This past Saturday Ben and I had our first meeting with our Adoption Agency! We were very comfortable and feel good about our decision to work with them. They are a small, but well established private Christian agency- just the fit we were looking for.
They received our application a few weeks ago and were ready to meet with us to discuss the process and what it will look like for us. We also discussed "Why" we desire to adopt and what our "preferences" are for adopting a child(ren).
The WHY is simple- In His Word we read that, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." We want our family to be obedient to this and bring in a precious child, that would otherwise have no family, into our family. We desire to make a difference in a child's life. We believe that Children are a blessing from the Lord. (Psalm 127:3)
We also gladly recognize that God has enabled us to provide well for our current family and that we are capable of providing for yet others that He might add to our family through Adoption.
As far as Preferences, we don't have any! We are open to single child or even a small, young sibling group. A Boy or Girl, Black or White skin, Blue or Brown-eyed...all children need a loving home with a Dad & Mom to raise them! It struck us when we were filling out the "US Census" many weeks ago, as one question in particular stood out: "What is your Race?" Well, you could answer that one in a couple of ways. We do know what they really mean, "What is your ethnicity/heritage?" (ex- Hispanic, African American, Italian....) but think of it this way- we are all in the HUMAN Race! The color of our skin doesn't matter. We have the same basic needs for living whether we have "red, yellow, black, or white" skin.
So, we have no idea Who God will send us to adopt, but we are looking forward to finding out!
A super exciting note is that our Agency specializes in placing newborns!
We are currently working on fulfilling our list of documents to collect and papers to have signed & ready for our Home Study. This means, photocopies of Driver's Licenses, Marriage Certificate, Proof of various insurances, fingerprinting & background checks! What fun :) Then we will begin our Home Study.
Please join us in praying for this child, whomever he or she may be, that God would sustain them and provide for their needs while we wait to be together. It is likely that this child may even already be in his/her birth mother's womb and is daily being "knit together" as they grow.
We also look forward to see how God will provide for the adoption expenses. We know there will be an amazing story to tell in the end of His provision!
Psalm 139:13-16
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
We're going to give it another try
Well, we've certainly had no trouble growing our family in the "traditional way." We've never known a thing about infertility! Our children are all very close together in age and that seems to draw out comments from many strangers no matter where we go. "Wow, you've sure got your hands full," they say. "F-O-U-R!??"--(in our heads we say, "Who us? You're kidding? Thanks for the help in counting our children.") We smile.
Almost three years ago, we started filling our paperwork with Project 1:27- a way to adopt through our State's Foster Care System. We both went to some classes and orientations and began to write out our life stories. Then we learned of a little surprise growing in my belly. Our 4th child was on her way and our youngest, Joshua had just celebrated his 1st birthday. Adoption for our family was going to be put on hold for the time being. We were excited once we got over the initial shock of another pregnancy. :)
Forward three years later...
We've often talked of adopting some day. "Some day. Some day!"
The kids pretend to adopt multiple babies at least weekly. They "drive" themselves to the "adoption agency" and Caroline usually comes home with 6 or more adopted babies in overloaded stroller and says that her "husband is at work, but he'll be happy about all the babies they get to take care of." Its pretty cute to see them get into this little game. The boys participate too.
In January of this year Haiti suffered from a terrible earthquake. This once again brought talk of adoption for our family, as it did for many families out there.
We've always been open to adoption, but the process just seems soooo overwhelming. Why is it such a mountain of a process? Why is it so expensive? We do know why, but still, it seems it would be more "do-able" or less daunting if someone would just come to us and say, "Will you take this child into your home?" as they presented us with a little child. We could not say "no." Decades ago there was something called the "Orphan Train" that basically did just that. Now, of course we agree that the government can't just hand out children to everyone, but the cost and the process is looking like its impossible at times to adopt. How will we pay for this? When will we find the time to complete the required classes and tackle the mounds of paperwork?
We know that with God all things ARE possible. He will see us through this if adoption is His will for us....
