Babies on the Brain

I’ve been thinking a lot about babies recently.

Maybe it’s because tomorrow I am helping to host a baby shower for three, that’s right, three HOPAC ladies who are having babies in the next few months.  The kindergarten teacher, the wife of the science teacher, and the wife of the history teacher.  Two are giving birth in country. 

Maybe it’s because I spent an hour yesterday looking at these beautiful babies.  Forever Angels just might be “our” orphanage this time around. 

Maybe it’s because my worker, Esta, is pregnant and due in April.

Maybe it’s because Stella is always on my mind. 

That’s a heck-of-a-lot of babies. 

So this here post is a dual update:  partly about Stella, and partly about what’s next for us.  Here you go:

Stella: 

Stella had an appointment yesterday.  The doctor said she is doing great.  He said she will be admitted no later than March 10th.  They will do an ultrasound to find out the size of the baby at that point.  If the baby is big enough, then at that time they will take the baby by C-section.  Or she will stay at the hospital until the baby is big enough, and then do the C-section.  The doctor said that after losing 4 babies in labor, they will not let her go into labor this time.  So that means she has five weeks to go!  Pray with me!

And us:

Assuming that Mama S’s report really was sent yesterday (and we’ve learned never to really assume anything), then the next step is that we wait for approval from the District Commissioner.  A few things would have to happen to make this problem-free:

1.  They receive the report, which really was sent, and does not get lost in the mail or someone’s office.

2.  They accept the report as it is written and do not require Mama S to add anything else.

3.  They don’t require us to do an International Report.  (We had to do this for Grace and Josiah, but were assured that we don’t have to this time.  However, they could change their minds).

4.  They decide that they will approve us for a third child.

As friends have rejoiced with us, the inevitable question is always, “So when will you get the baby?”  Well, hypothetically, it could happen as soon as a couple of months.  But as you can see, a number of scenarios could lengthen that process.

Next week, I will go to the district social welfare office.  Instead of nagging Mama S, now I get to nag Mama A.  We will tell her which orphanage we are requesting, and remind her that we have requested a girl between one and two years old.  And I will weekly talk to her about the “progress” of our approval letter….until we get it.  That letter, Lord willing, will not only grant us approval to foster a child, but will give us the name of the particular child they have chosen for us.  We will have a name, a face, and then wait for the paperwork to be done on that child.  The paperwork gets sent back to the district office, and they issue a final-final-final letter which will let us take her home. 

It always starts and ends with a letter, remember? 

I love adoption.  But I must admit that sometimes I am envious of all these other ladies who actually have a due date.  🙂