and then she will visit us in our home to have the full disclosure meeting.

She mentioned that if at that point we decide not to pursue the adoption of this sibling group she has another sibling group she would want us to consider.

Andrew and I really liked this adoption specialist.  We had a very frustrating experience with the adults working with us last time.  Things that flat out made us angry with the whole system and tainted the process.  We are both relieved to be working with an adult who we like and who seems to want to do what is best for the kids as well as help us find the kids God has for us.

Yesterday was such a big day for us.  It felt good to step out and to start working toward adoption again.

In a couple of weeks we will have a full disclosure meeting and learn more about these precious children.

In a couple of weeks we will have to decide if our hearts are ready to take this journey again.

My desire is that we would know God's will without a doubt in this particular matching and that we would have the courage to trust Him no matter what He calls us to do.