the phone call

Last week Robert and I were on vacation with my family for our yearly family trip to Myrtle Beach. The week was so relaxing and we enjoyed spending time with my crazy but fun-loving family. While we were having a fun day with Kaitlin, my eighteen year old little cousin, I looked at my phone and noticed a missed call. Robert looked at his too and he had a missed call from the same person. I checked the message and it was from Region III Adoptions...of course I had to call them back immediately. I stepped outside of Wonder Works and returned the phone call. Our worker was gone on vacation so I spoke with her supervisor who informed me that our home study had been chosen for a sibling set of three--you read that right, THREE!!! Needless to say we were shocked but super excited too.Now, before you get all crazy and start saying stuff like "wow that is a lot" or "do you really think you can handle that many",  just keep an open mind--because we are.

We have been told a little bit about these three children and will learn more this Friday when we go to speak to their worker for the presentation of information. At this meeting we will learn everything the agency knows about them. I am hoping we get to see a picture too!! We do know that the ages are 6, 8 and 10; youngest is a girl and to thew oldest are boys. After the meeting we will then have a week or two do read over their info and make a decision whether or not we feel that we are the best match for them and vice versa. After a decision is made, if we say YES then the children will get our family book and make a decision if they want to meet us or not. If they say YES, then we meet each other and have visits, weekend visits, and then over night at our house. If at anytime we say NO or they say NO, then the process for these little bambinos stops and we wait for another phone call. (We do not want to think about the NO part right now!!)

A little bit of a rewind....we were told right before we went on vacation that we were being sent to committee for a different  sibling group as well who are ages 11 and 12, one boy and one girl. Our home study was being submitted against another for review at the end of this month/beginning of next. We are currently on hold while we are reviewing the information on the above three children.

So, in telling you this new bit of info we are asking for you to join us in prayer as we go into this next part of the journey. Pray that we have an open mind and heart as we digest the information that we will receive on the three little ones. Pray that we follow Gods path for our family. Pray for the children as they make a decision about their future parents. 

Best advice we have received since the phone call came from my 84 year old Bubba...."you gotta give them a fair shake"....

We will keep you posted....

a Happy day

Mothers Day...for some this day is filled with joy but for others this day is filled with sadness, loss, grief and longing. I will be honest, I was not looking forward to this weekend at all. I knew that events I attended would spark lots of emotion and I was not sure that I could control them. Even though I was not in the mood to "celebrate" I am happy that I attended the events of the weekend. 

Pine Grove Baptist Church holds a luncheon for Mothers and Daughters each year. Last year was one filled with tears for me but this year it was one filled with happiness and joy. I was able to spend time with my mother and my mother in law. The entertainment was filled with laughter and the whole atmosphere was one of joy and celebration. At the luncheon I was able to spend time with my mother. My mom is the best role model and has given me large shoes to fill for when I do become a mother. My mom is always there for me to listen to my happy times and the sad times. I am so thankful God blessed me with my mother...I love you mom!!! I also got to celebrate my mother in law, Barbara. She has the kindest heart and is so loving...love you!

Today, on Mothers Day, I have had the best day. I have received sweet messages from my dear family and friends that have encouraged me all day long. Thank you, I am so honored to have you in my life! Oh and guess what....I only cried once this weekend which has shown me that I am learning to control the emotions and not let the emotions control me.

Here is an update on the adoption world:

Over the past few months we have made inquiries on several children in SC, GA, NC, and yes, even Kentucky! Not until the past two weeks have we had any calls/emails back on the inquiries. Last week, we heard from our worker about a seven year old in SC. Our info has been sent to her worker which will now be reviewed and then if we are "chosen" our home study will be sent to her review committee to determine if we are a good match. 

Another inquiry we have heard back from is for a sweet seven year old little girl in Kentucky. Last week we were notified that our home study has been sent to her review committee and that her worker will be in touch with us once she has received a repsonse. 

We have inquired about a little boy in Georgia too and received an email repsonse last night that our home study has been forwarded on to his worker. 

YAY for getting responses to our inquiries!! The tough part right now is waiting. We send an inquiry about a child or sibling group but we rarely hear back for the worker as to if we are being considering or not. So hearing for the three listed above in two weeks time is amazing. We have noticed that the out of state workers are much faster in responding to us than those in SC---this annoys us because there are over 600 children who are legally free to be adopted in SC!! We did send a few inquiries via SC Heart Gallery and the workers have been very prompt in responding to our inquiries and questions about the process. 

So, again we wait but this time we know that somewhere God is preparing our child(ren)  for us just like he is preparing us for them.

Our adventure continues....

Family Book

Here is our simple Family Book that we made to share with the children we will meet so they can know a little bit about us, our families and what fun adventures we like to take.

Enjoy....

