Monday, October 3, 2011

"Blah," said Toad

Anya Rashi and Eliza

Since Friday, I've been trying to decide if I feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy keeps pulling the football away just as he tries to kick it . . . or if I feel like Toad of "Frog & Toad" fame. I think Toad wins. BLAH.

Along with other families adopting from India, we have received some bad news. Again. All families from outside India were supposed to re-submit our dossiers and a few other documents by October 1, after which date we would be assigned to a particular orphanage -- and then be matched with a child.

On Friday, however, we learned that there is a backlog of 550 families within India who must be processed first. While we think it is ideal for children to stay in their birth country -- and we are praying that they find families soon -- it was so hard to hear that our adoption is delayed yet again. Our new deadline is December 31, and the Central Adoption Resource Agency in India is not guaranteeing that anything will happen then either. Needless to say, we were heartsick reading that e-mail.

We were actually sitting at a table with Anya Rashi at our favorite Indian restaurant when Peter glanced at a new e-mail on his phone. He decided to read it during our lunch, which told me it was something very important. (Later, he told me that he had thought it was going to be good news about our dossier arriving in India.) Then I watched as his face fell, and he shared the news about the delay. Our eyes filled with tears, and Anya Rashi asked us what was wrong. We explained that we were having a day when we were missing her little sister, just like she sometimes does. Trying to help us feel better, she chirped, "Well, you don't have to worry about me today -- I'm not having one of those days right now."

We never dreamed that this process would take so long. Anya Rashi's adoption took 2 years and 1 month, and now we're coming up on 2 1/2 years with no end in sight. It is very difficult and so painful to know that millions of children in India need a family, and we are ready and willing to love one of them . . . but we have no control over when that will happen. We can only ask that you join us in praying for something miraculous to happen to speed up the process.

On Saturday, Anya Rashi had this discussion with her friend Eliza:
Eliza: Are you sure your little sister is ever going to get here?
Anya Rashi: Remember those really old people in the Bible who had a baby?
Nancy: Do you mean Sarah and Abraham?
Anya Rashi: Yes! So if God says we're going to get our baby sister, then it's going to come true.

Aside from the slightly unflattering comparison to the elderly Sarah and Abraham (!), we are taking heart from that truth: if God says it's going to come true, then it is going to come true. We are deeply saddened right now, but trying to rest in that truth.

7 comments:

SarahinOK said...

Ha! Abraham and Sarah! Let's hope it doesn't take us all THAT long. Bless her little heart! Praying for speed along with you!

The Labontes said...

I'm so sorry, Nancy! I love Anya Rashi's outlook. Please know that all of the waiting families and children are in our prayers!

Leveta said...

I am so sorry. I can understand how frustrating this can be.Your daughter is so smart and right on with her views.What a testimony she is to your parenting and what wonderful parents you all will be to this little girl who God has planned for your family.
Leveta

Julie & Patrick said...

Argh! I have been checking back regularly in the hopes that good news would have come from CARA too. I can't imagine how hard this news is to process after following this journey for so long. Both of our journeys took just shy of 3 years...about the length of time you will have waited by the Dec. 31st deadline. Perhaps that time frame will bring luck to you too. I am certainly hoping and praying it will.

You are all doing a great job of staying positive, including Anya Rashi, who reminds me so much of my Devi it is a bit scary at times :)

Sarah and Abraham? Now that is funny!

Julie

Candice said...

So sorry for yet another delay. I know your hearts are aching. I will be praying that things will move quickly now and that maybe you will have some good news before Christmas! That is so funny about Sarah and Abraham, but God speaks through children in amazing ways! Continue to trust in His goodness and His promises!

Candice

Kristi W. said...

Oh Nancy...such a sad e-mail for sure. I'm praying with you that CARA will figure this whole thing out, and hire more personnel to handle all of the cases! Visiting that little office back in April, it doesn't make sense to me how they will match referrals now in addition to what they were already doing without a bigger staff. Hope they figure that one out quickly! Hang in there Nancy. I know you know that your little sweetie is so worth this wait. And I think Anya Rashi is hilarious! :)

Pam said...

Urg Nancy. I don't have much time for blogging or email lately..but I stopped by hoping for good news. :( I'm so sorry friend!