A special part of our adoption journey has been following other's journeys, and learning from them. I have loved seeing how the Lord has worked out so many details in these other families stories of adoption. From the beginning of our journey, we have been praying that the Lord would be very specific in reveling our daughter to us. I've seen in others where He has used specific dates that have special meaning to those families, where given Chinese names match up with the American chosen name, or where the children are making a sign or wearing a specific piece of clothing, and so on. I don't believe in coincidences, and believe wholeheartedly that all these details are the fingerprints of God directing these families to their children. It really is humbling and awe inspiring when you stop to think about it.
So our path to Ava was not a direct, one stop journey. I truly believe the Lord used one child in particular to prepare us for Ava. In late January, a little girl was added to our agency's special focus list. These are children that usually have more than one medical need. This girl caught my eye because she was born with a strawberry birthmark, just as I was born with one. She had a medical need that I/we were not completely sure about. So we inquired about her. Turns out her file was already on hold as another family was reviewing it. After corresponding with our social worker about the file, she actually forwarded us the file to review as a way to learn more about the need. What literally stopped me in my tracks was reading that this little one was placed in the orphanage on my birthday. I'm not a huge fan of my birth date (sorry Mom & Dad) for a variety of reasons. What if the Lord had designed my birth for that particular day so that I could eventually find my daughter? She was also pictured in the exact same exersaucer that I had for Trevor and Evan. These "coincidences" made me wonder if God was up to something. So we studied up on the need a little more, and felt like we were moving to feeling comfortable with it. So we waited and waited and waited to see if the other family would accept or return her file. A month passed, no news on the file and we were still interested.
Another way to be matched in the China program is through a once a month released Shared list. It is called the Shared List because every agency with a China program can view that list. At the once a month release, new files are added. I have heard it is kind of a crazy night for the social workers who are trying to lock files for their families. On Monday, February 25th the shared list was to be released. We had no idea if it would be a big list or small list because the Chinese were just coming off of their big Chinese New Year celebration and vacations. I was a little anxious on Monday wondering if our daughter's file might be on the list or if this other little one was our intended. I ran some errands Monday night after dinner, and promised to be home to help get the boys to bed. That night there was the most beautiful, full, clear moon. While driving, I wondered what the night might hold. Had our daughter somewhere on the other side of the world seen that same moon?
Got home and helped put the boys to bed. We do nightly devotions with our boys out of the One Year Devotions. We love these little devotionals. These devotionals speak to even us, and I am often amazed at how God orchestrated just the right devotional and scripture for specific times. Trevor's Feb. 25th devotional was titled "In God's Hands." The scripture was "He holds our lives in his hands, and he holds our feet to the path." Psalms 66:9. Part of the devotional said "The bible says God holds our lives in his hands. He takes good care of us, holding us just right." Wow! What a timely reminder for that day, and how appropriate for our adoption. Another important scripture we have used for our adoption and for our family is "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your PATHS straight." Proverbs 3:5-6. Time and time again the Lord has encouraged us through the use of scripture that we are indeed following His will in pursuing this adoption. I loved that the Feb 25th devotional was not only about life, but also staying on the path he has set us on. Trevor and I prayed asking the Lord that if Ava's file was on the shared list, that He would bring her file to us.
With the boys in bed, Jeremy and I hung out doing computer work. Well, I was mostly stalking facebook for any updates from other waiting mamas! Went to bed a little disappointed that we hadn't heard anything, but still trusting that the Lord's timing is perfect. Next morning still no call or email. I checked my facebook adoption groups again, and saw someone had posted that the list was small. I posted that we had not gotten a call or an email.
After Trevor left for school, Evan and I headed to the gym. I was on the treadmill for about 10 minutes when my Ipod died. I left my earphones in, but thought I might have heard my phone ringing in my gym bag. So I hopped off, fished my phone out of my bag, and saw the tail end of our Social Worker's name! EEEK! Prior to listening to the voicemail, I wondered if maybe it's news on that little one we've been inquiring about for a month. I quickly listened to the voicemail, and she said "Erin, I have some news to share about the shared list. Call me back!" Oh my goodness...I couldn't believe it. It was 10 a.m., and I was not expecting this.
TO BE CONTINUED........
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