How Will We Know?

Earlier this month, a fellow prospective adoptive parent (say that 3 times fast!) passed an email on to me. The email was a plea to find a home for two bothers, 5 and 7ish, who were on a waiting child list. Imagine my thoughts when she told me this! This is what we are looking for! How perfect could this be? Wait, she's with another agency, how will this work? The email also had a picture of these two sweet boys. I was sad as I read this email and saw how these boys had been on the waiting child list, but no one had inquired about them. I don't know that we "felt" anything from God about those boys, but Alan and I prayed for them. The very next day, there was an email update and someone wanted those cute boys!

So, here's my question - how will we know (sings, "can't trust a feeling!" Sorry, I hear Whitney's voice singing that song!)??? How will we know when we see the boys (or girls) that we have been praying for? What do you look for? Adoptive parents receive referrals based on where they are on the wait list (unless we choose to check out the "waiting children" list). The referral, as I understand it, contains a picture and some medical/family background.

So, when we looking at pictures - do we look for how cute they are? Do we look for something in their eyes? A smile? What is it that the picture provides us? As for medical records - we already know that many children will be undernourished, some will need "normal" things like glasses, dental work, etc. There are some children that might need more extensive medical care, there are also children who are HIV positive - how do I feel about that? Then there's the family background - what if their parents are alive but can't take care of them? What if they are true orphans whose parents are gone from this world? What if they have older brothers and sisters who are not adoptable and we would be taking them away from them? There are just soooo many questions, you know?

I guess we have to look at it this way, somehow, Alan and I "knew" that we were the ones for each other and we went with it. Look at us now, 18 years later - beginning the family journey when we could have kids on their way out, LOL :) Ultimately, we are going to have to make decisions about potential kids - pray for us to make the right decision.

We are still gathering some paperwork - ugh, to submit to our agency. Pray that we get that done ASAP. Fundraising is going well. Just last week we held a great sushi class/dinner for a couple who has already gone through the adoption process. Such a blessing to have other parents supporting us. I sold some necklaces to a local café, also, to raise some moola. Slowly but surely, things are happening. Who knows, maybe next 4th of July we'll have kids celebrating our independence :)