On the Job training

When Melisa and I started the adoption process, she had had 22 years of parenting experience. I, on the other hand, had six years of step-parenting, and none with a new born or infant, which is the desire of our hearts. I didn't go into this with doe-eyed innocence or a Pollyanna outlook. God had to drag me kicking and screaming. There are still pieces of wood under my fingernails where I was clawing the floor to prevent me from welcoming the bundle of joy into our home. That process is for a whole other entry. Today is about the stops and starts and lifted and dashed hopes we've experienced so far. I am not yet a Jedi master. The spiritual master I've been trying to study under recently is Job. The man in the Bible whose reputation is for being dumped on, having everything taken from him, and is also the role model for being blessed more than we can imagine for being faithful and trusting God.
We first considered parenthood when we found out about her cousin's child pregnant and in jail in Nebraska. On her fourth child with years to go on her sentence, having relinquished her right on her previous 3 children, and her sibling full up on kids, we became a possible place to bless her new child with a home and loving environment. She was initially denied admission to the parenting program and we were told it was a high 90% chance to have a kinship adoption. My mother brought a bassinet down, we bought clothes, and told the family of our new addition. She appealed the decision and was granted a place in the program. The rug came out from under our feet and we landed safely but uncomfortably on our backsides. We picked ourselves up and pressed on.
Down the road a piece, Melisa hears about a young girl who is pregnant. Unfortunately, she hears about it through a client and that would jeopardize the job that she values so much, and will enable us to live and share the life we have. Another healthy young child that is just out of our reach .
Melisa's cousin has a daughter who is a foster parent and we met a young boy that she had fostered. It is brought to our attention that he has become eligible for adoption . We grill her cousin on the boy, she raves about how smart he is and how she thinks he will thrive in a stable environment. Melisa gets a twinkle in her eye. I have a little bit of apprehension, but I'm always the doubting Thomas. bWe have already met him and played with him at Rosa's house. He is a cute kid. A little further inquiry and we find out there are some violent episodes we won't expose Mariah too. Another near miss. Job waits the devil gives him boils and God does nothing.
We floated our desires to another couple from church. Find out they adopted and had adoption attorneys they couldn't say enough nice things about. I have to say lawyers have a harsh reputation and to have them gushed about like that made me think they had red capes and shirts with big "S"es on them. The only catch was we were a lot short on the $16,000 they needed to take our case. The perfect solution to our search was just a little bit outside of our price range.
The next in line was to give Catholic Charities a try. They have a halfway house for pregnant teens, and what they heck, I was a Catholic once upon a time in a galaxy far far away. I just crossed my fingers and hoped they didn't ask me to recite a Hail Mary. The paper work was filled out and mailed in near a word, from Catholic Charities or from Heaven above.
Here is the beauty of this story, I know God was faithful to Job. He wound up with twice what he had. He didn't have to do anything but believe in a God that would never leave or forsake him. I am believing that same God that Andrew (what we call the son we are believing for) is out there, and more than that he is on his way into our lives. So bring on the boils, because my son is worth the price, and I serve and believe the same God Job did. My on the Job training continues.

Steven