On Father’s day in June of 2010 I started this blog. On that same day Linda and I decided to start the process for our third adoption. Today, January 10, 2012, we signed the official adoption papers for Tommy our new little boy! Today also happens to be my 40th birthday. I couldn’t ask for a better birthday present!
We missed the 2011 adoption cut-off by 10 days. The Adoption Tax Credit is not “refundable” in 2012. This means we will not get it all in one big chunk. We will have to take the credit over the next few years. This makes the finances a little tighter but it does not diminish the joy of adoption in any way!
We have seen the hand of God working in this adoption. Thank you to all our friends and family who have been praying for us. We have sensed His favor and seen several small miracles along the way.
On the plane trip from Chicago to Hong Kong Linda and I did not get seats together. In fact we each got center seats across the plane from each other. I explained the situation to the lady who had the window seat and asked if she would be willing to trade with Linda. She was not willing to sit in a center seat for the 15 hour flight. (I was somewhat dismayed but I can completely understand that.)
I had tried a few other people sitting around but with no luck. Then a young Asian lady came to take the isle seat next to me. I again explained the situation and she graciously agreed to take Linda’s center seat on the other side and let Linda have her isle seat. Linda was so happy to be able to lean her head on my shoulder! God is good! God bless that young lady!
In Hong Kong we did some sight-seeing. For lunch we stopped at a small restaurant and ended up sitting next to a man and his son who were from Michigan. We talked a little and told them our story. They finished their meal, went inside to pay, and then we said good-bye. We really did not think much about meeting them. We finished a little later and I went in to pay. The manager explained that the man had already paid for our meal. We were shocked!! That has never happened to us before.
Next we took a train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou. We had never ridden a train before and did not know that the seats were assigned. Our tickets were in Chinese so we could not fully read them. We got on the car and picked a seat that seemed like a good choice for us. We wanted to face forward. That was our biggest concern.
Many others started boarding and we soon realized that seats were assigned. We studied our tickets a little more and figured out that our seats we right there in the same row just on the other side of the car. So we simply got up and moved over.
Then another guy came and sat where we were sitting. A little later an Asian family came and quite gruffly let the fellow know that he was sitting in their seat. He had to get up and move. It may seem small but we were thankful that God had lead us to the right spot on the train before we got yelled at.
It truly is a miracle that the adoption was finalized on my birthday. Only our loving God could orchestrate that! As much as I wanted it to be final in 2011, we can see God’s perfect hand in the timing. I will say it again, there is truly no better birthday present!
[...] The Best Investments Are In Our Children [...]