The Age Out

There is no term I hate more in the adoption world than Aging Out.  A term that refers to a child who waited for a family, who never came to rescue them.  I often wonder if there had been a family who was meant to be theirs that for whatever reason, didn’t take that leap of faith.  
 There are a number of little girls whom I have watched on an advocacy site over the past five years, prayed for them, waited for their family to find them, as we worked to bring home our other children.  My heart sinks every time I check and find them still waiting…  This year when I looked at C.’s  beautiful face, my eyes glanced over to her birthday..July. 
My heart sunk. 
No matter what I did, there would not be time to get her.  It was too late…. I stared at her pretty little pigtails, and that joyful smile.  She looks so much like my Amy. The thought of her ending up on the street made me cry. 
Too late.
No one came for her. 
How can that be?

I looked at the other girls…most of them still waiting for a family too.   Rick and I began to pray and fast together about what God wanted us to do, and God answered.  He showed us very clearly. 
( But that’s another story) 
Its funny how sometimes we pray a certain way, and God works it out differently than we expected, but in the end we know that He saw what we couldn’t. 

I’ve watched the video of her, probably 100 times, the way she tips her head to the side, the way she jokes and teases with the younger kids, and of course that ballet pose….,

“She’s not aging out on my watch.” I said to my husband one night.  He smiled.  He knows how determined this crazy Mama is when it comes to the adoption process.  When little S. celebrates her 14th birthday next year, it will be with a new life, a new hope and a future filled with love.  And when I watch her blow out those 14 candles, I will probably be holding back the tears, as I think of God’s grace, and His unconditional love.

Today our family celebrated as we received the wonderful news, we have China’s PA.

We are coming for you beautiful little princess, with that lop sided grin, adorable giggle, and of course that extra chromosome we love so much!