Still Waiting...

It has been a couple of posts since we have posted anything directly related to our adoption process, and many have asked us recently for updates on where we are in the process.  The short answer is that it is very difficult for us to know exactly what the timing for our adoption will look like.  When we first applied, we expected that we would have a referral for our child sometime around the end of last year or January of this year.  Since then, the process seems to have slowed down significantly!  There are a couple of factors that have caused this slow down.  One is that there were a record number of families who were document ready in May and June.  We were document ready in August, so there is a extra large group of families waiting for referrals just ahead of us.  Also, our agency receives referrals from different regions in Ethiopia, and it seems that for a variety of reasons only one of those regions is able to provide children for referrals right now.  That means more families waiting and fewer children ready for referral, which equals a longer wait for us!  The truth is that it is hard to be patient, and we are anxious to receive our referral.  But we do take comfort in knowing that God's timing in this process is perfect and that we have so many loved ones praying for us and our child!

Months ago, our agency sent the following passage about waiting, and I recently came across it again.  It is a timely reminder that our wait isn't just wasted time...rather it is a time where we are being prepared for what is ahead for us.  Our wait will not be a moment too short or too long!  Praise God!

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."  -Malachi 3:3

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

The Air is Thinner in Colorado

We recently made a trip to Colorado to visit Kathy's sister and family. We got to visit our niece as well as spend time with family and Kathy's mom. The mountain house is located 9,200 feet above sea level where the air is pretty thin. The first day we were there we suffered from a little altitude sickness. Everytime we would exert a little energy we'd have to stop to catch our breath. I felt like a 20 year old chain smoker suffering from emphysema.

While we were there we did a little snow skiing at the local resort Eldora. It was only Kathy's second time snow skiing and she did fantastic. I got to break away and catch an afternoon of black diamonds. It was great!

The temperatures hovered between 20 and 40 degrees while we were there. There was a this great wood burning stove we would keep burning to stay warm. Our niece had a great game she liked to play called "brother, sister, sister" where Kathy and I were her brother and sister. The picture by the fire is of me and Ellie playing brother sister wrapped up by the fire. Kathy found it quite amusing.

We also got to make a trip to the Rocky Mountain National Forest near Estes Park, CO.  The scenery was breath taking (literally).  We had a great time and look forward to returning soon.  Until next time, this is Brian signing off from the Rocky Mountain National Forest.