How?

This is a little Eurasian girl that was adopted this year from a an orphanage in Russia in the arms of her very proud papa. Isn't she a doll!

How do I follow my previous post? What can I share with you that would be of any value in comparison to the lives of so many children? It isn't easy to answer that question. If the information I shared caused one person to think... "Wow, I had no idea! If I could, or if I can in the future I want to adopt, or help someone else that is adopting one of these children," then it made a difference that I am proud of. Adoption has a lot of expense on the front end, and I don't know of very many people that have enough money in their checking account to pay for it at once. Some good news is, there are lots of places that make low or no interest loans to help pay for adoption. Also, part of the money that is spent adopting a child is given to help those that are still left behind in orphanages.

In my previous post I mentioned people with infertility issues because for many years they have been the main group who ends up choosing adoption. Any adoption agency will tell you that the number of people trying to adopt since IVF and surrogacy has dropped dramatically. The only problem is that the number of children that need to be adopted has not changed.

After speaking with the President of Grace International Adoption Agency last week, I discovered that right now there is no waiting time to get a child through foreign adoption. Once a couple's paperwork and home study is complete they will typically be home with their child in 3 to 5 months. They also caution couples to be aware that they may be referred a child that they must travel to see in as little as one month! Those of you who have been following my blog know that Jon is adopted. His parents applied to two or three adoption agencies, and waited for him for 3 1/2 years! So there are a lot of things that have changed.

I have nothing but compassion and empathy for couples that want to have children, & have run into an unexpected dip in the road. I know I have referred to the movie before, but completely fell apart watching Up when Carl & Ellie are daydreaming and making plans to have a baby, then she discovers that she can't, & goes out to sit in the backyard alone. I can't tell you how many hours I spent in our back porch swing thinking, "What are they chances?" "Why am I going through this?" "What should we do?" I finally stopped feeling helpless when I quit asking myself these questions, and I turned all of my fears, frustrations, hopes, and questions over to the Lord. Can I just tell you right now, that what ever IT is that you may be struggling to deal with, HE is able to take care of IT? I have complete peace that whatever is supposed to happen is going to. I don't feel defeated, and because of that my life is just as complete right now without a child yet as it will be when we get one.

Some people may think that I am completely against medical research and infertility advancements. As someone that has completed Institutional Review Board certification (to oversee & review doctors, scientists, and others who wish to conduct medical experiments on humans) I can promise you that assumption is the furthest thing from the truth. I love research, not only is it necessary, but it is interesting (yes I've admitted that I'm a nerd on more than one occasion). I've had a couple ideas of my own that I've researched, and would like to have a qualified person conduct further experiments on.

My 27th birthday was on Sunday, and it meant a lot to have so many people send me their best wishes on facebook, through cards, & on the phone. I hope everyone is getting that inner excitement for the Thanksgiving & Christmas season. I know I am!