Our Kids' Reactions ....

 

Many have asked us how the kids have responded to our adoption plan.  This all happened very quickly and they didn’t have much time to adapt and adjust to the plan.  God had that part covered and He has prepared each of their hearts for this new journey. 

We also have felt it is important to know how, or at least try to gauge, how our 4 children we are currently blessed with feel about adopting again and all that goes with that.   We asked them all as a group and individually before we actually started the process and we have done so again along the way.   They have all said “yes” with different levels of enthusiasm and excitement.    Corbin was initially a little more hesitant and had more worry about the financial piece.  He is old enough to understand that this process is expensive and that we are not a family that has a lot of excess money.  He took that part of his concern and started reading a book that was on the table “Adopt Without Debt.”  While we were driving somewhere recently  Seth  asked if we could go see the new Despicable Me movie in the theatre.  I just about drove off the road and hit a tree when I heard Corbin say back to Seth “We can just get it at Redbox when it comes out there.  That’s a lot of money to go to the theatre.”  So many life lessons big and small learned and realized along this journey.       

Seth was very quiet initially.  When Kristin asked him individually he said to her (and was completely serious), “If you and Dad think this is what we should be doing then I support it.” … She said back to him, now tell me the 11 year old version of that “right thing to say” statement!  He said in all honesty that he supported it and felt like it was a good thing.  Not long after they had that conversation Kristin was dropping him at his friend’s house to hang out and this friend’s mom told her that Seth mentioned to Michael at school that we are adopting again and he was really excited about it.  Wow, we didn’t even think he was talking about it to others, but clearly, if he told his best friend at school he is supportive of it and we are so thankful!

Alex, he was excited from the moment it was announced to the family.  He cheered and was so excited.  We weren’t anticipating that response from him.  He and Kylie had a sweet connection from the day she came home and they had the whole first year together as he wasn’t in school yet.  Their relationship has gone through more downs over the past year with Kylie growing and having an opinion, but it was good for us to see his excitement.  He was the one that kept asking when he could share it at school.  He wanted to tell people immediately!

Kylie has also been excited.  She is one of the reasons that we are on this journey (more on that in our next blog post).  She has expressed wanting a sister and although we know she does not understand what all comes with that, we know it will be good for her (for many reasons) to have a sister to relate to.  We will see how excited she is when she has to share her room and her toys!

We recently showed them the photo that was sent to us of our new daughter and told them this is their sister and shared her name and the little bit of information we were given about her.  Again, they all expressed their unique forms of approval.   Alex said things that remind us that he is constantly listening to us and our conversations about the process and how birthdates often aren’t really known for sure.   Kylie said with absolute seriousness “I wonder if she’ll be able to play tennis.  I’m going to teach her.” (that would be after Kylie learns how to play tennis, ha!).  And each of the boys wanted the picture sent to them to have on their IPods.  A different process than last time for sure.  They would all love to travel to Ghana with us, if only the money tree in the backyard would start sprouting! J  When learning the cost of plane tickets, the travel to Ghana will be reserved for us adults!

This is a journey that we are all on, not just Kristin and I.   As parents, every decision we make greatly impacts the children God has given us whether we realize it or not.   We are praying constantly that these 4 children become individuals who truly love and live their lives for God not because of mom and dad but because that is what is in their hearts.   

New Developments ....

It was a busy week!  We are moving along and with each step it just feels so much more real.  We were fingerprinted a week ago Wednesday for the USCIS (US Immigration) and received our favorable determination letter on Thursday of this week!  So, we are approved to adopt an orphan by the US government!  Another hurdle passed.  The most exciting news of the week was the email we received from Ghana with a picture of a precious little girl, OUR precious little girl!  We received our referral this week.  Such an exciting email to open when you see it in your inbox, and realize that there is a document attached to the email.  We had been waiting for this email and thought it might come the week before, so when I saw it I kind of froze.  How does your brain process opening an email knowing that you are going to see a picture for the first time of the child that has been chosen for your family?  She is absolutely beautiful!  She is about 2 ½ and looks perfect to us!  We will now wait for the processes to play out.  We have very little information about her but will learn more as court proceedings happen and everything is confirmed for her being placed with our family.  We know that with international adoption things can change and we also know that there is always a chance that this little one will not be able to come home to our family.  We pray for her and trust that God is in control and He will pave the correct path.  We also look forward to the day that we can share her picture with everyone!  It is a different thing when you think abstractly about orphans not having someone to come when they cry, meet their needs and give them the love they long for … but once you see your child’s picture now you think intimately about YOUR child … who is loving HER, who is coming when SHE cries and what does SHE do during the day?

