Third time's the charm . . . right? (Please?)

So.  This week we must drive two hours to our local Citizenship & Immigration office to be fingerprinted.  This is our third time during this particular adoption.

(Maybe you didn't know this, but your fingerprints EXPIRE every 15 months.  Yes, they do.  All of your life, your fingerprints have been expiring right there at the end of your hands, and you didn't even know it.  Or maybe it's only adoptive parents' fingerprints that expire . . .)

There are other adoption-related things we've done this summer -- right before India Heritage Camp, we completed and submitted tons of paperwork, and had a visit from our social worker to update our home study.  It's our second update since the original home study, and luckily we really enjoy Mary, our local social worker. 

She is a wonderful woman whom we know VERY well by now -- she has worked with us all three times for this adoption, and did our home study and update for Anya Rashi's adoption.  She is a funny, lovely person who is one of the unexpected blessings along the way.  Mary actually tells her families not to freak out and uber-clean their houses -- she is there to get to know them, "not to do a 'white glove' test."  What a comfort to nervous parents!  And she is a pro who takes many things in stride (including the unexpected appearance of a child wearing nothing from the waist down during our first home study visit!).

I have had a difficult couple of weeks this summer, wondering when we will hear anything from the orphanage we were matched with in March.  There had just been absolutely no news of anyone receiving a referral through the new process devised by CARA following the 18-month shut-down and restart in January.

Just when I'm at my lowest, however, there have been glimpses of hope:

1.) For families who have found a child on older child lists, or special needs children, there has been progress.  Their cases are moving through the court system, and some of them are achingly close to travel!  It has been so much fun to see them finally be able to share photos and names of their children as they receive guardianship.  Seeing those sweet faces really keeps me going!

2.) God has placed other parents considering adoption in our path, which keeps wind in our sails.  Last Friday, we went to a premiere of an independent short film at a university in our city.  Peter was updating some friends on our adoption, when he noticed a couple in the row ahead of us blatantly eavesdropping.  Turns out they are interested in adopting from India, and are seeking information about it!  They thought they were on the receiving end of that blessing -- but it was just as much of a joy for us to share what we knew, and meet some other like-minded people.  A couple at our church is also interested in adopting from India, and we made plans to have them over next week to talk about it.  They are newlyweds -- we attended their wedding this summer -- who are going to be fantastic parents, and I love that their first thought about starting a family is through adoption.

3.) And last but NOT least, we finally heard of a referral happening through the new process!  I don't know anything else about which city or which orphanage, but an internet mama friend shared the good news with me late last week.  It's so, so good to hear that the new process is slowly creaking to life, and so kind of her to tell me right away.

And life goes on, with the summer days growing shorter.  We've been out and about hiking, swimming, visiting an old-fashioned amusement park, and more.  And now we are adding to that list: praying that the third time being fingerprinted is our last!