New and Improved, for now

Many of our friends and family members have asked if there's anything new in regards to The Process. Honestly, I can tell you right now, the answer is a big, fat no. Once we switched from our original country decision to only China, things slowed down. And by slowed down, really, it was more of a screeching halt.

You see, we were going to apply to two programs simultaneously as suggested by our original agency: one to Taiwan and one to China. We would be allowed to apply to Taiwan immediately (and we were on the fast track to get our home study done by end of 2014 to submit paperwork by May 2015) and then work on the China application once we were both 29.5. (In China, married couples have to be 30 years old to adopt but you can submit application at 29.5; in Taiwan, married couples have to be 26.) By dropping Taiwan, we are now waiting until July 10 to submit our application to the Waiting Child Program (WCP) for China. We had hoped to start our home study in May/June but a few other things have come up that were unplanned, so we'll be waiting to do that too.

Clear as mud, right? 

Honestly, if we had known that things wouldn't be moving as fast as we'd planned and hoped, we probably would have kept the news to ourselves a bit longer. Since we're so anxious to get things moving, I'd imagine some of you are too (or maybe it's just the grandmas and grandpas). It is a bit depressing, since if we had kept our original plans in place we'd be done with our home study and almost ready to submit our dossier. However, then we also would have a much longer wait for a referral...so really, it's six of one/half dozen of the other.  

I digress. 

Anyway, here is our new, and improved, timeline: 

1. May 1 & 2: Garage sale for the adoption at our house. I plan to post more about this in the next couple of days. We have many family members and friends who have dropped things off at our house, so we're excited to see how God uses this day. Please, please, please pray for good weather. If it isn't good weather, rain dates are May 8 & 9.
2. May 16: Derek's MEES graduation at UW-Madison. (Not related to adoption process, but still just as important!)
3. July 10: Derek's 29.5 year old birthday! There will be cake. And also...it's the day we can submit our official application for the WCP and the Medical Conditions Checklist.  
4. August 15: #pieceofthefamily fundraiser/benefit day, which is being thrown for us by my amazing friend Shana. We are beyond thankful and still shocked that she volunteered to do this for us, but I am excited to see what the day will bring!   
5. Sometime in May/June/July: Derek has another work trip (length TBD) to China on the calendar, which kind of throws a wrench into when we had planned to start the home study. As long as I get another picture like this one though, I'll let it slide. 

Shanghai
August 2014
The gym shirt really makes it, don't you think?

I think the best analogy (at least the one I've been using) is compare it to an engagement. When you first get engaged, it's this huge announcement, lots of questions (that you probably don't know the answer to), and a bunch of plans and dates you have to set...and then it's a long wait until the next flurry of activity. In some ways, adoption is similar to that! We decide, and then wait, and then do a little bit, and then wait, and then do a lot, and then wait, and so the cycle continues. 

I say this is our new and improved timeline, and we hope that it will go according to our plan...but ultimately we need to remember "A man makes a plan in his heart, but God directs his path." (Prov.16:9)

So who knows? It may change tomorrow.