Thursday, July 15, 2010

Maybe Matched?

It's been five weeks since Geoff and I decided to change our child request from siblings to one or two children.  The province of Manitoba formally approved our change last week and the change will be on its way from Imagine to Ethiopia shortly (it has to go through Ottawa for approval, again).  However, we advised Imagine of our change on June 03, the same day that we initiated the change with our province, and Imagine assured us that they would notify their office in Ethiopia of the change immediately.  In other words, if a child(ren) met our request before the provincial approval was finalized, Imagine would match us informally with that child(ren) and begin collecting the needed documentation for that child, knowing that the formal provincial approval was on its way.

That essentially means that our change has been operational for about a month now:  we are open to a referral of either siblings (0-63 months old) or a single child (42-63 months old).  In the meantime, based on some feedback from folks currently in Ethiopia collecting their child, it seems that there are waiting children in the orphanages who are older than babies...ie. who might well fit our single child option.  Statistically, as I've mentioned before, we are far more likely to receive a single child referral than a sibling referral.

All of this to say that I think there's a very good chance that Geoff and I have been matched with a little boy already (a boy being our stated preference).  I say that with hesitation and a lot of fear and, if I could have, I would have written that expression of hope in very small letters so that it's hardly 'out there' at all.  Because I've all too often been down that emotional path of thinking that we're almost there; it's scary, now, to say out loud that I think we just might be matched already, because I fear being wrong and being too emotionally vulnerable to handle the crush of disappointment if we're not.

But if, just if, we're matched, then it becomes a matter of waiting for documentation to be processed before we receive a referral.  That could take months yet, unfortunately, given all of the changes on the Ethiopian side in the past few months.  But I guess we're not in a huge rush right now anyway because if we were to receive a referral soon (after our file officially gets to Ethiopia), we'll be stuck in the middle of the annual court closures anyway!

As much as I fear even the idea of hope, after everything we've been through in the past few years, in my heart of hearts, I'm doing it again.  Hoping.  Despite everything.  Hoping, praying, wishing, that maybe our time is finally coming.  Oh, please, God.

* Thank you for the comments coming in, and for hoping along with us!
* Claire, I read on a private blog about there being older-than-babies children sighted in one of Imagine's orphanages...not on the yahoo forum.  Hope that helps a bit.
* Carolyn & Stef - that would be GREAT if we were to be in Ethiopia together - given your age range, I'd bet you're not that far from a referral...who knows, maybe you're matched already!!  Here's to hoping we both have a match underway!

10 comments:

  1. I'm hoping, praying and wishing with you for your referral and mine and many more around our number!!!

    Our day have to come!!! Please oh pretty please

    Maria (still waiting scared with a little hope)

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  2. I am so excited at the idea you might be matched!!! I'll be praying for all of you. I think that would be amazing!! xx

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  3. I will leave another comment. My first one disappeared in cyberspace! 
    I hope and pray you are matched and you will get your referral soon and everything works out as it should. I know the hopeful but afraid feeling. I think it equals crazy for me! You have been waiting so long and I know it is going to happen soon! I hope there are many many referrals in the very near future!

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  4. I'm with you Ruth... Hoping, especially after emails with you in the past few days :)

    We are looking forward to yours almost as much as ours...

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  5. Hoping right along with you!!! Did someone on the boards say there were a lot of older kids in the orphanage??!!! Oh, I hope so!!!! I hope older means within our range of 0-3.5!! I think they classify older as over 2, but I am not sure. Anyways, I hope so, because there are not that many ahead of us asking for that age range. #118 sounds daunting, but when you take out all the infants, it's more like #15. Much more fathomable. I'll have my fingers crossed for you in the coming weeks :)

    Claire

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  6. Ruth, I so hope you are matched. YOu ave waitied so long, and the time has come to complete your family. Stef and I are family #89 waiting for a toddler (24-47months). It sure would be nice to actually be in Ethiopia with you. Dare I dream?

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  7. Dear Ruth, I will be so happy for you and your family when you will receive your referral. I follow your journey since one year now and it will be a wonderful day when you will tell us this amazing new. Like you, I do believe you are probably match considering your request and I was thinking of you a lot recently.

    We are # 116 (# 158 last January) and like BCMommy said, if we remove all the infants and girl requests they are not so much requests for a older boy. So I do believe it coming soon for you.

    I pray for you that your hope become reality soon.

    Historica
    historica@live.ca

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  8. That is a very exciting thought indeed. I think your reasoning is very reasonable! I will hope and pray that you are correct!

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  9. Soooooo close you are Ruth , yet what a hard spot to be in.
    I grinned to myself when I saw your post today as I am heading on vacation to Maine for a few days and this morning I was thinking "I hope I do not miss Ruth referral " Now that I am a bit more clear on approval letters looks like I will be back in time to celebrate with you.
    Hoping for lots of action while I am away and returning to hundreds of messages on the board all with "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

    I am so sure you and many are matched , lots of courage as you ride out this hard time of wondering.

    Shannon

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  10. Yippee to a match...it's you and me baby, we will do this together - start to finish!!!!

    Laura

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