Room for More, Part 2

People have been asking all sorts of questions about our upcoming adoption.  I am so excited about that.  One of our prayers, is that others will want to adopt because of our experience.  So I thought the  easiest way to answer them all would be in a questions and answer format.  So here we go:

1. Domestic or International?
 
Domestic

2. Boy or Girl?

Our house has loads of estrogen so we are looking at adding some testosterone into the family.  We         are so excited to add a little boy or boys to our family.  Yes, we are boldly praying for twin boys.

3. What agency are you going through?

We signed a contract with Faithful Adoption Consultants in Georgia.  We have friends who have used them and had wonderful experiences, so we were very excited when they accepted us.  We have loved everyone that we have talked with at FAC so far.  The neat thing about their agency is that everyone who works there has adopted at least once, many multiple times.  They know what it's like to be in our shoes.  They also fervently pray for their waiting families.  I love knowing we are being covered in prayer.   If you aren't familiar with a consultant agency let me explain.  FAC works with about 75 or more adoption agencies all over the country.  Going through a consultant agency helps speed up the process because they work with so many agencies.  Most of the agencies they work with have a relinquishment period of 24-72 hours.  More than likely we will travel out of state to pick up our son(s).   FAC's average waiting period is 4 months.  They've never had a couple wait longer than 10 months.  Some couples go live and within the week get the call the baby is on the way.  This is exciting and terrifying all at the same time.  So, as you can imagine I am trying to finish paperwork, decorate a nursery and now start homeschooling on top of it all.  It's a crazy time, but my heart could burst from all the excitement and anticipation.

4. Who did you home study?

Joanne Zambo at Adoption Promises in Smyrna did our home study.  She rocked!  I can't recommend her enough.  Not only was she the least expensive, she was able to get it done in 3 weeks. That's crazy fast.  She also only required 2 visits instead of 3.

5. So where are you in the process?

So we have signed on with FAC and are compiling all the paperwork they need.  Y'all I am not joking when I say that I have over 100 pages of agency applications to fill out.  Plus we are working on our birth mom book.  This is the most important piece of the whole process.  So thankful I have an awesome husband to help out with everything.  He has taken over the book as his project and I couldn't be more thrilled.  We are blessed to have a friend who is going to make it look pretty.  He's a graphic designer so this is a no brainer for him and y'all he's good.  I can't wait to see the final result.  By doing it ourselves we are saving around $750.  If you have adopted, you know that the average cost is about $40,000 so anyway we can save money, we will do it.

I think that answers most of the questions.  Thank you for being excited for us.  We covet your prayers for us and the birth family.  Adoption is a beautiful journey, but not one without pain and heartache.  I love this quote by Judy Landers.  Even though we don't know our birthmother yet, we pray for her daily.  She is already a hero in our eyes.

Room for More, Part 1

It all started with Sydney.  For over 2 years now she has been praying for a baby brother or brothers.  She has such a sweet sensitive heart and she loves little children.  She is so good with young kids and it's a joy to watch her care for them.  (Here she is reading to Ladd.  This is such a beautiful picture to me because we helped Ladd's parents bring him home).

After we lost Jonathan over 5 years ago and after suffering from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy last year, the chances of getting pregnant and having a baby were slim to none.  However, I do believe God can and still performs miracles, so I have always been open to that.  I prayed that if that was not His plan for us that He would take the ache away.  That longing to have another biological child finally went away, but not the desire to continue to grow our family.  I often hear from women who say they had a peace in their hearts when they knew their family was completed.  I have never had that peace.  Brian and I both come from large families and that has always been our desire from the day we said "I do".  We just never knew the heartache that would come trying to build our family.

I was thankful to have a music career in my twenties and early thirties.  I always knew I wanted to be a singer.  I am so thankful God blessed me with those years of ministry and being on the road.  Those will always be some of the best years of my life.  The only other job I ever wanted to have was that of wife and mom.  I love being a mom and I love homeschooling and being home with my girls.  Nothing brings me greater joy.  I am molding and shaping my children and trying to raise young women who will follow and serve the Lord.  It's exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time.

Am I nervous and scared about adopting, absolutely.  Here's the deal though, nothing in life that is worth anything is ever easy and without sacrifice.  Do I want to hyperventilate when I think about the fact that I will most likely have 8 year olds, when my girls go to college? Yes.  I quickly have realized though that what God calls you to, He will provide the courage and the strength to do it.  We aren't called to a comfortable life friends.  We are called to care for the least of these.  If you've adopted you know this verse very well.  James 1:27  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world".

Room for More, Part 2 coming tomorrow......

Our family news

We are excited to share with y'all our happy news.  It's official.  We are adopting!  

More news to come.......

A Mother's Love

My sister Stacy, who is 15 months younger than me, is not only a great sister and my best friend, but she's an amazing person as well. She is an inspiration to all those who know her.

She has 3 children, Mario (14), Maiya (5) and Sammie (4). All of her children are adopted. Mario came to live with Stacy and her husband Bill when he was 4. Maiya and Sammie they adopted from birth. What's so amazing about my sister and her husband is that they have open adoptions with their children's birth moms. I think adoption is one of the most beautiful things that has ever happened to our family.

I wanted to post a letter Stacy wrote today on Facebook. It touched my heart so much and I know it will touch yours. I love you Stace and thank you for letting me share your personal story. To my beautiful niece Samantha. I love you sweetheart and I'm so glad I'm your auntie. Happy 4th birthday!

I woke up this morning to a "busy as usual" morning of trying to get Maiya and Mario off to school. After they were off to school with daddy, I immediately heard little footsteps coming to find me. As soon as I saw Sammie, I remembered....today was her 4th birthday.

I gave her a big hug and said..."Sam, 4 years ago today, I"...then I stopped. I was about to say "I held you for the first time"...but that wasn't true. I specifically remember meeting her for the first time and not being able to take my eyes off of her...but I didn't hold her that day. She was in the arms of her first mom, Jacquie, right where she should be. She was so beautiful. I will never forget that little face as we drove back to our hotel room and wondered how it would feel tomorrow to get the chance to hold her and even feed her. The next day I held her and tears rolled down my face as it felt AMAZING!

So today, we celebrate her birthday,..the day I first laid eyes on Sammie. 4 years ago, my little bundle of joy came into this world and changed our lives forever. But today we also celebrate Jacquie. What a blessing she has trusted us with. What a courageous decision to continue to carry Sammie for 9 months. What a selfless act of love to give us a gift that would bless us forever. Jacquie, we love you and celebrate with you on this day...Samantha's 4th birthday! We love you.