12 years

Last night Jack and I were able to go out to celebrate our 12 year anniversary.  Not sure if you’ve read through our “Our Story” on this site but it has been quite a ride in this amazing marriage God has given us.  My mother-in-law has been telling me for years that I should write some sort of Guidepost article or something about this amazing journey because God’s handprints are so clearly marked on our lives that it’s really remarkable.

As we went out last night for the first time in a long time by ourselves of course the conversation was predominately about the adoption.  I freaked Jack out yesterday because I told him I looked on CARA’s website and they actually state than an NOC should only take 15 days and when I was looking through other family timelines on the Holt board that was actually true in more than one case.  Now there are also families that waited 5 months for the NOC so they don’t always hold true to their guidelines but it is possible.  I, of course, then said but of course ours will take like 6 months!  Jack said he loves my optimism ;)  I just tell him that then sometimes I get pleasantly surprised instead of disappointed.  Funny thing is that I find some of those self protection techniques that the books say adoptive children do like that in myself.  Guess I’ll sympathize :)

We started talking about this adoption and I told Jack it’s funny that I think this NOC might not go smoothly because everything else has.  I thought about it for a minute and just had to praise God for that attitude things have gone smoothly because it’s not me.  The humanness in me thinks who in their right mind would think this adoption process to be smooth when just five months ago our hearts were devastated with the loss of Ashenafi and having to start all over, not only in the process but also in a different country program.  I love that God has given us His eyes for this and not our own.  I love that in that devastating day He helped us to see His plan and His good and led us in His way.  I know many people who are hurting right now.  Good, Christ seeking people who just don’t understand what God is doing in their lives.  Been there.  I do LOVE the analogy of God using our lives as a quilt.  The back in the process doesn’t always look the greatest as you’re piecing it together but then when you flip it over and see the finished product it’s beautiful.  Or the analogy of the 3D picture.  When you’re staring directly at it too close it’s so fuzzy and blurred it doesn’t make sense but then as you step back a bit and relax and aren’t so in the middle of it the beautiful picture pops out at you.  This is the way I see our situation, not sure what God is doing in the moment of it but if we truly give it some time and seek God’s perspective He will give it to us and it’s beautiful.  We have to be brave enough and have enough faith to see it through.

Like I said, in this amazing marriage there has been a lot of those “3D images and quilts” and times when we just weren’t sure what God was doing but I’m so thankful God has given me as a helper to this amazing man who is willing to guide me to God’s plan when I just can’t see it and I’m so excited in anticipation to what God is doing with us now.

Keep praying for an NOC miracle :)