The Wait

There's an oldie but a goodie by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers where he sings, "The waiting is the hardest part." This is where we are right now... waiting. And we know this is just the first stage of waiting! But we're ok with that.

We sent off our application for adoption yesterday. We did so after much consideration and prayer about which agency to use. The seminar by America World Adoption Association a couple of weeks ago was fantastic. We ended up choosing them partly because of the seminar, partly because of other friends who are using them and seem pleased. But a big reason we chose them was the help they provided me after the seminar.

As I mentioned in another post, I was particularly concerned about all the stuff I had been reading about not being considered as a prospective adoptive parent if there was a history of depression. I contacted AWAA and spent quite a bit of time on the phone with a gal who handles the region where we were considering adoption. She answered so many questions and really took time to listen to my concerns. In the end, her generosity and willingness to be of encouragement and truth is what won me over.

We have chosen to adopt from Russia. We had been considering Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia. We chose Russia because this is where we'd have a better chance of getting a young child. Plus, the wait doesn't appear to be incredibly long for Russia right now.

As for the depression issue, it's still up in the air. The sad fact is that recent history has shown American couples who have adopted children from various countries only to have the child be neglected, abused, or, in some cases, dead. The common thread in most of these situations is a history of depression, anxiety or other mental health issues. And sadly, mental health issues still carry a tremendous stigma in these foreign lands.

That being said, the AWAA rep I spoke with said she believes that we can overcome this obstacle since my PTSD was situational and is under control now. So, we're moving forward. We can only do now what we've done from the start - leave it at the foot of the Cross. That's where all of our cares and concerns should be anyway, right?!

While we wait to hear if we've been approved from AWAA to move forward, we will look into getting Kurt a passport for travel. And we'll begin considering ways to raise the funds needed to cover the costs for our future little one. Until then, we ask your prayers for this process. We want God's will more than anything... and that He be glorified! We are excited about sharing this journey with you!