Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign

Many people have been offering their words of wisdom the past few weeks as we stressfully waited for our application packet and whether the program in Guatemala was to shut down.

God doesn't give you more than you can handle. It is what it is. When God shuts a door, he opens a window. God has a plan. The right baby out there is waiting for you and Jeff. Just be still and wait. Good things happen to good people. If it was easy, it wouldn't be worth it.

I have to admit that at times, I think that things have been difficult for Jeff and I in our 6 short years of marriage. He came into this marriage a father right off the bat, we dealt with family illness, infertility, job changes and the list goes on and on. I am sure that we are in good company to those reading this. I know that people we know have weathered more harsh storms than this. It is hard to see that when it is you in the boat and the seas are rocky. Thank goodness we have a really twisted sense of humor and a lot of love for one another, or we would have jumped ship.

When one of our friends and family have said these "things you say when there is nothing to say" I have thought of telling them to shove it. Other times, it was just what I needed to hear. Right now I realize that they were being friends. Unless you are IN the process of adopting, no one can really KNOW what it "feels" like. How can one expect anyone to know what anyone is going through ever? I feel guilty for the times I have said to people : "I know Exactly what you are going through.. let me tell you my story." No one can know exactly what anyone is truly going through. It is our friends and family who say the "things you say when there is nothing to say" that help us through it. I guess I am trying to say thank you, and I am sorry all at the same time. Thank you for listening, for sharing stories of friends, for not know the exact thing to say, but trying to be compassionate anyway. I am sorry that I did not seem to appreciate it at the time. Self-reflection is hard. Seeing that God has a bigger plan and dream for us than we can even dream up for ourselves is really difficult to swallow sometimes when everything seems to be happening to you. I am going to try to not let things just "happen to me" and be more proactive moving forward to make my life my best life. Now off of my Oprah trip and onto the good stuff.

We received our packet today! Hallelujah! It is the most amazingly difficult thing to understand, so thank GOD I have a friend who is going to help me through it. She is incredible and able to not read every blessed message board and website and just let God lead her adoption. I admire her. To think that we just met when Jeff and I were trying to make this difficult choice. Maybe I need to read the signs when they are the size of a billboard. Thank you, friend, as I know you are reading this.

The one thing that was a stress to me was how in the world we were going to get this stuff notarized with the dates on the documents matching the notary dates when often the items will be mailed to us a day later! After venting to another friend about this at length, she stopped me and said, "no need to worry - I AM A NOTARY!? I can just go to her house at night and get the things notarized. WOW. Where did that come from? I am grateful. The paperwork is daunting, but I am going to plow through it with help.

The last point of interest is that the Guatemalan government met today to decide if they were going to stop all adoption from Guatemala to the US. The International Adoption community sat on pins and needles waiting to hear word. They announced that as of now, there is no stoppage! I realize that things can change in an instant, but this is great news for now!

This post was long, but many of you have been asking for an update. I learned the past few weeks and am thankful that:
God doesn't give you more than you can handle.
It is what it is.
When God shuts a door, he opens a window.
God has a plan.
The right baby is out there waiting for us.
I need to be still and wait.
Good things happen to good people.
If it was easy, it would not be worth it.

Thank you ALL for saying the things you say when there is nothing to say. They really help.