Sad Times...

There are (at least) five steps at the end of the process one goes through when adopting a child:

• Matching
• Visits
• Placement (for 90 days)
• Consent
• Finalization

We are currently about 66 days into our placement period.

We made an error in May when we posted pictures of two boys we had visited with at the zoo.  We were advised to take them down by a friend of ours we had met during our GPS class.  It was not an order (or even a request) but, rather, a "be careful" warning.  The message was that until a placement agreement was in place, we could not post pictures anywhere for public view of any children we were "in process" with.  This made a lot of sense.  Turns out that was good advice because we ended up not being a match for those two boys.

This is the ONLY direction regarding this issue we have recieved during our placement and adoption adventure.

That being the case, when we signed a placement agreement on June 28 for Zach and Sean, we happily proceeded to post pictures.  And post pictures.  And post more pictures.

Well, it turns out there has been a change in the rules.

DHR guidelines now state that no pictures can be posted of any child until the adoption has been finalized.  Read that again: finalized.

So, we have to suspend our blog for a while – we don’t want to delete the blog entries because that’s what it will take to get the pictures off.  We plan to write entries; we just can’t post them yet.  But rest easy, dear reader, for the day the judge signs that paper, we will be back.  And you will be able to catch up on all the great things that are going on in our lives!!!

Before we go, let us leave you with awesomeness:

One of the boys said very recently something to the effect of "You know, it's funny how everyone says we look and act like we belong to each other.  It's like you were always our parents and we just couldn't live with you until now."

We love our two boys.

Please pray that things move quickly after we receive consent.

The plan right now is to file the papers with the court on Thursday, October 27.  There are numerous, very important reasons we are trying to finalize the adoption prior to the end of the year. Please pray that all goes well with our family in the meantime and that we can get the adoption finalized by December 31.  We would love to have it finished by Thanksgiving.

A lot of people have told us it will be impossible to have it finalized by then but we believe our God is an awesome God and there is nothing He can not do.  We put our hope in the Living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe.

We'll talk to you down the road...