The Highs and the Lows

So first, the highs:

The final paper is in!  Tomorrow, I will walk across a stage with my cap and gown and blue hood that matches my eyes.

(Because that's how you pick a grad program, after all.  What color is the hood? Does it look good with my eyes?)

It's been two years but it feels a little longer. I've had tons of support through the Hubs, family, and friends.  And in this last week, it went quickly.  I presented on administration on Monday to rave reviews (no really! My professor really liked it!) and busted it all night Tuesday night to turn in my development theory paper on Wednesday morning at 7am. And by all night, I mean I went to bed at midnight.  Because, I am a little older and a little wiser than my first degree and I realize anything done after midnight will probably need to be redone in the light of day for it to make any sense to anyone other people who are sleep deprived and awake at 2am.  Anyway, the paper was turned in TEN full hours early and I had a delightful time at work.

So how did I celebrate?  The way every other college grad does, of course! I went and got fat free frozen yogurt with my hubs and puppy and walked around campus.  Then, we went home, watched TV, did several loads of laundry that should have been done weeks ago, and I promptly fell asleep at the chime of nine pm.  .  Told you I was getting old.  Nonetheless, it was nice to know that I had no work hanging over my head and I could fall asleep whenever I darn well pleased.

Hubs says he gives me three years tops til I'm begging to do another degree.  We'll see.  The person who got nine hours of sleep last night may have something to say about that.

So now, the lows:

We received an email yesterday from our adoption agency.  Ethiopia has been saying they will make some major changes to slow down the process for a few months now.  It's been concerning but there has been no indication that the proposed changes were really going to go into effect.  Until yesterday.  AWAA (our agency) said they really have seen MOWCYA (the people in charge of writing referrals for the adoptive parents to the Ethiopian government) slow down to writing 5 referral letters a day.  That's a major slow down.

So, what does it all mean? Well, we still don't exactly know but at this point, it looks like adoptions will slow down.  Children will not be able to make it to their forever families in quite the timely fashion they were once doing so.  The goal of MOWCYA is to ensure transparency  for adoption.  We all want that, too.  But not at the expense of the children. The courts don't seem to support MOWCYAs imposed slow down but no one knows at this time exactly how this all will be handled.  Please say a prayer for the state of all of this.  That children will be united with their forever families in a timely fashion. That families (including ours) will learn patience, trust, and the peace of God through all of this.  And that the government in Ethiopia will be able to help their children and have their hearts turned to ensure the safest and fastest routes to families.

Life is all about the ups and the downs.  We take comfort in the fact that HE is faithful.