It has been almost 3 months since we arrived back in the US. It still seems so surreal. I look at pictures and it is so hard to even imagine that we were in the tropics just 3 months ago. We traded palm trees and sunny blue skies for snow piles and ice covered roads. Shorts and tank tops for snow pants, hats, and gloves. It's interesting how there is so much beauty in such opposite scenes. We love the tropics and the mountains and palm trees but we also love the snow covered trees and the beautiful crisp sunsets (the negative temps are not something we missed however!) Our hearts are definitely still in Cebu, for more then just the weather. Our hearts ache for those sweet smiling faces at CSC, still, and probably always will.
We are settling back into life fairly well. We have been able to ease back into the pace well too. Jake starts his new job at Therma-Tron-X, here in Sturgeon Bay, on Monday. It has been nice having him home to help me with home school and household tasks (it has been challenging too, y'all have heard the old saying "too many cooks in the kitchen" ;) ).
With him home we have been able to get a huge head start on our Next Chapter that the Lord is calling us to as well. For those of you who haven't heard, WE ARE ADOPTING!!!! We actually started the process while still in Cebu. Once we realized that our family staying in Cebu long term was not what the Lord wanted, we started praying about what it looks like for The Schulz Family "to care for the orphan".
We all really struggled watching children turn 16 and age out of adoption while in Cebu. We sat with and comforted kiddos who's dreams of being adopted came to an abrupt end once they turned 16. We saw on children's faces the look of trying to be brave but knowing that they are crushed inside because their hopes for a forever family are gone. It is in Cebu that the Lord worked in beautiful ways to open our hearts more to the orphan and especially the older child who doesn't have a family to call their own.
The main reason we had to come home from Cebu a few months early was so that we could continue on with our adoption process. When we started the process, we thought that we would be able to do everything we needed to do while in Cebu, and then bring home the child that the Lord wanted for us. That was not the case, so we had to make the decision to come home so we could finish the process.
Since being stateside we were able to get all of our Home Study visits in, our Home Study completed, and our Dossier mostly finished. We have also been able to identify a child whom we think would be a good fit in our family and "request" to adopt them. We are currently in the "waiting" stage of the process and cannot wait to hear if we are approved to adopt this 12 year old girl.
Patience is not my best virtue so everyday I check my email multiple times to see if we have been "matched". This process can take 2-3 months and so far it's been 6 weeks. I am praying that the Lord doesn't make us wait too much longer :)
Thank you all for your continued love and support. Without you, we wouldn't be on this journey. We love you all and cannot wait to share more of this journey with you. Please continue to pray for our family as we prepare to become a family of 6, hopefully sooner rather then later.
God bless you all!! Love, Jake and Pam, Isaac, Carter, and Madelyn