If this adoption were a pregnancy I would be asking for Pitocin

Well... OK... I know there are possible side effects of Pitocin and I am not not getting into that on this blog, but I thought it was a fun title!

Today is a special day in our home. Today marks the end of our first "adoption pregnancy." Nine months ago today our adoption journey officially began. I know that many people figure adoption journeys in many different ways. I also know that everyone has different amounts of time for the different stages in the process.

Yes, we have been planning to adopt for two years now. Some would say that makes us in the adoption process for 2 years. Yes, our dossier (huge amounts of personal info and paperwork) went to Ethiopia on January 21st which was 6months 1week and 6days ago according to ticker on the bottom of this page. So you are wondering, how did they choose the "start" of the journey.

Well, the start to a pregnancy is conception. For us the start of the pregnancy was the mailing of adoption applications to the home study and international agency. We mailed them on November 3rd 2009. If our adoption was conceived that day, then today 9 months later we should be due... right?

If only adoption worked that way. Oh how I wish I could tell you all wonderful news. News that would bring a tear to your eye. News that would cause you to shout a praise to Jesus. Sadly, our news is not hugely exciting. The month of July did see many children being referred (over 20) which a GREAT! Sadly for us, only 3 of those children were infants. I ask you to continue to come before God in prayer for the children who are in care to be referred soon! I need to clarify that this prayer has little to do directly with our family journey. Even if every child in care was referred next week, we would still be waiting a long time for our little one! We would however, be much closer than we are right now.

The head worker for our agency in Ethiopia has been on a two week vacation last week and this week. I am praying that next week will be one of the busiest of her life with many phone calls, emails, and faxes to the US with children ready for referral. I am praying that she is renewed during her holiday and she comes back to work ready to work harder than even before. Thank you for joining me in prayer!

If big things happen (like another week with lots of referrals) I will let you all know. If I don't write about this specifically you can assume that I have not heard about any movement. I will be checking in with our agency in about 3 weeks and I will let you know if I have any big news.

Everyone loves good news so... the good news is I "know" through yahoo groups/emails/blogs etc the families at the VERY top for boys (at least 4 of the top 5) and topish for girls (2&3)!!! This means that I will hear quickly when infant referrals have been given and I will be able to CELEBRATE with amazing families as they are being created!

We are still clinging to our "Faith Like Potatoes" prayer for a referral (photo and information about a child... not the child coming home) for Christmas. Those of you who are not in the journey might think this sounds easy. Those of you in the journey with fast moving wait lists might think this seems doable. Those of you with our agency might be rolling your eyes and thinking, "Oh Shelly is such a dreamer... dream on!!!" Well, I know it is a dream and a prayer, but it brings hope each day and is far enough away that I am not getting antsy yet.

Thank you for each prayer! We are given so many reminders in this journey that it is God's story and not ours. That he alone can rescue, restore, adopt, create, sustain, protect, provide... It is very easy for me to think, "If only we had chosen______agency" or 50 other what if's but we are on THIS journey. We have been called to THIS agency for this time because that is where our baby is! We are blessed to be on this journey and even if we must endure 2 or dare I say 3 pregnancies we will cling to the Author of the story!