You may notice the green thermometer to the right of this page … we are planning, as a family, the ways that we are going to pursue our fundraising for this adoption.  Our kids are excited to join in and help and it has been fun to dream of ways to get fully funded.  More on that later … it just comes to mind more now that we have a picture of our sweetie!  Thanks for following our journey and thank you for your prayers!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.”  ~ Ephesians 3:20

So the journey begins ....

This is a journey we had no idea God would call us to again.  We have been so blessed with our four children and figured for over four years now that we were “done.”  We had reached what we anticipated to be our max… and were both content with that.  It is hard to explain the process of what we went through and how quickly God called us to adoption this time.  It was quick, and both of us initially responded with resistance.  We didn’t plan to adopt again and we both hesitantly agreed to pray that God would bring clarity if this was what we were supposed to be doing.  I don’t think either of us could have anticipated how quickly God would bring that clarity … so about two weeks after hearing God calling … we were responding with calls to adoption agencies. 

We are now waiting for a referral, home study is complete and we should have our USCIS approval soon.  Anticipating that email with a picture of a little girl is something difficult to prepare for.  Last time there was no picture.  Last time we didn’t see our precious daughter’s face until we reached that hospital.  Still highly anticipated, but it feels so much different this time. 

Recently I agreed (reluctantly) to sign up for a 10K with Chris to run this fall.  He started running this Spring to prepare for a half marathon (which he completed in June - in really good time by the way!) and found a love of running that I honestly still don’t have.  I am not a runner.  I have never been a runner, but have found the benefits of running a few different times in the past 7 years.  Still, I am not a runner.  I often wonder what I must look like, poor posture, very slow and huffing and puffing the entire way.  I know what I look like doesn’t matter, but it does likely reveal that I am not a runner!  The first day out this summer I was running near my home when I ran past an older African American woman at her mailbox.  She gave me a beautiful smile and said to me “Hello ...  I wish I could run!”  I said back to her “I don’t feel like I can run!” … she said “but you are” … I have not forgotten that beautiful woman and her words and each time I go running I think of her words “I wish I could run.”  It keeps me going most days.  God has still given me the ability to run, why do I discount this ability? 

When I was running today I was thinking about the ways that we tell ourselves “I can’t” or “I am not.”  I still believe that I am not a runner.  But I also said for many years I am not an international adopter.  Chris and I would have said to you over and over, we see a need here and that is where we are called to adopt.  So when God called us to international adoption, our initial response was “We are not international adopters.”  I don’t know why we always thought that, but once again God has shown us that His ways are not our ways.  He has something so much better, even when we think we can’t do what He is asking us to do. 

I am not a runner … but you know what?  I am running … I am trying and I am getting stronger each time I go out.  When I was running today about half way through my run I ran by that sweet lady’s house again, and I said to myself, what if  I ran like I was a runner.  What would that look like?  I straightened my back, lengthened my stride, and ran as if I were a runner (I think that is what they do anyway!).  It felt so much different and it empowered me to continue.  So, we may have always said we aren’t international adopters, but we are doing it, and we are trying to take each day saying “we are international adopters.”   What is God speaking to you about that you may think “I am not a ______________?”  What could you be thinking differently about and have the confidence to do if you let God pave the way?

I don’t know if you will continue to follow our blog, but we hope to use this to share our journey with you.  We know that we can’t do this alone.  We know that God has it all covered and we trust that even though we don’t always feel like “we can do this” it is in doing the things that we need Him for that He receives the glory!    We will trust … and take each step as it comes.  We ask for your prayers on this journey!