Miracles DO Happen!

Well, I have turned 43 (April 2006) and last month Pat turned 42 (March 2006). Normally birthdays would be happy times with presents and cake, but not this year. We are now a combined 85 which means if our adoption does not go through before next March 2007 we will be too old.

Referrals have slowed and we fear that we are in trouble. I had contacted Jynger, the director of the India program at Dillon, and had been assurred that this issue was workable and that we should contact her again after the birthdays. I assumed that workable meant we would be moved up the list so that our adoption could be finished in plenty of time.

I was so excited to contact Jynger again...I knew this meant we would get some news about when we would be receiving our referral for a child. I was horribly wrong. The solutions offered, were to change country programs or take a chance that we would receive a referral before next March 2007! WOW! What a blow. Patrick and I were dumb founded.

Unfortunatley, Jynger was out of town for the whole next week at an adoption conference in Washington, DC. There was no one to talk to about this devastating news. We cried lots of tears and were so sad as we waited.

Jynger called me the Monday she returned. We discussed our options...there weren't many. To switch country programs would be like starting all over...plus, we had our hearts set on India. And at #11 on the list, taking a risk that a referral would come through for us before March 2007 was only setting us up for a heart break. She said she thought that there were some new guldelines coming from the Indian government about adoption requirements, but that she couldn't go public with them until she received the official word. "Could we please hold tight a couple of days?"

It was the longest couple of days of my life, but sooooo worth it. Jynger called back and told us that the Indian government had unexpectedly changed their requirements for the age of adopting parents. Out of the blue, the age requirement was changed from a combined 86 years to a combined 90 years! Miracles DO happen. We were so happy. Pat even did the happy dance. That night we celebrated with champagne and dinner out. The DEADLINE had been lifted. Waiting would be easy now.

In my heart of hearts, I have to believe that mom was up in heaven pulling strings for us! We were so blessed that day!