I owe everyone an update to our adoption story. This has
been the most emotional roller coaster of a ride. As of my last update, we were waiting on our
last document to finish out our packet for final submission. The stressor was
the deadline of July 14th in which the U.S. was changing its rules
for international adoption. We needed to get our approval before July 14th
or we would face possibly having to start all over with a new homestudy.
Thankfully we got our approval in the mail with about 2 weeks to spare.
As fast as
I could, we got the document notarized, certified, and apostilled, found a
family traveling to the country to hand carry it for us, and overnighted (in
Hawaii, the best you can get is 2nd day) it to them. All of our
documents are currently sitting over in little Koen’s country just waiting to
be submitted to the court.
You want to
know why God is so cool? Because the country that Koen is in is currently
taking a 2-week holiday and not accepting new dossier submissions. Why would
that be so cool knowing that this is a delay in our process? Because I just got
an email today saying that Koen’s birthday was wrong and that he actually
doesn’t turn 5 until November! (He is not available for international adoption
until his 5th birthday.) If we hadn’t had this delay, our paperwork
would’ve been submitted and we would not be able to adopt Koen as he would not
have been available!!! Can I get an AMEN??!?!?!
So where
does this leave us? Basically, we’re waiting. Our awesome facilitation team
will hold our paperwork until just before it is set to expire and then try to
time it for us to get our initial court date (referred to as DAP) when Koen
turns five or just after.
It is hard
knowing that this little boy is going to have to wait just a little bit longer
before we can go get him, but in the mean time, we’re going to move to
California, find a house, get moved in and be READY for this little boy to come
home and join our family! We were trusting that God would provide the timing. Our move in Aug/Sept and not having a house
identified yet is unnerving enough, but not knowing when I would be traveling to
get Koen and if it would be exactly when Paki started school, house hold goods
were showing up, and with three munchkins underfoot, it was something we didn’t
even want to think about. And then the
trumpet sounded (in my head) and God said, “I’ve got this, trust in me.” This
delay, as frustrating as it is (and as freaked out as I was that my paperwork
was going to expire before we could travel), is all part of God’s plan and by
His gentle kindnesses, we will have a home ready for Koen.
As always,
please keep us in your prayers. Thank you!
