defeats

"We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated."


--Maya Angelou

Many obstacles. Many defeats.
 
We have met yet another roadblock.  The new adoption worker assigned to our lovelygirl has been replaced by the worker who previously held that post. What does this mean for her?
 
Another new face. Another new set of ideas. Another delay in the road to adopting her.
 
We had the golden ticket arrive in the mail already.  The golden ticket for the Princess for A Day Event that AFFEC puts on. We were already cleared for the visit that weekend. We already have our time slot for the event and planned on going with dear friends.
 
Lovelygirl wants to go to this event.  She talks about it nonstop. She wants to go with "S" her new BFF.
 
The day the new adoption worker is set to take over the case is March 1st. The very same weekend that the princess event is on. The last time a new adoption worker was assigned we missed the visit that weekend because the new person needed time to meet her and read over the case.  If this new one does the same thing, we might miss this event.
 
Will she be able to understand at eight years old that we, her new parents, could not foresee the upcoming changes? Will she be able to wrap her little mind around the possibility that she won't get to go be a princess for a day? Will this set the tone for her not believing what we tell her?
 
We can only hope and pray that the new adoption worker will allow her to come down that weekend, understanding that this is an important event to her.
 
I am an adult. I can understand. I can say to myself, 'well there is always next year.' But for our relationship that is just forming, this could be a devastating setback. Trust could be shattered. We could come out looking like those parents who always have some excuse as to why their word isn't good enough. I don't want to be that.
 
This is so frustrating. It might even add more time to the already lengthy process we are in. One mistake in the beginning seems to be bringing all the dominoes down in the line. One after another. And our hands are tied.
 
Defeated?
 
Hardly.
 
Frustrated?
 
Ever so much!
 
How many more of these obstacles will we face before we are deemed worthy enough to take her home? To make her ours?
 
How many more defeats?
 
We must not be defeated!