main.dart

void main() async {
  
  // pretend I've just return the set of options from an REST call to the db
  List<RefOption> refs = [RefOption(2), RefOption(3), RefOption(1)];
  
  await resolveList(refs);
  
  refs.sort((lhs, rhs) => lhs.option.ordinal - rhs.option.ordinal);
  
  for (RefOption ref in refs)
  {
    print("option: ${ref.option.ordinal}");
  }
}


class RefOption
{
  Option _option;
  int _option_id;
  
  RefOption(this._option_id);
  
  void resolve() async {
   await Future.delayed(Duration(seconds: 2), () => _option = Option(_option_id, _option_id));
  }
  
  Option get option {
    if (_option == null)
      throw "Not resolved";
    
    return _option;
  }
  
  
}

class Option
{
  int _id; // set by the database
  int _ordinal;
  Option(this._id, this._ordinal);
  
  int get ordinal
  {
    return _ordinal;
  }
  
}

void resolveList(List<RefOption> refs) async {
    for (RefOption ref in refs) {
      await ref.resolve();
    }
  }