Saturday was a milestone day. On Friday afternoon, we received a VERY important single-page document, the"Letter Seeking Confirmation from Adopter". Upon receiving and translating our dossier, China's Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption has reviewed and approved us to move forward in adopting Zhao Huang Yi...our Jonas. Receiving this letter from China allows us to move forward with filing our I-800 with the USCIS. The I 800 is a large packet of various documents and Huang Yi's files from China that will serve determine if the United States will him to permanently reside in the U.S. with us as our child, as our son. There have been many moments in the past year of documents being mailed, of documents arriving at various government offices and in China, and of documents being approved. Amber has excitedly called me several times to relay how one form or another form had been approved, moving us forward on the journey. But holding that green and white Letter of Seeking Confirmation from Adopter has become the most incredible milestone I felt we reached. Our family is getting very close the "final phase" of this year-long journey. What struck me most emotionally with the letter, were two simple boxes near the bottom of the document. Throughout my life, there have been significant boxes to check, signifying a choice in an important decision. Just this past week, I had to select which box to check to determine if I accepted a tentative contract for teaching. There have also been many silly and meaningless boxes to check in my life, such as selecting what the next flavor potato chip should be or what is my favorite album of all time is. Looking at the two boxes at the bottom of that letter on Saturday morning, the significance and emotion of what those two boxes meant became very real. Entitled "Decision of the Adopter", a few simple words and two empty boxes left us to commit to whether we would "accept the adoptee" or not. A "check mark", a "simple X" would signify a decision to rewrite the pages of Jonas' life and to rewrite pages of our family. Seeing the words and the two empty boxes in print made a decision we had made long ago in our hearts so much more real.
And as we checked that box "accepting" our Jonas and signed the document to include with our I 800 packet and to be sent back to China, I reflected how our lives were the ones changing for the better FAR MORE than Jonas'. As life so often does, the triumph of a moment does not block out other worries, concerns, and anxiety making noise at the front door of our hearts. Completion of the I 800 proved to be tedious, and with the sending of the I 800, we realize we are getting close to the end of the journey. Many fees and arrangements to travel and miss work are fast approaching. With great excitement, I talked through with our case worker and our adoption director about the timeline ahead. We have move from talking about months ahead to weeks. Within ten weeks, we should receive approval to travel to China. In the mix of the joy of receiving the Letter Seeking Confirmation that we truly desire to make Jonas a part of our family, I also felt a tidal wave of stress and fear over finances and making arrangements. Mix this in with fatigue of filling out forms, I was a mess, filled with anxiety. Another significant and emotional moment arrived unexpectedly on Saturday, making copies of Jonas' file at our local Staples of all places. With part of putting together the I 800 packet includes sending Jonas' English and Mandarin files, I decided to get the thirty-plus pages printed at Staples, rather than attempt to print them at home. What I had forgotten was that a few of the files included pictures of Jonas, so I was surprised when the copy clerk handed me an 8 1/2 by 11 photocopy print of Jonas and asked me, "Do you want this photo printed too?" As I looked at Jonas' picture, I was struck, at that very moment, how I was looking at MY SON. I began to really sense and could see him being in our family, going on vacation, sitting around our dinner table. In a day where we had "checked" to accept him into our family, that black and white photocopy of a photo really struck me in the line at Staple's Copy Center. And in the moment, the anxiety and worry of the day disappeared. It was as if God was saying, "Jay, look at your child. He is going to be in YOUR family soon. Everything is in MY hands." And I felt tremendous love for my son and a peace that was unexplained. Looking at Jonas' face in that picture, I wondered how he has felt for nine years, waiting for his family. Jonas, we have checked the "Yes" box. The forms are in the mail. Very soon you will be home with your family.
2 Comments
Sharon S Choate
8/22/2016 06:28:42 pm
Just remember I have offered to help with the play if it is close or during your travel time. I work Monday, Wednesday, Friday @Austin but I could come after school around 4. This is not a half hearted offer.
Reply
Jay McCulloch
8/23/2016 05:10:58 am
Super appreciate it and may take you up on the offer. Thank you so much!!!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
"Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the EAST and gather you from the west" Archives
March 2017
Categories |