Reflecting on the Past Year

It was one year ago in January that we decided to start this jouney to adopt from Ethiopia.  Never had we imagined we would be doing this, so still I feel amazed!  I found this picture that was taken in Eureka when Cade & I went there to our homestudy agency to fill out paperwork.  It was January 20th that we sent off our application to Illien Adoptions (in GA) to start the adoption process to adopt internationally.  We had our first meeting with Adoption Horizons in Eureka so they could put together our homestudy which is required for any adoption.  Today I was remembering the whirlwind of filling out papers, physical exams for the whole family, fingerprinting, notorizing & more notorizing, signatures here & everywhere, financial statements,....  In Feb. we applied for our passports & filled out our papers for the Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration (BCIS) to be approved to adopt orphans in the United States.  All the while we were getting our papers together for our dossier so some things would not have to be done twice.  Our homestudy was delayed (frusterating) because of a new law that came in effect so we had to do more fingerprinting.  Our homestudy was not completed until May.  Our dossier was being held up by the homestudy, so when the homestudy was completed, then our dossier was "officially" submitted.  Our dossier was sent to Washington D.C. in July & then on to ET shortly after.  After all of these papers were together, then I started filling out some grant applications that I thought would suit our family's situation.  We got our travel vaccinations in October, knowing that we would have a few that would have to be followed up.  In many ways, I feel like, "How could a whole year have gone past since we started this process?"  but then, there are times that it feels like a long time.  I remember very distinct impressions in the past year which I am very grateful for!!  Now I wonder what will this New Year bring?!!  We don't know & that in itself is hard, but we know that patience is needful because there is a higher hand that knows... & knows the best timing & the children that will one day be a part of our family!  Happy New Years!!