A Month Full of Changes, Uncertainties, and Blessings!

Today marks 4 1/2 weeks since Tyler and I made the exciting announcement that we had started the process to adopt a child!  In some ways it seems much longer than that, and in other ways shorter.  We have been so busy this month with paperwork, home study visits, background checks, organizing and planning finances, preparing our family profiles, prayer, answering questions, and sharing our story!  It's hard to believe how much has changed in one month!

We have had, and continue to have, many things we are uncertain about, but so many things have been answered already.  Two months ago we struggled to pick the right adoption agencies to work with.  We made phone calls, researched online, talked to people who had completed adoptions, and prayed.  This was such a hard step!  Agencies differ in their fees, programs, services, locations, beliefs, and types of adoptions they provide.  We knew once we found the right agency, other things would begin falling into place as we would have someone to help guide us through the process.  But so many agencies seemed dishonest.  A lot of them required a lot of money upfront and, once money had been given, had little communication with adoptive parents and little concern for a completed adoption were something to fall through.  We wondered how we'd ever get all of the paperwork done correctly and sent to the right places.  We have been blessed to work with three agencies so far; one in Lexington who completed our home study, and two other agencies in other states who will soon be working to match us with our child and place him/her in our arms!  All of the people we have worked with so far have been wonderful, informative, and honest.  We are so thankful to have them to guide us through this process. 

Other uncertainties included our curiosity about how others would react to our news and how we would tackle financial concerns.  Last summer we began to get excited about the day we could announce to our friends and family that we were expecting a child because I was pregnant!  With an announcement like this, we expected hugs and support from our family and friends.  It's not that we didn't necessarily expect support for an adoption, but circumstances surrounding an adoption are different.  Also, knowing we were embarking on a process that could require more than $25,000 was scary to say the least.  Although we both have been blessed with jobs consistently, neither one of us have had a consistent position, and we ended up taking a significant pay cut this year.  Many of these worries have been calmed.  Our friends, family, and church family have (for the most part) been amazingly supportive!  We love when people ask us questions about what's going on and how we're feeling and what is coming next in the process.  A friend a few weeks ago apologized for being "nosey," but I told her she was silly!  This is our "pregnant."  No, people aren't going to ask me about cravings or sickness, they aren't going to comment on my growing belly, and they aren't going to ask us when we're due.  And that's okay.  But in the same way we LOVE when our friends show interest in the fact that we are definitely "expecting" a child and ensure us that they're praying for us and our baby! 

I have been so encouraged as I've read through Adopted for Life by Dr. Russell Moore.  He does a wonderful job of putting the adoption of children so clearly within the context of the gospel of Christ in a theological, practical, and deeply touching way.  In one part of his book he says this: "Adoption is not just about couples who want children- or who want more children.  Adoption is about an entire culture within our churches, a culture that sees adoption as part of our Great Commission mandate and as a sign of the gospel itself."  Tyler and I have learned so much about adoption and the gospel, and through every step we have been so blessed with a church family who is focused on the Great Commission and ministers to orphans and widows.  Many families within our church body have adopted children domestically and around the world.  Our church and friends who don't attend our church have seen adoption as a mission.  Most of these families are not pursuing adoptions of their own at this time, but they have joined with us on our journey through support, prayers, and giving financially!  Adoption is especially hard for those who live where the process of adoption is not seen or understood by others.  And yes, we know we will come in contact with many people who will not understand and maybe will not accept our family, but there is such comfort in knowing that within our church and many of our friends and family, adoption is understood as being rooted in the gospel.  We are incredibly blessed with people who are joining with us to rescue an orphan and welcome him/her into our home. What a beautiful picture!

One month ago we received our first donation of $20.  Today, 4 weeks later, we have received a total of $5,996.00.  Wow! We are in awe of continued generosity and the way God is providing means to complete this adoption.  We are still far from the total we need, but God is showing us everyday that He is providing for us as we follow His path for us.  Thank you again to everyone who is burdened for the fatherless and who has felt led to support us through prayers and financial contributions.  We couldn't bring this child home without you.

Right now we have submitted everything for our family profiles, mailed off our official home study reports, and finished all we can at this time.  Now, we continue to raise money and wait.  We're waiting, now, for our profiles to be ready.  Once these are finished, printed, and several copies sent to the three agencies, we will officially be waiting on a phone call.  Before that, though, one agency will require us to show "proof of funds" meaning they will need to see proof that we have the total amount they will require when a child is placed with us.  Without proof of this money, they will not move forward with the process. 

Please pray that our profiles are completed soon, as this (and money) is all that we are waiting on!  We are excited as we move closer each day to holding our baby.  We can't wait to show you, our friends and family, the miracle you helped to bring home!