Wednesday, January 24, 2007

More Waiting

We have always known the wait to get a baby might be long, but I never dreamed the road to approval could be this long. We appreciate all of your prayers and encouragement over the past year, and are anticipating finalization of all of our paperwork this spring.

We began this journey in December of 2005. After completing our home-study last summer, we were anticipating quick approval and the waiting to begin. However, with my new job in the DeForest Schools, it seemed wise to delay things until the new year, so that I could get acclimated, and fulfill the requirements for Family Medical Leave. What we couldn’t have anticipated was Chris’s layoff in mid-September from his job of 4 years. As you may imagine, this put a crimp in our plans. The agency preferred to wait until Chris had full-time, permanent employment before officially approving us as a waiting family. We are hoping that we will be approved later this spring, and they will begin showing our profile in May.

We have completed all the paperwork, given the agency our profile, had physicals (twice!), collected the necessary first portion of fees, begun setting up our nursery (which I am calling my “Hope” Room), and attended a class on infant care. There are more classes coming up throughout this year. New state laws require completion of these classes before an adoption can be finalized.

I trust in the unfailing love and goodness of our Lord, who has all things worked out to prosper us and give us hope. Each setback causes us to lean more heavily on His mercy and grace. We realize each day how blessed we are to have family and friends who are supportive. We love you all, and hope to share with you yet in 2007, the story of God’s faithfulness in sending a child to the Bohlman family.


Much love – Chris & Rachel