Tuesday, August 26, 2014

We're expecting!



We will be growing our family through adoption! And we are so excited!  
This is something that has been on our hearts since before we were married, something that we’ve always known was God’s plan for our family, but something that we just didn’t know the timeline for. When we first got married, we said we’d wait five years to have kids. Well, after year one, we said five years still sounded good. J So five years from the latest conversation was the plan…then came Moses! After four years of marriage, God blessed us with the most amazing baby boy in His perfect timing. And now that Moses is getting older, we’re ready to add in some more!
We recently finished seven weeks of training with an agency named Boys Town. They have been wonderful in preparing us for this adventure! We’ve learned about how to best care for these kids who have been neglected, abused, and so much more. We’ve learned CPR and First Aid. We’ve learned how to deal with the difficult situations that will arise (as confidently as the best training can prepare you for…) And we’re learning how God can grow your heart so big to love children who don’t yet share your last name.

Soon (within a month or so) we will become licensed foster/adopt parents, meaning that we’ll receive foster placements with the intention of adopting them. Yes, that was plural! In short, the way that it works is that you provide your agency with some parameters and they call you when they receive children that fit within those (or close enough). We’re open to two boys, brothers, around the ages of 5-9. We wholeheartedly believe that God has already chosen our babies and they are waiting for us. Waiting for us to have our health and safety inspections, waiting for us to complete our home study and interviews, and waiting for us to prepare a place for them. 
Just as we prepared a place for Moses, we are preparing our home for these young boys. Our third bedroom has become “the boys’ room”. But instead of a crib and changing table, we’ve set out for beds, desks, and dressers, along with all the other essentials that our older boys will need. We’re also fulfilling checklists for our inspections and purchasing things like medicine lock boxes and a fire extinguisher. And when we get a call from Boys Town offering us a placement, we may have only a few hours or a few days to gather the rest of the age-appropriate items – clothing, shoes, school supplies, and toys.

With this exciting announcement comes a plea… we ask that you would join us on this journey with great joy and expectancy just as you would as if there was a little one growing on the inside. Just as you did when we were there around two years ago with Moses. J We also ask for your prayers. Prayers that God would continue to grow us – as a couple and as parents. Prayers for the ones that God has chosen to be part of our family – that their hearts would be ready for love and healing. Prayers of protection over all of our hearts and our home. We trust and know that God’s hand will be over every detail of our journey. (If you’d like to know more specifics on how to pray for us through this process, let us know and we’d be glad to share!)
We are so excited to be growing our family and can’t wait for the day that we get to see their faces! Thank you for your love and prayers!