If We Can Do It

I have never blogged before. I have never wanted to blog. I really don't want to now. Not any more than you really want to read this. And you wouldn't except that you have been directed here by an "invitational" email from my wife. Many of you, even though you have not expressed it to us directly, think we have lost our minds. You ask questions like "Exactly what is the age limit for adopting a child over there" and "Really, can people your age do that"? After all, Susan is 48 and I am 51. Yep, each of us with one foot in the grave. What ARE we thinking? Let me fill you in.

The Bible talks a lot about orphans, and when the Bible speaks about taking care of orphans and widows, the actual translation for "taking care of" means to relieve the problem. Now to me that is a pretty clear directive. I am definitely not sure of the exact numbers, but I'm thinking there are millions of orphans out there. Sadly, there are probably millions of families who could offer those fatherless, motherless and abandoned children hope, and love, and provision. Families who could relieve the problem! But they don't. As a family, we want to do what we can to relieve the problem. In these times of great economic uncertainty it would sure be easier not to do this. At our age, it would be easier not to do this. Considering my extreme fear of flying, it would definitely be easier for me not to do this. I did everything I could to have Lily delivered to my door. Sadly, China would not acquiesce so I am reluctantly, but also excitedly preparing for the 23 hour trip. Since I don't do medications it should be fairly miserable. Even worse, since Susan and our budget do not allow for first class air travel, it should be very miserable.

Nevertheless, here we go. After an arduous four year wait, on June 18th we head for Jinan, China to adopt our little girl, and our whole family can not wait. We have jumped through countless adoption hoops. We have been fingerprinted, background checked, tested, re-tested, home studied (and yes, I passed), expired, renewed, mismatched and then finally matched with the little girl God has picked out for us. We really are overjoyed to be near the end of the first part of our adoption journey, and excited to be parents again.

I hope you will follow us as we head into this new and uncharted chapter in our lives. And while you're at it, why don't you see what you are willing to do to help relieve the problem!

Chip