Thankful

11/20/2013

Well it's the month of November and soon it will be Christmas! My favorite holiday! :) I love everything about Christmas. It makes feel all warm inside. 

With it being November it is normal to tell what you are thankful for. I cannot just put a number or day on what I am thankful for. I am thankful for so many things and people. God has blessed me and my family in so many ways and continues to bless us. 

I have really been trying to be patient. We haven't heard any new news about the adoption. We have finished out our home study and now truly are just waiting. Just been praying and seeking guidance and understanding. I truly have learned how to be "humble" and follow what the Spirit is showing us. I have learned to listen to God's spirit to give us direction and guidance. Most recently I feel like God is really presenting himself and saying step out and follow me. Do you not trust me? I feel He is really telling us to take that leap of faith and trust him. Dave and I have a lot to pray about and seek direction but one thing I know is as long as we truly give "it" to God that he will do as he has said and will give us this little girl that I had the "vision" about. 

My faith is as strong as it has ever been and I am learning a great deal about genuine love. We don't just love others because it's the right thing to do. We love others because God did and he sent his Son to show us. He has especially shown me how to love all kinds of children. Children with special needs, physical issues, internal issues and your everyday kiddo. I could really take every child I work with home and love them the same as I do Caleb. I really don't think I could say that about myself last year. God has given me a new found love and I thank him for it! 

Today I kept hearing a very simple verse that Caleb and I read out of his "Little Bear's Bible." Mark 4, paraphrased, Jesus said "stop!" The waves obeyed! Why had they ever been afraid? the storm was

 big, but God was there. Just like He's with us, every day. I really do believe that God is with me everyday and with us through this process of adoption. We are ready for this precious one to be in our home and for her to receive this abundance of love we have to give! 

Until next time.....

Patiently waiting!

A little bit of this a little bit of that

Today marks a month from when we met with the lawyer. We thought we would be waiting a long time for a call. Well, we have had two calls. The first one was a week after we retained our lawyer and the second one was last Friday. I received a call about 2:30. She called us with the news of twins. After a lot of consideration we decided to decline. We just didn't think we were in the right position for twins at this time!
We met with Becky on Sunday and finished the information part of the home study. Dave and I have to get medicals done to show we. Don't have any deadly diseases or just that we are in good health!

Since the last time I wrote, Caleb had a hair cut and I did to!!!
Here is a pic of Caleb,


I am almost finished with our dear birth mom book. To be honest, I cannot wait to be done with it! I will post a link when I finished!

I'm tired and just wanted to give a quick update!
Have a great week!

As always Patiently Waiting!

Chosen One

We have introduced Caleb to having a baby in our home. When I told him that sometime soon we will have a baby to come live with us; his response was: I don't know who will give her to us. I told him I didn't know either but Jesus does and he has/is choosing the right child for our family. He said ok and that was the end of the conversation. I love that boy. He also was riding his bike this week. He is getting so big! Growing up way to fast.

I have to figure out how to post pictures. Still learning this blog thing!

I heard back from the lawyers office in response to my email. She told me that she isn't going to call us unless she knows it is a girl, unless I tell her differently. I am glad because I don't feel like I have to "choose" I feel that the vision was of a girl and that is what I am sticking with. God has chosen this for our life and is in complete control. We have given it to him and letting him roll with it!

I am seeking the word for guidance and understanding. I was researching adoption stories and came across a blog which she called the adoption "chosen". I have felt the same way. This child is chosen just like we are chosen to be God's children. I was reading Ephesians 1: 1-23.
This chapter stands out to me in so many ways.  We have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing. Ephesians 1:4 says for he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love (5) he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. We are all adopted and have been given eternal life through Jesus Christ. Now Dave, Caleb and I can do the same for this precious one coming to our home!

On Tuesday Dave had kidney stones and ended up in the hospital at 5:30am. He recalled that when I was 8 or 9 months pregnant with Caleb we also were in the hospital because he had Kidney stones; so he says that we have a baby girl coming soon! He also said that if this is what happens before we have children THIS IS OUR LAST CHILD!  Lol

We meet with Becky Sunday to start the home study process. Excited to get this started. I am having issues creating our profile book. It's hard to gather pics that are going to be looked at by our birth mom. I want it to be perfect. So be it!

Headed to bed! Night night!

And the fun begins!

Well, we had a stomach bug enter our household. Not cool, not cool at all!

