The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat

Victory: Nastia wins gold

Defeat: Alicia falls in the team competition

Isn't it great to be an American?!!! I am loving watching the Games, and last night was definitely a high for me. I am a huge gymnastics fan, and loved watching Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson from the US win gold and silver - even though it kept me up til 1 am. And, of course I am enjoying watching the swimming too, and everything else.

However, if I was not an American, it is possible that I would live in a country that is not closing adoptions in Vietnam. I know Canada, and many European countries will continue to adopt from VN after September 1st.

The agony of defeat I am feeling comes from a discouraging but honest email our agency sent out. They notified us of the US State Dept's update, that adoptions WILL close September 1st. It is for sure now, as there is not enough time for a new agreement to be signed. However, that does not mean that it won't be signed in the following months. It's just likely to be a longer process than we would like.

Other bad news is that our agency has only gotten one referral in the last two months, falling way behind their usual 3-4 a month. That means we are likely still around number 16-18 on the waiting list, and won't be moving for quite some time.

I have been in denial about this closure, and am not sure how it will feel knowing that we are making no progress. Please pray for a new agreement to be signed quickly, and for God's guidance in this process.

We're camping this weekend. I'll have pics next week. Thanks