It’s that time of year again… a time to say goodbye to the current year and ring in the New Year. It’s time for a reflection on the year that has just passed by, very rapidly I might add. Looking back on 2007, the blur that it was, I can honestly say it was a pretty good year. That doesn’t mean that we haven’t faced some challenges but if I checked the scale the good has outweighed the bad.
The biggest challenge this year was dealing with “the wait” is I now call it. Most of you are aware of where we stand on the adoption front but in case you are not here is a brief recap. Matt and I have been logged into China for 15 months and 3 weeks to adopt our baby girl. We thought by now we would have at least been looking at a picture of our daughter as we waited to travel. Unfortunately, it seems like our referral will still be a long, long way off. The reasons for this are varied and despite speculation we know nothing concrete about why or when things in China will change. The frustration and anger associated with this wait have been documented here at various times so there is no need to rehash them here. In addition to the wait we have dealt with the loss of friends and the illnesses of family.
Yet despite the disappointments, losses, and frustration we have basically had a good year. While the wait has been difficult, at times more than others, it’s amazing how many other things we did accomplish in 2007. We sold our condo and bought a house. This was no small feat given that the real estate market has been deteriorating steadily the last year or so. We managed to get a fairly good price on the condo and a great deal on our house. We both got promotions at our jobs. We have seen family members healed and made new friends. We’ve watched families receive their referrals and others bring their children home. What inspiration these things are, they do make it all seem real somehow. Our support system is the best; we couldn’t have made it without you guys. You all know who you are :o) All in all we have a lot to be grateful for.
Earlier I read over some of my posts from last year and ran across this ~
Patience is a hard discipline. It is not just waiting until something happens over which we have no control: the arrival of the bus, the end of the rain, the return of a friend, the resolution of a conflict. Patience is not waiting passively until someone else does something. Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. When we are impatient, we try to get away from where we are. We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later, and somewhere else. Let's be patient and trust that the treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand."
Henri J.M.Nouwen
It's as true today as it was when I first read it. As I sit and write this I’m trying to think about next year and what my goals for 2008 (besides the obvious things) should be. I know for sure I need to worry less and live more. I think I want to start writing letters to our daughter that hopefully will convey how much we have always loved her, even before we knew her. I should begin reading adoption related books. (It has seemed so far away so far that I haven’t read any!) The rest hasn’t come to me yet but I’m sure it will. Thank you to all of you who have shared your lives with us and for being such a big part of ours. We love you all and look forward to continuing our relationships next year. Wishing you all only the best on 2008!
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