Monthly Wait-List Update

Well, at least we can't go backward at this point.

We received our monthly wait list update email today from our ever-faithful Lesley and, just as we expected, we are number.......

As you recall, this is the same number that we received at the beginning of December.

This doesn't mean that there were no referrals in December because, actually, 9 children were placed with their forever families last month.  It's just that none were placed with families ahead of us.  There was one special needs placement made; there is also one set of toddler twin boys (oh what fun!), 3 infants and 3 older children who are now no longer orphans.  Praise God!  Please pray for their families as they begin a new and different kind of wait.

As for us, things look the same up here at "the top".  The family who is currently in the #1 position, as I've shared before, is on hold as they are currently adopting from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (I marvel at the families doing this....many prayers for them).  It is my understanding that they will not be able to accept an Ethiopian referral until that child has been home for six months (and he's not home yet to my knowledge).  Selfishly speaking, I hope we get a referral before their hold is up.  The family in the #2 spot is waiting for the referral of a girl, age 0-2 which, since we are approved for 2-6, doesn't technically affect our referral.  On days when I'm being particularly upbeat, I just go ahead and consider us #1.  On days when I'm not, well.  (I mean, there is always the real possibility that their hold will be lifted before we receive a referral (they are approved for a girl, age 0-4) and, well, we'll still be hanging on).  God's timing.

In the meantime, this is Jeff's last week at his current job.  He has worked for the same company for 11 years, serving as their CFO until the company was purchased by another in May.  At that time, he became the Chief Integration Officer and has helped to merge the multiple companies into one, which has moved its headquarters here to Nashville.  Now that everything is moving right along, he has decided to do the same.

I think, at this point, we both vacillate between great excitement and nervous fear at what our future holds.  Earlier in our adoption, when we first knew that this career change was a possibility, we talked of how no one but God could make a way for us to adopt and bring home our new daughter at the exact time that Jeff would be unemployed and able to spend more than normal time at home, bonding with our daughter and strengthening the ties of what will soon be our new family.  It is exciting to see what He has in store for each of us.