Tuesday, December 6, 2011

USCIS Fingerprints: Take Two!


Well, we got our USCIS fingerprint appointment notices in the mail yesterday! It looks like we'll be going back to the federal building next week to get our fingerprints made...for the SECOND time!!! :)

Our appointments are actually on two different days...kind of strange. Jody's appointment is the day before mine. But it actually will work out well because there is no way I could make the time they gave him. And I have nothing going on the morning of my appointment, so it looks like it will work out just fine! :)

Our first appointments we got, (over a year ago) we had to send in to re-schedule, but it doesn't look like we will have to the second time around. I have to admit, it's really bittersweet doing this all over again.

On one hand, it's sad because I always hoped and dreamed that Caroline Faith would be HOME with us this Christmas. I never thought we'd be sitting here at #22 on the waitlist and re-doing fingerprints! But on the other hand, I am excited because this just marks another milestone on our adoption journey to our little love in Ethiopia!

She is worth the wait, and we'll do whatever it takes to get her home! We'll even do these fingerprints a THIRD time if needed! (But I hope we won't have to!) :)

We do the Elevate curriculum in our children's ministry, and this week our "main point" was simple, yet profound...

"I will have patience."

Yep, I think God spoke to me this Sunday just as much (if not more!) through our children's large group as He did through the sermon. The Bible story was how Simeon waited patiently to see the baby Jesus. Simeon had been promised that He would live to see the Messiah. And he did.

Our children's minister talked about how the Greek word for patience actually means cheerful endurance and HOPE. Patience is not just "biding our time" or "making it through a difficult circumstance". Patience is waiting steadfastly with excitement, enthusiasm and HOPE.

And the Bible says clearly in 1 Corinthians 13 that "love is patient." So, putting it all together here...because I love God and want to show His love to others. And because I love our daughter in Ethiopia, my love has to be a patient love. Not a love that complains, cries and whines in the long wait. Not a love that walks around everyday "down in the dumps" because of another day with no waitlist movement. Not a love that just wants to rush through this wait, so it will be over.

Well, I am at a breaking point where I cannot make it through this wait on my own. I am entirely and completely and totally dependent on my heavenly Father to carry me through the rest of the wait. I was telling a friend the other day that I am at a point where I literally cannot get out of bed in the morning without time in the Word and time spent pouring my heart out in prayer to the Lord. As I was saying those words to my friend, it hit me.

Of course!!! That's a point that I should be at each and every day...no matter the circumstance. I think I am finally at the place where God has wanted me all along during this over 2 year journey.

I am completely surrendered to HIS will, HIS sovereignty, and HIS timing for bringing our daughter home. And I am praying that He will give me the strength to endure the rest of the wait with patience and hope.

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:25

8 comments:

Sarah said...

Amen, dear friend. I am so happy for a heavenly Father who is so faithful to bring us where we needed to be all along! I am happy that in the midst of this journey to our children the Lord is gaining a testimony in us!

Jenay said...

This post really spoke to me. Good job and I'm so glad that God is so "patient" with us..that He will keep us on this journey and just keep working with us and molding us into what He wants for us. What a mighty Good and patient God we serve. Praying for your girl to come home soon.

erica said...

God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. When we're totally surrendered to Him, He takes over and accomplishes the greatest things through us. Love this post - something I definitely needed, as I struggle with patience, too!

And for our first fingerprints, my husband and I got appointments two weeks apart from each other, and we had a 3-hour drive to get there! We just showed up together, and they got us both in - no problem. Hope it all goes well for you! :)

G said...

That is such a beautiful perspective of patience--I need to live that way! :)

That's so cool the way the fingerprints worked out! It's always awesome to avoid more paperwork/phone calls with rescheduling. :)

Love your honesty in your adoption journey--the waiting is so hard... But so excited to watch the rest of it unfold!
~Gini :)

Lauren said...

you have such a sweet perspective! You're an encouragement to me! I hope that I can handle the wait this time around with as much grace as you have shown! You're amazing!!!

Angela Hunt said...

I love this Alison. Thank you so much for sharing!

michelle said...

Alison-
So well spoken. I just finished Kisses from Katie (by Katie Davis) and the end of the book esp talked so much about hope and waiting. On page 257 she writes:

"I am learning to hope when nothing makes sense and to know that God knows best, even when what He is asking of us seems so impossible. I am waiting and God is teaching me this: I beg Him to bring me close to His heart, to even transform my heart that it might be more like His. I think orphan care gets us close, b/c He sees us as orphans. I think adoption gets us close, b/c this is how He brings us into His family."

There are times when I pour out my heart to our Heavenly Father with thanks for this journey for it has drawn us all so much closer to Him. To being his vessel and it IS through our waiting and through our hope that we learn the journey is not only worth the wait but grows our heart with limitless compassion.

Do hope the fingerprint apt goes well!!!
mlynne

Stephanie said...

I am totally in this place right now. I feel like I've been surrounded by babies lately and it's just hard knowing we've got a year, at least, ahead of us. But I love your perspective and I'm striving for it to be true in my life too!