So hear some news!
I am headed to Clemson Saturday with Caleb for the firework show while my hubby is at home with the porcelain thrown! I am crossing 85 and my phone rings. It is the lawyer's office calling to tell me that they have a mom (due) the end of July. She said that the mom hasn't had an ultra sound, so they don't know the sex. She asked if we were sticking with only female. I told her that we are.
I then asked if we could pay for the mom to have an ultra sound. She said that the mom usually does have an ultra sound after they are matched with an adoptive family. She then asked where we were in the home study process. I told her that we don't have a meeting date yet. I am waiting for a phone call to schedule the initial visit. She said that is fine as long as we are in the process. She said if we found a match during the home study process we could put a rush on it. I explained to her that I was not expecting a call so soon because we were told we had to have the home study first. She said that they are always looking and if they think it would be a match she will call. She also said that because we were open to bi-racial children that we could get a lot of calls. I told her I understood but at this point we are sticking with a girl.

I emailed her later that night to ask her once the mom has an ultra sound and maybe it turns out to be a boy are we stuck at that point or can we back out. So I will let you know what her response is when I hear back. ;)

Loving it... I was so gitty Saturday. I guess I need to get shopping and find a crib because it could be sooner than later! Holy Cow!

Until next time...

Love,
Patient Mommy

It's Baby time!

It is July 4th, Happy 4th everyone!
Well, Dave and I met with Raymond Godwin on Monday. We were very impressed and liked him a lot. We felt very comfortable with him and felt like he was very open and honest. He did say with us choosing "only female" we may have a longer wait; because most birth moms do not have ultra sounds. He said that if we haven't heard anything in 4 to 6 months we might want to talk to God and see if he can open another door or see the "girl" is the right thing. Dave and I think that a girl is the right decision and will pray of course for God to show us the way and to bring us the right mom!
 I am super excited and feel as if I am pregnant. In some way, I suppose that we are! Or at least someone is and God has hand picked her for us! THAT IS SO EXCITING!
 My prayer is that a mom with an ultra sound comes our way or she is so close to giving birth it doesn't matter!
Our next step is the home study. I have put a call into my old boss, Becky Lynch to see about her doing our home study. We also have to make a "dear birth mom" letter with pictures of us and family to give the story of us. This is going to be fun but yet a challenge. I think it is hard to try and convince someone to "choose" you! However, I am like a Quarterback behind my lineman leading the way. God is the Lineman and I am following in his footsteps so I can make the break and score the "touch down!"
Again our theme is Patience and God is definitely teaching us patience. As the verse say in Psalms 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,  I will be exalted in the earth.” Amen!

Love, 
Patient Mommy

Seeking the next step

The next step for us in the adoption process is to figure out an adoption agency or retain a lawyer.

Well, I thought I knew who and where we wanted to go to. First, was the lawyer in GA, then Cherished Children Adoption Agency. I called Cherished Children June 21st. They were supposed to email me information so we could see if we wanted to set up a consultation. On Monday, of course I was checking my email every time I got into my car. Dave called later in the afternoon to see if I had heard anything. Since I had not heard anything we decided to send an email to them with our information again. I still didn't hear anything by Tuesday. I talked to my mom and she told me about a lawyer in Greenville, Raymond Godwin. She said that Denise Robinson had friends that adopted from him and had a very positive experience. This isn't the first time I had heard his name. Stacy had also given me his name when I first talked to her. So, of course I got on the Internet and researched him. He seems to have a very good reputation, Dave and I talked and decided to give him a call.
Wednesday (6-26) I contacted Denise and she told me some information about her friends. She said that one of her friends had been with a different adoption agency for a long time and they changed to him and had a baby within several months. I called Ray Godwin's office and set a date to meet for a consultation. We are meeting Monday July 1, 2013 at 4:00 after Caleb's 4 year old check up. By the way Caleb turned 4 today! Such a big boy!
I also talked to my old boss Becky tonight. She called me to see about getting together. I explained to her where we were at this point and she gave me some great pointers and questions to ask the lawyer on Monday. So maybe that door didn't close it just wasn't the right time! Again, we still feel that being patient and seeking and following the Holy Spirit is the only way any of this is going to happen!
Until next time!
Patient Mommy!

Awakened

Adoption!

April27, 2013

I woke up in the middle of the night (popping up) and the thought that was in my mind was.... We can adopt a girl! Of course I could not sleep!

