becoming professional waiters

There is a person on an online Russian adoption chat board called "Russian waiter". It is funny how being a "waiter" becomes very defining of who you are - and I don't mean waiting tables!

When I go to those chat boards, I find people who've waited longer than us, people who are caught between trips, people who started after us but are already home with their children, and people just starting out who still have the illusion that they may have some control over the timing of their adoption. Probably the most helpful people are the ones who have gotten home and can give practical advice. There are some particular discussions we will definitely re-read once it gets closer to our turn.

Unfortunately, I have no news. I have sent an email to our agency director but haven't heard back yet, so I don't know if the two families ahead of us have made progress or not.

If you are a pray-er, here's what we need from God's hand right now:

1) Patience!!

2) Motivation for work - especially me (Sarah) because I have a lot of research on my plate and need to really push to get much of it done before the adoption.

3) Our preparations....there are little things to do (finishing some small home improvements, getting an official lead paint inspection) and some bigger things (Russian language study, preparation for unique parenting issues that may arise during the transition from the orphanage)

Some praiseworthy things are:

1) Our God who has a plan for us and our family!

2) Conveniently for us, there is a "Parenting" Sunday School class going on at church this semester, so it is really helpful to be thinking through issues of parenting with a group of people who are trying to take a Biblical approach

3) Our church Bible study home group has been growing, and discussions have been really good so far this semester. We always lose some people in the Spring at the end of the academic year, but the rebuilding has gone very well this fall.

4) My undergrads this semester (about 75 students) are great! We are having a lot of fun with Labor Economics (although, how could it not be fun? honestly?).

Thanks for your prayers, and for walking with us in this process. It is sort of surreal sometimes - I am sure that is how it will feel when we finally are given a travel date. The whole thing is sort of hazy right now, and it will suddenly be real and probably shocking! We'll be sure to let you know whenever there is news.