10 Months on the Wait list and Counting

Well, it's about time for my monthly update. :-) Honestly, the Whites have been busier working this summer than ever. Between teaching theatre workshops, assitant directing the children's chorus in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and helping Geoff and Anna Grace as they have been preparing to open Beauty and the Beast, there has been little time for anything other than running from one theatre to the next! For that I am thankful. It is something we all enjoy as a family. And, how very cool for Anna Grace to have the opportunity to do a show with her daddy! Bless him, he's juggled the intense rehearsal schedule with his equally busy full-time job. But, he's loved every minute!!

Theatre has been a blessing to us. We've made some beautiful friends, we love the creative release, and it has kept us too busy to wallow in frustration over the stalling of the adoption process. We have now been on the wait list officially 10 months. By the first of October, we will have been on our adoption journey for 2 years. I realize that many countries have much longer waits, but when we decided on Taiwan and this particular program, one of the biggest "positives" was the short wait-time. We knew going in that adoption was a roller coaster, constantly changing. But, we can't deny that we have grown frustrated over the past months as referrals have slowed down to an unintelligible drip with no real explanation. The lack of explanation is what is most concerning. Last fall, we were expecting to wait no more than 8-9 months for our referral. As of November, the referrals were pouring in so fast that it looked as if we might see our baby girl's face by March or April 2009. Now, it looks as if it could be December at the earliest and that is a "best case scenerio". Of course, once we receive our referral, the court process will take another 6 months or so. We have become very aware that all of this is completely out of our hands. So, we are very thankful to have "sweet distractions" to keep our minds on things we do have control over.

On another note. . . I am excited to announce that I will be recording a jazz album. Music is my love. This is something I've dreamed about for a long time. I will create a website and will market it online through CD Baby and Itunes. I'm eager to begin this recording project and see where it leads. I will keep you posted as it progesses!

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to wait to meet our daughter. Anna Grace is being incredibly patient, but is ever so eager to become a big sister. And, in the meantime, we are embracing life, pursuing our dreams and making each day count.

Through this adoption journey, one thing has become ever so clear. . . that there are so many uncertainties in this life. We truly do not know what tomorrow will bring. But, I believe every day is a gift. And, our gifts, talents and passions are treasures planted within us for us to use for the good. I don't see this "life's uncertainties" revelation as a negative. I see it as a great way to approach life. . . with enthusiasm and urgency. The only guarantee we have is: "if you do nothing, nothing will come from it".

So with that said, the Whites will continue to embrace each day, squeeze every ounce of joy and opportunity from it--not wasting one second of the days we are given, continue to grow ourselves and use our gifts--and wait patiently (as much as possible) on the Lord's timing to bring our daughter home to us.

Thank you for following and sharing in our journey.