So, there have been pending decisions about travel and such with these adoption delays. We fasted on Sunday and rehashed all of the details. There are factors like visas expiring after 30 days and kids passports 6 months from expiring (which is the deadline here) and do we leave Taiwan for a few days and go to Hong Kong, buying us 30 more days or will we end up having to pay penalties anyway if things don’t move along. Too much information, I know.
But, we also realized that youth conference for Emma is 3 weeks away, Tom is off payroll and maybe they should go on home instead of mucho dinero on change fees and penalties blah blah blah.
Not having heard anything specific, we figure we’re at least 2-3 weeks out (and that’s being optimistic), so Tom and Emma go home today. It feels like the right thing to do based on the information we have at present. But…it was also sad.
I think I let it all out when Lucy left the school tonight. We know her well and she has just loved Emma.
Because Emma and Tom went to Taipei today, she wasn’t there when Lucy left, meaning she wouldn’t get to say goodbye. We’ve seen her most days from 12:30 until dinnertime, gone swimming weekly and on the playground too. This afternoon, she gave us a little gift of porcelain shoes, not realizing that half the family was leaving tonight. I think I cried for more than just Lucy…it was for Emma and her goodness and for having our other half head home a little prematurely.
I count on Emma for stability and being agreeable and positive in practically every situation.
I count on Tom for lots of decision making-for splitting the labor-buying train tickets that get us to where we need to go, finding our way to hither and yon, taking pictures of everything so that we will always have a record of this story. What will we do without them?? Unfortunately, there's not too much time to belabor it since Sam and I are staying and need to deal with visa stuff.
The first thing we do is buy tickets to Hong Kong for a few days, so that we don’t overstay our visa. Leaving and coming back buys us another 30 days, and while people say the $$ penalties aren’t a big deal, it felt like maybe we’d want to err on the side of caution with immigration here.
I am laying my hope in a bigger picture…a perspective that maybe I can’t see right now, but Heavenly Father can. He knows our situation and what lies ahead. Can I trust that and remain calm and at peace?
End of story: we stopped at Lucy’s home on the way to the airport and were able to say goodbye.
I had an insight after our May trip to Hong Kong when I was feeling so frustrated about dates and waiting and so forth. The thought came to me that perhaps Heavenly Father has a bigger picture for us that may not be clear to us at present (not perhaps, I know He does). That weekend in Hong Kong, Sam had ridden the bus home alone with 2 new friends. It made quite an impression on him; he talked about going home to Anchorage and doing lots of things on his own--just a new image of himself. (from a kid who doesn't like to check the mail because of bears and moose) Not that I sought out a 12 hour plane ride to grow his independence, but it feels right. He's been an enormous asset here, playing with the kids and keeping me company.
He's had some great opportunities to grow here in unique ways..
Independence will matter when mom and dad have three more people needing care.
as for adoption updates, the final ruling came. Now we wait for medical exam results to get sent to AIT (equivalent of the US Embassy). At the moment, our AIT interviews could be as early as the 13th or 14th OR the 20th...depending on when they get the medical info. That is sort of what it's feeling like....wait, wait, get new information that you think might move it along, then wait, wait (over and over again).
