Rejoicing!

"The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy." Ps. 127:3

Sunday afternoon, I started to write a blog post entitled "Waiting."  I wanted to share about our continued waiting in the process of Evie's adoption.  At that point, we were still waiting - had been waiting for almost a month - to hear a decision in our recent court case to sever the rights of Evie's birth father.  I wanted to say something deep and meaningful and maybe even inspiring.  But the post lies abandoned because I just didn't have anything more to say on the subject.  We've been waiting on this adoption, in one phase or another, for four and a half years, so my stock of inspiration is depleted.  We've learned to wait in silence.

I am ecstatic to say, though, that that "Waiting" post will continue to lie abandoned and is being replaced with the title "Rejoicing!"

Yesterday afternoon, I got a call from our lawyer.  He was so serious I instantly prepared myself for the worst.

Actually, I've been preparing myself for the worst for weeks now, trying to convince myself that either way, it is all in God's good providence.  Which, of course, it is.  It's the "good" part I sometimes struggle with believing.  Although, I shouldn't.

So, the lawyer says, "Well, we heard from the judge today and...we won."  He was so serious and business-like that I refrained from screaming in his ear.  But I was screaming and jumping up and down for joy on the inside!  At least until I got off the phone.

I will, as Jane Austen does, pass over the following paroxysms of joy as I laughed and cried and hugged Evie until she wondered what was wrong with me.

There were, of course, more scenes of ecstasy when the kids got home and heard the news.  We are planning a celebratory dinner for Wednesday night. Maybe we'll break out the champagne and sparkling grape juice my brother brought us!

This is not necessarily the end of our journey; the birth father can still appeal the decision, but we are praying the decision is so air-tight he won't even consider it.

And in due time, the adoption will be finalized and Evie will finally and forever be our daughter.

"...weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Ps. 30:5b