What's Next?

It's been two weeks since our referral and it still feels surreal. I look at Es face a million times a day and it feels like I've known her forever! Baby Faith squeals and kisses her picture every time she sees it. The boys are really excited to meet their little sister too. We are still in awe to how God works and answers prayers (I'm working on another post about that).

We had a very extensive conference call with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. They did an awesome job of helping us decipher Es medical records, her growth charts and other information received. They were impressed with all the information we received and the 32 pictures we received with her referral. They said that was the most pictures they had ever received with a referral! We will follow up with them when she arrives home (and with any additional medicals and photos we receive).

So what's next? Right now, they are working on getting her second medicals run. These tests are required to be run and approved before our agency can submit us to court. The hang up right now is that a reactive agent that is required for one of the tests is out of stock. It is expected to take 4 to 8 weeks to come in!!! I'm told this happens all of the time but it still has my heart in a knot right now. In the meantime, they are going to try to get the rest of the tests started. We did hear that they tried to get some of her bloodwork done last week, but they were unable to find a vein. Poor baby!! So, they are going to try again next week and if that doesn't work, they will try a different lab.

So right now, "her lack of vein" isn't really holding things up since we are waiting for the reactive agent for the other test. After all of her medicals are done and approved by us, our agency can submit our info for a court date. This will take several more weeks until we get a court date. Then, we will travel for court which means we will get to meet our precious angel! After court we will return home and await our embassy appointment.

Time seems to be standing still and waiting is STILL hard, but we knew it would be. We were and ARE STILL praying to have her home by the end of the year, but realistically, it will most likely be in the January to March time frame. But I know God has this under control so we just have to trust in Him and His timing right now. Not having her home by December 31 means we will miss out on the adoption tax credit, but we have to know that there's a plan in that also.

Truthfully, I have poured over blogs looking at timelines of those who have gone before us trying to figure out what our scenario might look like, but it's really out of our hands, so I need to stop trying to 'figure it out.'.

Things you can help pray with us would be:

• For protection of little Es heart and mind as she goes through some of the coming transitions from the orphanage to the care home, and the big scary needles that might have her frightened.
• For the reactive agent to come back in stock SOON or NOW...
• For her next attempt of giving blood to be a success so that her other medicals can get started and she doesn't have to go through multiple jabs.
• For her health during the next few months -- pray that she can remain healthy!
• For our airfare to be reasonable.... Depending when we go, airfare can be almost double...especially around the holidays.
• To have her home before 2012! The tax credit would help us pay off our adoption loan and help pay for our second trip over!
• For our 3 kids at home.. That they adjust well and that their hearts and minds are at ease during our travels.

So that's about it for now. We are hoping to get some new pictures sometime in October so we can see how she is growing. My mind is crazy right now with questions and to-do lists....but it's a happy crazy.