If I'm Being Honest {TA}

If I'm being honest I've been struggling the last few weeks - a lot.

I did a post about waiting almost two weeks ago and things have been hard since then. We have been waiting on our travel approval (TA) from China since 12/3 which is the last piece of paper we need to move forward. I am on a couple of China adoption Facebook groups and they are while they are great in many ways and I have met some truly wonderful people, they have a major down side. You see, everyone posts their updates and stats on these groups so I knew that there were several other families with article 5 pick up (the step before TA) the same day and week as ours and that we all were waiting for TA. Well starting on the 9th and continuing through this past Wednesday all of them received TA - except for us. Talk about a blow to an already tender (barely holding on) heart! I cried. As the days stretch out with no news I cried some more, and by this past Thursday night I was cried out and had about given up hope that we would even get our TA by week's end.

The second week of our wait I had sent a few messages to close friends asking for prayer because I was having such a hard time and I was so vulnerable, and a dear friend (and fellow adoptive mom) sent me this text:

"Praying friend! I know the last leg can grow sooo weary! HANG on. Be reminded right now...Just as at the perfect moment Jesus was born in the most unlikely place, just as Moses went streaming down the river at JUST the right time, just as at JUST the right moment your sweet babies were ready to leave your womb---God will speak--say 'DONE' and you will get the  travel notice. Praying against every weapon formed against you--and claiming victory and redemption for that precious boy!! Love you!"

I needed this reminder so much and I needed it at just that moment! I read that text several times over the course of the week and it was such an encouragement! I am so blessed to have such amazing and supportive friends and I know several other friends were praying for me as well. All of the prayers were felt and so appreciated, but I dreaded facing another weekend with no TA and as Friday dawned I tried to prepare myself to accept the disappointment if God's plan was for us to wait some more. But God decided that Friday was just the right time to say 'done' and our TA arrived at our agency Friday afternoon! I was at Walmart when our agency called to tell me they had our TA and that they had already sent in the request for our CA (consulate appointment)!! I was so excited! We do have to wait until Monday or Tuesday for our  CA confirmation, but I am ok with that because this step takes a standard 1-2 business days which means that by Christmas we will have our travel dates!!!

This has been such a long journey and I can't even begin to get into all the emotions and what God has taught me through this, but I know it will ALL be worth it when our son is in our arms for the first time. Jason has been so amazing through all of this and never waivers (while I am wobbling all over the place), and there isn't anyone I'd rather be on this adventure with!! We are hoping to travel early to mid January, but it will depend on CA requests and availability. For now we are celebrating TA and being one step closer to meeting our little one!