skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The paper chase has begun! We spent the week filling out a ton of forms and gathering documents – everything from our pets’ vaccination records to car registrations to insurance documents to clearances, only to name a few. I imagine the next couple of weeks will hold more of the same as we still haven’t checked everything off the list.
We heard from our adoption agency that our application has been accepted. We’ll be mailing our signed contract back to the agency shortly. Adopting from the Congo is a little different from some of the other countries because one’s dossier does not have to be complete before the search for a child begins. What this means is that we’ll continue working on completing our paperwork and our home study while the adoption agency is looking for a referral. We still don’t have all the adoption “lingo” down, but I think that’s correct. We’re told that the time frame could be fairly quick, but we’re trusting God for his perfect timing – whether that’s four months or twenty months. We know that He has a plan for us.
This week began to pray faithfully not only for the child that God has for us, but for the birth mother. We’re not sure how to pray. Is the baby in womb? If yes, we’re praying for the health of the birth mom, for a peace in her decision making, for a healthy delivery, etc. If our baby’s been born, we’re praying that she/he is getting enough food, for his or her health, and most of all, that the baby is being loved by someone until being joined with his or her forever family. Please pray with us as we continue on this journey.
Hope & George
Well, here we are.....how do we begin? Let me start by saying that I can't believe we're at this point!
For months now, God's been "ripening" us for this process. Nearly a year and a half ago, I felt like God was laying the idea of adoption on my heart. It was so CRAZY, I couldn't even speak it! We are so blessed with four biological children, I couldn't imagine why God would lead us in this direction. In March of 2009, we attended a Steven Curtis Chapman concert. Of course, he spoke of his own adoption triumphs and tragedies. For weeks after, I could barely sleep...still afraid to even breathe the word "adoption" to George.
Finally, after a few weeks, we were talking one evening and I said to him, "There are two things that God's been laying on my heart. One is adoption and the other is short-term mission work." I braced myself for the "Are you out of your mind?" question. Instead, his reply was simple. He said, "Me too". WOW!! I couldn't imagine how this could or would all happen, so we remained fairly silent until a few months ago, but God was not letting us out of this!
We prayed for signs. When we got those signs, we prayed for "bigger signs", still unable to phathom why we would have this burden and how God would accomplish it all.
We still don't have all the answers (the finances of it are daunting), but we know that beginning the adoption process for the Democratic Republic of Congo is the first step. The application is ready to be mailed in the morning. The kids are sooo excited. Hallie cried happy tears as she called and told our family members that we were beginning this process. I'm sure they're thinking that we're crazy....we think it sounds crazy....crazy and right and wonderful all at the same time!
If we were eloquent with words, we would say something like this couple....details are different, but our hearts are very similar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH73KHN_nUw&feature=related
Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act.Prov. 24:12
Please pray with us as and for us as we begin this journey to giving an orphan a forever home.
Hope & George