Since January, Ben and I have attended a few adoption meetings at a local church that has an Adoption Support Group. Its not that we need convincing to adopt, we just need help tackling the process of adopting. Where do we begin? We've spent countless hours searching the Internet for tips on adopting and we've looked into various agencies with not much more to show for it all than frustration. So far no agency has seemed like a good fit for us. There are always reasons.
So, last night, the kids and I were eating dinner (Ben had received a phone call so we started eating w/out him). Caleb said frankly and seriously, "Mom, we need a baby in our family again. I really wish we could adopt for real." The kids all chimed in in agreement. I agreed too. Please don't think this is a "flippant" decision we simply made at dinner one night. Our family has discussed this constantly for several years. This time it was another gentle nudge. We want to be obedient to the Lord's leading. He wants us all to care for "the Orphans and Widows..."
I told Ben about our discussion at the table when he sat down. He simply said, "Well, I guess we should try pursuing it again, we keep coming back to it over and over and over." Then we talked about what we would need if we adopted and we thought of needing a new vehicle, because our mini van is currently "full." Other than that though, there's nothing really stopping us at this point. We've even got some ideas of how we can work and save for a new vehicle...
Today I called the Colorado Adoption Center (our latest find). They are going to get an application out in the mail to us today. Here we go again! It's exciting!
Almost three years ago, we started filling our paperwork with Project 1:27- a way to adopt through our State's Foster Care System. We both went to some classes and orientations and began to write out our life stories. Then we learned of a little surprise growing in my belly. Our 4th child was on her way and our youngest, Joshua had just celebrated his 1st birthday. Adoption for our family was going to be put on hold for the time being. We were excited once we got over the initial shock of another pregnancy. :)
Forward three years later...
We've often talked of adopting some day. "Some day. Some day!"
The kids pretend to adopt multiple babies at least weekly. They "drive" themselves to the "adoption agency" and Caroline usually comes home with 6 or more adopted babies in overloaded stroller and says that her "husband is at work, but he'll be happy about all the babies they get to take care of." Its pretty cute to see them get into this little game. The boys participate too.
In January of this year Haiti suffered from a terrible earthquake. This once again brought talk of adoption for our family, as it did for many families out there.
We've always been open to adoption, but the process just seems soooo overwhelming. Why is it such a mountain of a process? Why is it so expensive? We do know why, but still, it seems it would be more "do-able" or less daunting if someone would just come to us and say, "Will you take this child into your home?" as they presented us with a little child. We could not say "no." Decades ago there was something called the "Orphan Train" that basically did just that. Now, of course we agree that the government can't just hand out children to everyone, but the cost and the process is looking like its impossible at times to adopt. How will we pay for this? When will we find the time to complete the required classes and tackle the mounds of paperwork?
We know that with God all things ARE possible. He will see us through this if adoption is His will for us....
Since January, Ben and I have attended a few adoption meetings at a local church that has an Adoption Support Group. Its not that we need convincing to adopt, we just need help tackling the process of adopting. Where do we begin? We've spent countless hours searching the Internet for tips on adopting and we've looked into various agencies with not much more to show for it all than frustration. So far no agency has seemed like a good fit for us. There are always reasons.
So, last night, the kids and I were eating dinner (Ben had received a phone call so we started eating w/out him). Caleb said frankly and seriously, "Mom, we need a baby in our family again. I really wish we could adopt for real." The kids all chimed in in agreement. I agreed too. Please don't think this is a "flippant" decision we simply made at dinner one night. Our family has discussed this constantly for several years. This time it was another gentle nudge. We want to be obedient to the Lord's leading. He wants us all to care for "the Orphans and Widows..."
I told Ben about our discussion at the table when he sat down. He simply said, "Well, I guess we should try pursuing it again, we keep coming back to it over and over and over." Then we talked about what we would need if we adopted and we thought of needing a new vehicle, because our mini van is currently "full." Other than that though, there's nothing really stopping us at this point. We've even got some ideas of how we can work and save for a new vehicle...
Today I called the Colorado Adoption Center (our latest find). They are going to get an application out in the mail to us today. Here we go again! It's exciting!
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