Merry Christmas friends and family! I am doing much better than last year in at least one area...Christmas cards are done and in the mail. Woohoo. I feel like that's a huge accomplishment since last year I couldn't even get motivated to do that. Still no tree and trimmings at our house. It just seems pointless. It's just Paul and I and we won't even be home very much over the holiday.
I was thinking about Mary and Joseph recently, go figure, and what those 9 months must have been like for them. Knowing that they were going to parent God's child surely tripled the anticipation of the arrival of their baby. I can only imagine. In a way, aren't all children God's children? Isn't it our greatest privilege to raise our children as though they are his? I dunno, sometimes I think I am thinking too much.
Just to update you as to where we stand in this marathon known as our adoption...
Our I-600A, immigration paper work for our hypothetical child, expires in February so that's another 850ish to Homeland Security. We've been informed by our agency that China has increased the orphanage donation fee from 3,500 to 5,500 due to the weak American dollar. And the rumor mill is rife with talk of the wait increasing to 5 years. 5 FREAKIN' YEARS! I suppose the good news is we're at the 28 month mark and how much longer could it be? Well it could be another FREAKIN' 28months that's how long! We know it's a marathon, not a sprint. It's about stamina and endurance and not instant gratification. Knowing all of that doesn't make it any easier just so you know. In fact, I cannot think of one pithy, cliche that could adequately express what this feels like at this point.
Nevertheless...Merry Christmas to you all and all our best wishes for a happy and healthy new year...love ya, mean it.
Lisa
