Yes, I am proud to announce I am officially in the Top Ten - #9 to be exact – on the waiting list. Such a long way from my original number of 105! Unfortunately, baby girl referrals are slow-going at this point which may mean at least another couple of months before I get THE call. If you go back and read my previous postings, you’ll see how much the timeline for international adoption can fluctuate. I thought I would be a mom by now, but God has a different plan. I have been so patient throughout this journey, at peace knowing that it’s all going to happen in God’s time. But I have to admit I have been struggling for the past few weeks. The human side of me is growing restless and wants it to happen NOW. But I’ve had a couple of messages delivered to me in the past week that put me at ease. First, another waiting mom-to-be pointed out that since this will likely be her last child (she already has a beautiful Ethiopian son), she is learning to EMBRACE this period of waiting, knowing she will probably never experience this journey again. I recently read that waiting is not just about the end result – it’s about what you become throughout the process. So I am choosing to EMBRACE this time as I draw near the finish line. And I was struck by the sermon at church yesterday that said that SUFFERING is a gift from God, just as is His deliverance from the suffering. This uncomfortable feeling of anticipation (suffering, if you will) is all a part of appreciating what’s on the horizon.