We were certain that we would have had our referral by now ... in May I posted "Referral Day" guesses from our friends and family, they ranged from June - August. I actually laughed and frowned at the August guesses because I thought surely we'd have our referral by then and if we don't I'll go crazy. Well, those proposed dates have come and gone and although my sanity is still debatable we're still here - waiting. Our agency has not had any referrals in 2 months.
Yes, there are millions of orphans still waiting for their forever homes in Ethiopia but "paperwork" is named as the culprit for the lack of movement. To my knowledge this is the longest "lull" in referrals since we've been part of the Ethiopia adoption program (maybe even in the history of the program). Some days we're so busy that the wait is an after thought but some days (and unfortunately most days) the wait feels like a ton of bricks weighing down our hearts.
It's hard to explain and comprehend if you have never gone through an adoption but the emotional baggage that comes with the experience is surreal. Some days we feel like children playing house and dreaming up a pretend scenario of having a child because the possibility of it becoming a reality feels so very distant. Other days, we're painfully reminded of the reality of our situation by anxiety filled days and the unpleasant unrest in our souls.
We pray that she is out there and that she will be revealed to us soon. We have been on the wait list 9 months today. The good news is that 9 months are behind us, the bad news is we're unsure when our laboring will cease. There is no doubt in our minds that all of the waiting and uncertainty will be 100% worth it in the end but for now the roller coaster is moving so fast, we can only see what is right in front of us, not the end of the ride, although we trust that the ending will be beautiful!
In honor of our 9 months of waiting, my father-in-law created this photo, it's of my in-laws at their 40th Anniversary Party from a few weeks ago. You can tell from their faces that they were in emotional shock - we threw them an unforgettable surprise anniversary party.
We are grateful for both of them and their continued support throughout the adoption process, we know they're laboring along side of us - anxious to see their grand-daughter.
Thank you for your continued love and support. We're still here - waiting.
