Another Life Change .....

We have had a crazy six months here.  So much has happened in many areas in the lives of the Goodreaus, but just nothing regarding progress in our adoption.  When you first enter the adoption process it is easy to quit making plans in life because you are waiting for that little one to come home and you don’t want anything else to get in the way.  Sometimes then the wait goes on and on and on, until one day you realize that we have no control of the timing and we have to continue to do the things that God is calling us to and take the opportunities that come onto our path. 

In February of this year another life change began.   My sister and I felt God clearly calling us to step out and start an adoption agency.  The agency we have worked for and been mentored under for five years had some changes coming with our director being called to the mission field of Haiti.  When we learned of that change we felt this strong calling by God to step out and start our own agency.  Just to be clear, my first words to Anita when talking through all of this were, “I can tell you what I am not going to do, I am not going to start an agency.”   Anyone else out there know that feeling of the exact thing you tell God you are never going to do become the EXACT thing that He ends up asking you do to?  I thought I had learned never to do that, but clearly I am still a major work in progress!  After many months of paperwork we received our agency license on August 15^th.  We are now a fully licensed agency in Minnesota … Legacy Of Adoption … you can check us out at www.legacyofadoption.com.  I cannot explain why the timing of this happened the way it did, but I can say that had we had our little one home already I think I would have missed or passed on this calling to open an agency.  Scaling back in my current position to get ready for our daughter only to find that she still isn’t home, but in that ‘scaling back’ now had the time to pursue the involved steps of opening an adoption agency.  God always has each detail figured out.

Another adventure is about to begin for us.  In mid-July we came upon an old farm house acreage property that was super exciting to find.  Living on acreage is something that Chris and I have desired for many years, really our whole marriage.  When we moved into our current home 11 years ago we had put that dream to rest believing that it would never happen.  We have so enjoyed this home that God has provided for us and have not been looking for that long dreamed of property.  It has been a crazy month of figuring out if this is a good idea to pursue this property which would actually reduce our mortgage.  Our offer on the property was a long back and forth ordeal and we came to a point where we really didn’t think it was going to happen.  When all finally was approved through a purchase agreement with a contingency requiring our current house to sell we had our house on the market within a few days.  We went on the market on a Monday afternoon and by Wednesday we had an offer.  It was a week before inspections were completed and all items figured out through that process, contingencies were removed and we have closing dates on our sale and purchase set for September 30^th.  We are completely overwhelmed and so grateful for how fast this all happened.  We don’t know why we didn’t have to go through a long grueling sale but we are so thankful. 

So, more lessons on understanding that sometimes we wait, and often there can seem to be some purpose in the wait that we hadn’t been able to see prior.  We are still, at this time, planning to continue on with our adoption process in Ghana.  That is what we have come to for the moment.  We need to be sure that God is closing that door, not us.  We understand that some more changes are coming in the region that our little one is in, so we need to wait a little bit before continuing in the process.  With a move into a new home we will also have lots of paperwork to re-do.  I am pretty used to paperwork this year, feels like it is all I have done!

The Curve Ball

Waiting is hard.  It really kind of stinks actually. We have three major life changers that we are waiting on right now and we have had to exercise extreme patience in the past couple of months.  It can feel like God is trying to ‘teach us patience’ at times and I wonder does this lesson ever get learned well?  I have heard the sayings “Don’t pray for patience” or “My mom prayed for patience and God gave her my brother” … Quite honestly I don’t really believe in having to be “taught patience” what I really believe it is comes down to is learning to believe in the Lord’s best in each situation.  The real lesson for me is knowing over and over, with each day, that God is in control of this and He has a plan that requires us for the time being … to wait. 

 

We have finished yet another year of baseball.  Really my favorite time of year.  I love being at the ball field and could sit and watch baseball or softball daily.  It has been in my blood for a really long time.  Being a pitcher in days past I got to experience the fun of throwing pitches that the batter did not know were coming.  It is quite fun to throw a curve ball, change up or off speed pitch and watch the batter try and hit it.  I have vivid memories of trying not to laugh on the mound because sometimes it truly (from the pitcher’s perspective) just looks funny.  I have actually seen batters tip over trying to hit the ball that was vastly different than what they expected to come.  It has gotten me thinking that sometimes I think that God is just one of those ultimate pitchers.  He throws curve balls and has the vantage point of watching us not knowing it is coming.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that he throws traumatic things at us to get a laugh, but in my pitcher’s mind I just think sometimes He has fun with it. 

Chris and I are in one of those moments where we have seen a few curve balls over the past several months.  We are feeling right now with this adoption process that God has a different path He may send us on and we have swung and missed a ball that He never intended for us to hit.  It is hard to remain content in the “not knowing” but we are doing our best to listen, trust and discern what He is telling us.  Please pray for us and with us about this.  We do not know if we should be changing to a different program or staying put in this program having less and less confidence that it is going to go anywhere.  We don’t want to be one of those families that “gives up” when we have so clearly been directed to where we are at and we have the face of a little girl who we have been “referred” (although we don’t yet even know if she has orphan status).  We also don’t want to continue chasing pitches that are not the ones we are supposed to hit.  

Still Waiting ...

