One Year In...What I've Learned

May marks one whole year since we started the adoption process. It truly doesn't seem like a year has passed since we sat in that private meeting at Dillon International in Little Rock and spilled our hearts to the social worker there, telling her of how we felt led to add to our family through international adoption.

Little did we know, at the very same time, a young woman was in Korea, 9 months pregnant with a baby that she had no way to care for. A woman that I still pray for, so thankful for her decision to give this baby boy life despite her circumstances.

And here wit sit, one year later, still many many months away from bringing him home. We are getting ready to celebrate his first birthday! And we hold dear all of the things we've learned throughout this year...

1) I've learned that creating friendships with fellow adoptive parents is VITAL. No one else knows what it's like to love a child that lives half a world away...or to watch him grow from a baby to a toddler through snapshots while you pray for him to come home. We met three couples at our adoption seminar last May, and I've become really close with the ladies. We are all adopting from Korea, and all accepted referrals close to the same time. We talk weekly (sometimes daily!), and I'm so thankful God placed them in my life when He did. Their understanding has been invaluable. I'm also a member of a few Korean adoption Facebook groups, and the information and support I get from these families is wonderful.

2) I've learned that this is a whole lot harder than I thought it would be. When people warned us that this would be the biggest roller coaster ride of our lives, they weren't kidding. It seems just as we feel comfortable celebrating exciting news we've received, discouraging news comes rolling in right behind it. I'm on a high one day admiring new pictures of our beautiful boy, then feel punched in the gut the next day as we are told the timeline has extended...AGAIN. It's just really hard to love this little boy that you know needs a home and a family...and be completely at the mercy of a foreign government.

3) I've learned a lot about prayer. And I feel like this is something God is wanting to teach me through this process. To pray boldly. Despite what "they" are telling me about timelines and waiting...I am asking God for big things. I'm coming to Him asking for things that only He can accomplish. I often find myself in just a constant state of prayer...while I'm cooking and cleaning, while I'm driving, while I'm playing with the boys. Yes, I'm learning much about clinging to the power of prayer.

4) I've learned that I have a really great husband. It went against his nature to do something with this many unknowns, but once he jumped on board, he never looked back. He is such an example for his children, and we are very blessed that he is ours.

5) I've learned that, despite my fears, I CAN love a child that I've never met. A mother's love can cross many oceans, and even though I've never held him, heard him cry, or smelled his sweet head, God has placed a love in my heart for this little boy that I can't even begin to explain.

Now, I'm boldly asking The Lord to bring these waiting children home to their forever families before another year passes!