Roller-coaster

Our adoption has been an all-consuming emotional roller-coaster since we received the referral for our baby girl last Friday.  I think I spent the better part of the weekend crying for joy, and all of us stare at her picture so much it's almost ridiculous! 

Then on Tuesday we had Karis' medical paperwork looked at, and there were initially some alarming findings.  With a second opinion and a great deal of communication with the staff in Ethiopia via our family coordinator, we are less alarmed but we do know that she is not entirely well. 

Add to this the fact that courts are closing Aug. 6th until Sep. 27th.  Today, families who rec'd their referral July 1st and earlier are receiving court date of August 6th.  One dear mom who rec'd her referral June 24 was given a court date of Oct. 2nd.  When you hope and pray and BEG for a date before closures, it's devastating.  Maybe not in the overall lifetime of your child is it devastating, but for right now...it's hard.  Impossibly hard.

You see, adoption is a total miracle.  For those of you who are parents, think about the love you have for your children...the hopes, dreams, fears, totally-sold-out love you have for them.  We have them for Karis, though we've never met.  God planted it in us the moment we saw her face (maybe even before)!  So imagine having a sick child all the way across the ocean, unreachable...and you have a smattering of how we're feeling.

We are not giving up hope for a court date until we have a reason to give up hope.  I know it's not likely.  I know I'm grasping at straws.  But for now, that's all I have...faith that my God will do what's best, that he will move this mountain if it should be moved.  For my part, I'll keep on asking.