...JUNE!

January, February, March, April, May...JUNE!  The blessings of being a teacher is that I can travel during the summer months.  And next month I'm off...again!  

That sad January day I left El Salvador this past Christmas break, I told everyone I would be back in June and Tone and I have been counting down 6 months until we get to see each other again.  He's really good at half of the months in English by now.  We're one month away from another visit, this time for two months, and he has already asked permission to ride to the airport to pick me up.  I can't wait for this sweet reunion!  It's been a long year waiting for all the paperwork that goes into the adoption process.

A recap:  I spent June - December getting approval from the US government to be considered an international adoptive parent.  Then in January I delivered all of my paperwork to my lawyer and he said I could be optimistic about August.  I haven't heard a thing yet.  UGH!!!!  I can't explain what is happening that makes the process go so long.  All I know is that we live in a country that has systems set up for processes to happen according to a timeline.  It's not the same way in other countries and we are all at the mercy of the employees and work load at the governments agencies.  I know I will not return in August with my little boy but maybe Christmas is a more realistic hope.

The amount of time apart from him has started to pay a toll on me.  The lack of any progress in the process has also weighed me down a bit.  In addition to that, last week I realized that I would have to take time off for the adoption (now that it's clearly not happening in August) without access to my 100+ accumulated sick day leave.  It just doesn't seem fair and keeping my hopes up was becoming harder.

Just when I needed a bit of good news, I received a letter today from a grant that I had applied for in February.  It said that I was awarded $6,500 toward the adoption!!!!!!!!!!!  Woo hoo!!!!!!!  The pushes me over my goal of raising $20,000!!!!!!!!.  I just can't believe it!!!!!!!  This news is so incredible and it came when I needed to hear it the most.  God is so faithful.  He knows every need and provides.  Always.

There are several huge mountains to climb before all of this comes to fruition.  I thank you all for being interested, encouraging and supportive.

As I finish off the school year, I am reminded that my 1 year anniversary for returning to the USA is in a few weeks.  I've already purchased a ticket to return.  It just so happens that the woman I hired to do my job in El Salvador is having surgery two days before I get there so guess what...I get my job back!  ha ha!