Passport/Adoption Thoughts

I realize I posted with wildly abandoned happiness when I got news yesterday that Mabel's passport was in. I hope that didn't cause anybody to feel bad. I know some of you waited (or are waiting) long months for passports.

It is very conflicting to have such a super huge blessing when the passport is a hangup for so many other families. I haven't posted the news to my other blog yet because I'm afraid of making people feel bad. And honestly, I'm afraid that someone might get mad.

Having Kendi's passport means that she probably won't get caught up in the new requirements for TB testing that are going into effect "sometime this summer." That is HUGE to me. After I file our I-600 we can do the visa medical, and that will be that (hopefully).

Ironically, before I got news of Kendi's passport, I was planning to do a blog post about how me being the adoption coordinator really doesn't give me much extra privilege. My staff in Ghana is too funny. I keep asking when I'm going to go to court. Could it be before May 1st, "please?!?!?" Muna just laughs at me like she's saying, "You may be the coordinator but this is still Ghana!" And I know she's right. The staff has given NO indication that they are doing anything out of the ordinary for me, even when I ask!

I gave a lot of thought to things over the weekend. Trying to control the process adds so much stress. I know that, but I still try to do it every time. I felt really convicted over the weekend and decided I really needed to let things go. Everything is going to be okay. She's going to come home. Relax Anita! And you know what? The Lord helped me find peace. Of course then two days later I found out about the passport, so I haven't really had to put my new found contentment to practice yet.

I don't know if it's possible to go through a Ghana adoption without some sort of torturous delay. Well...maybe I've seen it happen a few times. Of course I hope that I'm in that tiny minority that somehow dodges all delays. And things so far have gone SO WELL. I just want to resolve in myself to be content with whatever the Lord has in store. I hope He doesn't have some big delay planned, but there are still lots of steps to get hung up on.

If I'm being practical, it doesn't seem that I will have our adoption decree in time to file my I-600 when I go to Ghana next month. But He can work it out if it's meant to be.

After everything is in for our I-600a (fingerprints), and if we are ONLY waiting on that in order to move forward with a visa, I will certainly contact my USCIS office and/or elected officials to see if we can speed up the I-600a approval process. But I'm resolved not to go crazy over it (like I was thinking a few weeks ago). God's got it under control without my worrying.

Sorry for the rambling post..