Our Yearly Checkup

So, it has been EXACTLY a year since we made our adoption (and incidentally this blog) "official news" to the world at large (a.k.a. Facebook).  It seems like both the longest and shortest year of my life.

We've accomplished so much (Paperwork completed and approved, dossier sent to Ethiopia), but have little to show for it.  That's the cross you bear with adoption-your hard work is in the hours spent pouring over forms, the driving to get approvals, the calls made to social workers.  Then after you've correctly completed the gargantuan task of compiling a dossier, you mail it off and wait.  And wait.  And wait.  I'm certain that a fellow adoptive parent must have coined the phrase "hurry up and wait" as it is SO apt for this process.  You get into the "Go, go, go" mentality because of all the deadlines you face with paperwork, then when you arrive at the "waiting period" it's like coming to a full stop in the middle of a sprint.

We "knew" (as much as you can "know" something without previously experiencing it) ahead of time that waiting would be difficult.  So we wanted to build events into our process to help us maintain excitement.  Getting Bronx was one.  Scheduling an adoption photo shoot was another.  We wanted to remember, through pictures, the bittersweet emotions that accompanied waiting for our daughter.  Because once the kid gets here (you parents know), our world will be thrown into utter, but blissful (?) chaos again.

Enter my dear friend Chandra (Contact her by email: chandra-dickson@live.com -or- through her business webpage on Facebook).  She donated her time and abilities by helping us capture these pre-daughter family moments.  Or, as David astutely called it, "A family photo shoot taken with our daughter in mind."  

It is rare to find an adoption "outsider" who gets it.  Someone who shares the love and enthusiasm our family has for a child we've never even met yet.  Well, Chandra does.  She has such a compassionate spirit, a gregarious generosity (Those of you who know Chan are nodding your heads).  She saw right to the heart of our family: both our desperate desire to adopt, but also our need to cherish the time we get to spend with our precious boy NOW.  The pictures express exactly what I fail to do so in words.

 So yeah, either we're REALLY photogenic (False!) or Chandra's REALLY gifted because those pictures are stinking amazing.  Apparently, semi-cuteness+a whole lot of outside talent=We just rocked your world with our adorable family!

Can we be serious for one second (I know, it's hard)?  Recently, while planning our upcoming fall fundraiser (Mark your calendars for the evening of November 16th!  More details next post...), a friend asked us for publicity's sake what was "different" about our family (Obviously, there's A LOT different about us!)?  What would set us apart from the other fundraisers, why were we special?

I've been really thinking about that question ever since.  What (besides our extra cuteness and my extreme wit and humor) is the difference between us and your average American family?  The answer I keep coming back to is: Nothing.  There is NO difference between us and you.  This past year has taught me that truly anything is possible when you have the support of God, family, and friends.  You need to be willing and fueled by a deep desire to succeed in this endeavor, but that's about it.  Foster parents, adoptive parents, biological parents: None of us do it alone.  I would say if you have even an inkling-a spark of interest concerning adoption, look into it!  Trust me, if our family-as scattered and crazy as we are-can do it, so can you!  Don't let an inordinate amount of paperwork or a scary list of expenses discourage you if you feel a tugging in your heart.  

We know that our daughter will be born in Ethiopia.  When you are blessed with that kind of certainty, nothing in the world can stop you from going to where your child is.  That kind of passion is contagious, people are drawn in and want to participate in the miracle of making your family whole.  Jesus works in mysterious ways.  I don't know why we were lucky enough to be given a burden for orphans and adoption, but it certainly was NOT because we are so extraordinary.  Nope.  Instead he chose a social worker, a part-time librarian, and a six year old child to change the life of one sweet little African girl.  And in the process, we found ourselves changed forever.  "Each time He said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."-I Corinthians 12:9.

Displaying some of our finest weaknesses....ummm, or weirdnesses.

{I would be remiss, in a blog revolving around pictures, if I didn't mention my girl Andrea.  Here's her website; she's also  taken beautiful photos for our family in the past.  And there's Amy, Brandie, Melissa--the other photographer friends we haven't even gotten to work with yet!  I wasn't trying to make this entry a who's who of picture taking, because basically we're surrounded by talented chicks with cameras.  When our girl gets here, there will most likely be a brawl over who gets to take her pictures first!}