Dear Baby Kate (that is what we anticipate naming our adopted daughter from China),
I don't know where you are or what you look like or when you will be or have been born. But I think about you almost everyday. I have been doing more so lately as we get closer to collecting ALL the necessary documents to your country so that we can come visit you and bring you home.
We celebrated Christmas this week. Our family really enjoys Christmas and were excited to celebrate it yesterday. We have even been saying things like, "Next year Baby Kate will need a stocking on the mantel too", or "Won't it be great to have Baby Kate here next Christmas?!" You see, we are hoping to have all the paperwork done and approved so we could come see you next summer. But we got some news last week that sounds kind of bad.
Our adoption agency told us that there are some delays in the approval process in your country that are longer than we had hoped. They told us that the process is taking almost twice as long after the paperwork is submitted there. So, instead of 4-6 months, it may take 10-12 months. So, it doesn't look like you will be with us next Christmas either, as we still have a bit more waiting to do yet to get the papers submitted. And this makes Daddy sad.
It has made the frustrations and waiting of late even more difficult. It makes me doubt (sometimes) that the paperwork will ever be approved, or that the money will ever get organized to pay for our paperwork and trips. I try not to worry but sometimes I just do.
But, Baby Kate, don't you worry. Mommy and Daddy love you. And we know that God wants us to be together. And so we will continue to pray and persevere until we get every document collected, every stamp of approval we need, every scrap of money saved so that we can come and get you. We can't wait to hold you and kiss you and start our lives together as a family. This waiting will be hard for you and hard for us but don't you give up because, just like I tell Sarah, Ben, and Sam, "Hutchisons Never Give Up."
I love you. Merry Christmas.
Daddy
We often come to read your posts since our son Jacob (Donaldson)came home from his visit to Kenya this summer. (He is very anxious to return again the end of January.) Your post on Baby Kate resonnated with our experiences-we have two daughters adopted from India. We spent two Christmases without them-their first two. How we longed to give them presents and enjoy the days watching their delight. I think Christmas is one of the worst times to wait and wonder. We had their pictures by the second Christmas and it was particularly hard. The girls have been home for six years now and Christmas is a very different time with them here. Their three big brothers delight to give them very memorable gifts. We will pray for God to be gracious to your family as he has to ours and bring your Baby Kate home soon.
Posted by: kathie | December 27, 2005 at 09:32 PM