I have started writing this post and then walked away a few times.  It is hard to know what to write when there isn’t anything new to share.  I have had several people ask me lately if we have heard anything, and unfortunately the answer is “no.”  We have connected with our Power Of Attorney in Ghana and he continues to reply that we need to be patient, and “it will happen soon.”  Love those obscure words like “soon” it can mean so many things to so many people.  To me “soon” would have already happened.  We don’t know at this point when it will happen, but still believe that God is in control and all happens in His timing.  We are currently finishing up the process to update our home study - another reminder of the length of this process.   We pray for this sweet girl in Ghana who needs her permanent family and live in the hope that Christ provides that He has not forgotten about her.   Kylie asked me a couple of days ago if we can buy her new sister a present to give her when she arrives home.  Oh yes, Kylie, that would be a perfect idea!  Can’t wait to meet this precious girl and get her home. 

Patience, Patience, Patience ....

So, word from Ghana was yet another delay.  The Social Welfare Director said he has been sick since last week so he could not finish the report.   We wait for a new date to be determined.  The positive news from the court hearing today is that our lawyer asked the judge for an “open date” which means they can return at the point all documents are ready.  Our power of attorney in Ghana keeps reassuring us that everything will be fine.  Our only choice really is to continue to practice patience and wait.  Thank you for your continued prayers.  We will certainly let you know when our next date has been set.  Please pray that will happen soon!  We are going to be running into some deadline dates with upcoming changes in the US laws with international adoptions.  We need this first court date to happen in the next couple of months.  Thanks for following us on our journey!

Another Big Day Tomorrow

 

Tomorrow is our next scheduled court date.  We are looking forward to getting to the end of the day tomorrow so that we know the outcome.  Hopeful, realistic and most of all trying desperately to grasp onto the knowledge that God is in control of all of this.  He knows what needs to happen and He knows when it needs to happen. 

One thing that can be a constant struggle on this journey of adoption is knowing and trusting that the bigger plan that we cannot see is better than the plan that we tend to want have control over how it plays out.  I mean, there is a child who is an orphan, and there is a family with open arms waiting, it should just happen right?  Why the wait?  Why can’t God just move instantly in that moment that we think is the right moment and get that child into a family?  It is just like us, in our humanness, to want things on our time and in our way.  I struggle so much with this some days when I see all of the kids in need that live in this world.  What I tend to forget is the many things that God is doing along the way that are a part of HIS plan … not MY plan.  He knows things that need to happen, and often these things are also in our best interest (or the child we are seeking to adopt) we just cannot see it when we want what we want.  Kind of reminds me of being a parent to our children.  Oh how they WANT things and we know in that moment the timing is not right for them to have what they think is best.  We know that something else needs to happen first before it is best for what they want to play out … trying to remember that today.  I have a Heavenly Father, who knows what is best and He has it all in control.   

Thank you for your continued prayers.  Please pray for this sweet girl in Ghana.  Pray that her future would be made known and that if she is able to receive a forever family that we could be that family.  We are ready, waiting and trusting that Our Father knows best.

New Court Date Scheduled

 

Well we heard just a bit ago that the court date was rescheduled as the social welfare director did not finish with the social welfare report on the child referred to us.  We are disappointed but not surprised.  We have a new date set for April 9^th …. Please keep praying!  Thank you! 

CALLING ALL PRAYER WARRIORS!!

 

Our spring break came to an end yesterday.  Today the boys returned to school, Chris returned to work and Kylie and I returned to our daily routine of household chores (laundry – yuck!) a little TV for her and work for me.  It is fun to spend time as a family and build memories.  We so look forward to those moments that we have.  Often now when we are doing things together I think about what it will be like with one more little one in the crew.  When I see the boys so tenderly helping Kylie, will they do the same for our new little sweetie?  I am confident they will and even through the tasks asked of them, or the ones they chose to do just to help, they will step up and show Christ’s love.  It is a sweet thing to see as most of you probably experience in your homes as well.  I just love to watch the transforming heart.  There is no guarantee on this journey.  No “for certain” that any of our children will grab onto the transforming gift of Christ.  What a treasure it is. 

 

We are asking for prayer in the next 36 hours.  We still have a court date scheduled in Ghana for THIS Wednesday the 19th and are asking that you pray on behalf of this little one and our family.  Please pray for God’s plan to unfold and that He would move mountains to bring permanency for this sweet little girl.  Our prayer is always first and foremost that if this is God’s plan for her that He would make it happen.  We want to be sure that she is orphaned and that the processes that need to take place are done correctly.  We don’t want our impatience to cloud any plan that God has.  We wait, we pray and we hope for great news on Wednesday.  We know that news could be that court was held and things are not in order … or they attempted court but those needed to proceed did not show up.  In each and every scenario we trust and believe that God is working through it all.  And while you are praying in the next 36 hours, could you also pray for my sister Anita’s family.  There are weeks that are really tough when you are following God and doing things He is asking.  Sometimes those tough things come in the form of an attack by the one that does not want to see healing and restoration.  Please pray for them as well … I love them so much and it is so hard when tough times hit.  We serve a mighty big GOD and I know that He loves much deeper than we can fathom.  Thanks for following our journey, sending us never ending words of encouragement and for your faithful support.  We appreciate it so much!