Day 81: A Beautiful Harvest

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time at all, then you know that we are in the process of adopting two three year old girls, whose online identities are Nitro and Shortstack.

To even get to a place where we could say that we are "in the process of adopting" has been a very long row (and yes, row is the right word here, not road, though  I suppose you could say road and it would still make sense . . . but I digress).  To get to a place where we could say that we are in the process of adopting has been a journey to say the least.

There have been many times when I felt like it was the right time to start the process, but Mike wasn't as sure.  And there have been an equal number of times when he felt it was the right time, but I didn't.  This is the first time that we BOTH have felt certain of God's hand and timing.  So here we are.

And while I am positive it is the right thing to do for the girls, it still makes my heart hurt for their birthmom because I have come to care for her and her very fragile heart.  I'm certain all of the events of the next days and weeks and months will break her heart.  But there are no other options if the girls' lives are to be rescued from the lifecycle they are certain to repeat if they remain in her care.

So the process begins.  On September 7th, we have our first hearing.  I don't really know the purpose of this hearing, but I know she will be there.  I know it provides some sort of custody to us (hopefully) while we sort out the rest of the pieces of this.

Today we are expecting to meet the girls' attorney (they have one of their own, who knew?)  It's for a homestudy  (feels like we just had one of those . . . oh wait, we did.) I'm a little nervous about that.  I cleaned like a mad woman yesterday.  I'm pretty sure she isn't going to be inspecting my baseboards, but I figured a clean and fresh smelling house can't hurt!

Yesterday we had to pay to hire an attorney for the suspected birthfather.  We don't even know for sure if he IS the birthfather, but we have to pay someone to represent his interests in his absence.  The sad thing is that just a couple of weeks ago he was in prison.  But oh, timing is everything, and now he is out and the people who need to find him can't find him, so the process says that we have to hire someone to represent his interests.  Crazy.  The process, I mean.

After this, I don't know what happens.  But I'd love you to commit to pray for our family during all of this.  For me and Mike and Zack and Jacob and Nitro and Shortstack. 

All that to say, there are things that could happen that would allow this ENTIRE process to be over before Thanksgiving.  We are praying for that.  Would you pray too?  We'd love this long row to turn into a beautiful harvest by fall.