April 28, 2013

I was in the shower thinking about THE thought and begun to pray. I was overcome with piece and excitement. I prayed in the spirit and what I heard was "the child will have His genes" it was in the back of my mind that I would have a child with someone else's genes but of course as my dad has preached for years, we all have the genes of Christ!

Well, 

I went to church, Noah's baptism and race  meeting.

I couldn't figure out how and when to tell Dave!

So....

May 4, 2013

Dave and I went to Chanda Pierce show with, Lacy, Trent, Laura and Cory. Well, again I felt like I was being led by the spirit because.... At this show a singer shared his story and his testimony. In it he talked about his two adopted daughters from China. (I at this point had been ignoring the thought.) When I heard him telling this story I was yet again overcome and just wanted to break down and cry. Of course Dave didn't know and I just wanted to pull on his shirt and tell him at that point. 

The next night is when I finally told Dave. We were eating dinner and I prefaced with, I feel like God is telling me something and I just don't know what to think. I then told him the story. His reaction was not at all what I expected. He of course was quiet for a second then said, I have no problem with adopting and if that is what we are supposed to do we will be shown the way.

Our next step was trying to figure out what to do. I had the thought to call my old boss, Becky, because she is a licensed adoption agent. I called her and she said she would be willing to answer any questions about adoption. She was going out of town but when she got back we would sit down and talk. 

So in the meantime we wanted some spiritual guidance and of course prayer. So.... We wanted to talk to our parents but we didn't want to until we have made the "decision". Because at this point we were just looking at the options. So we turned to our preacher and his wife, Bill and Cindy  Rineheart.  They came over for dinner on May 10, 2013. They gave us lots of advice and things to consider and think about. We also prayed. It was a very good experience. 

The next step was to talk to Becky. Well, I talked to her..... She was very stand offish. So...I felt like that door closed. Bill and Cindy told us that doors would be opened and shut and I believe this door was shut! 

So, I was kind of disappointed and didn't know where to go. 

Then...then...then....

Ahead Start had a play group in Greenville at George The Train. I saw Stacy who has very recently adopted 3 children. I briefly spoke to her and asked what adoption agency she went through. She asked me if we were going to adopt and I said we were discussing it. She said to call her anytime and she would be glad to talk to me. 

On June 2nd we went to Stacy and Erik's house for dinner. She was also having some friends over that had adopted a baby from China and had biological children as well. We got to their home after driving through a torrential downpour and having a tornado warning in Anderson. Upon arrival, we walked in and there sat two friends of Dave's; Chris and Laura Brarreno. We were very surprised and of course excited, God just keeps putting things together. During dinner we got to ask lots of questions and we were all very honest. It was great! 

On our way home we pretty much decided that we were "in" and more than ever feel like we are being led to do this. 

Telling our parents,

May 28, 2013

I told my mom and dad. They also were very supportive and felt like we were doing what The spirit has led us to do. And, my dad told me something that gave me chills. He said that he had a dream, in his dream he was talking to someone (who he figured was one of his children) was "picking" out a child, and he said, what did you get, he pulled back the blanket and it was a little girl. WOW! Is all I have to say.

June 7, 2013

We told Dave's parents, his aunt Kathy and uncle Nelson and everyone was very excited and supportive. So now all we have to do is tell siblings and meet with the lawyer and start the process....

June 10, 2013

I am awake when I should be sleeping (shouldnt have drank coffe at 8:00pm)! I pray and seek God to guide our step and show us the way. When I prayed the verse that came to my mind was, Mathew 6:33, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things shall be added unto you. 6:34, do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself! 

We emailed our siblings this wonderful story of faith and obedience.  We have received only loving and kind words. This has been such a blessing. I thank God for these wonderful people/family in my life that are so supportive and only speak with the grace of Love. One thing that is on my mind is I am a little hesitant about moving forward with the lawyer in GA. I have had reservations about calling but I thought it was just because I was scared. My sister in law Megan emailed me tonight and shared that a friend of hers parents own an adoption agency and have adopted 6 out of 8 children and they are believers. I was excited when she sent me that because I feel like we might have a personal relationship with these people and would have lots of understanding. Again it's late and I'm up thinking about this and have to wait until tomorrow to talk to Dave! This is a fun experience and keeping me busy, but most of all I feel like Dave and I have the best communication about this and are seeking God and our faith is getting stronger everyday! PTL!