Click here to view this photo book larger

Turn your favorite photos into a photo book at Shutterfly.com.

Faith

This picture sums up the past few weeks for me.

Faith....it won't always be easy but it is worth it!

<3

WE GOT MAIL---twice!

Last week we got the news that our Adoption Home Study was being reviewed by our adoption specialists supervisor and then the next step would be to receive our approval letter in the mail. All week long I would get excited when the mail would come and each time there would be no letter...until Saturday!!! On Saturday night Robert and I got home and we checked the mail. I was so excited when I saw the letter from DSS---even did a little dance by the truck showing Robert the envelope. I opened it up and the letter was addressed to another couple. HUGE disappointment spread across my face and of course my heart was a little hurt too. I know people make mistakes and get busy but all I could say was "REALLY?!?!?!?" I sent a message to our specialist and she felt awful but said that our corrected letter will be in the mail soon--wahoo!  I did find humor in the whole letter mix up. The other couple are named Mr. and Mrs. Eager, well we are EAGER to find out what is in store for our little family in the coming months. 

Here is the first letter we got(of course all info is blurred over because we do not want to get anyone in trouble or break confidentiality by giving out the other couples contact info)...

And today we received OUR letter so the matching/meeting children can begin!!! We have registered with AdoptUSkids.org which will open up doors to other states however we still feel strongly about adopting from SC. We will sit back and wait because God is in control. 

  


1 Peter 1:6-8 “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”

First Comes ANGER, then Forgiveness

****This post was a way for me to vent and to show others it is ok to be mad but to move on from it too because God has great plans in store.****

Why? 

Why me?

Why us?

Those are the questions that I want the answers to from God. I have been so ANGRY the past few weeks. Yes, I have probably put on a good front--a smile goes a long way! I do not want anyone to think that I am not excited about our adoption journey because I am. I am thrilled beyond words BUT I still have that longing to carry a child, have little flutters, and all the fun (and not so fun) things that come along with being pregnant. I think what gets me the most is when my friends who are pregnant complain about things they are going thru with their pregnancy---there are SO many women who would give anything to trade places with you to feel what you are going thru (sorry friends if I offended you, just being honest). Another thorn in my side was that we have not received our letter of approval yet(we have verbal but the paper is the proof). We were told the home study would be submitted a week after the home visit but our worker had not seen it as of a week ago. Currently she is out of the office so we are on hold at least until next Monday with receiving any update.

Any how, Robert and I had a great discussion the other night were I told him how I was feeling. Guess what, he felt the same way! The funny thing is, we were discussing not going to church yesterday but for some reason I felt like we needed to be there. We went and guess what the sermon was about:

Forgive God

Yep, those two little words were the first two I read when I opened our bulletin. Boy, oh boy if that is not a sign from our Heavenly Father then I don't know what is. A few times during the sermon Pastor Artie would say that God wants us to know two things:

1) He loves Us
2) His intentions are good

Pastor Artie also said it is OK to be angry with God BUT do not sin (this becomes bitterness--Eph. 4:26).

One more thing.....we are to seek peace, not understanding (Ps. 34:14). The amazing thing is we do have peace and have had a peace about the entire adoption journey. I know that understanding of why God chose us will be revealed to me one day but for now I will revel in the peace of knowing that God loves us and has only good intentions.

So yesterday, we had a small slip of paper in our bulletins that we were to write what we forgave God for. I went down front and nailed my anger to the cross. I forgave God for infertility. 

Each day is a new day with new challenges. Some are good and some are bad but I cling to the promise that "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. 

We do have tough days but just know that we are excited and cannot wait to expand our family.
 

Keep praying with us....

Jill

Home Study

The Home Study is the final piece to the paperwork puzzle. Jan, our certified investigator, arrived at 4pm today and was ready to get down to business. She asked if we has any questions before we began and we did not have any. We started with the big question of 'why adoption?'. So we told her about the medical reasons and of course revisiting that was not fun but we got thru it. After that it was smooth sailing. We talked about our families, work history, how our relationship began, about our strengths as a couple, and on and on.

Finally, we got to the part where we talked about the characteristics of the child(ren) we are interested in. Of course we are not picky and want the child(ren) God choses for us-we will know them when we meet them.

After all the questions and chit chat, we heard the words I was waiting for....

You are APPROVED!!!

She has recommend for Robert and I to have up to 3 amazing children, ages birth to twelve.

Robert and I are ecstatic and looked at each other with such joy in our eyes...we are going to be parents. That feeling is the most amazing feeling in the world. No, we dont know when or who our children are yet but we have passed. After Jan left, Robert grabbed me for the biggest hug and gave me lots of kisses...I would say he was pretty excited.

Hearing 'approved' makes me think back to when I was welcomed into Gods loving arms as His child. He loves me no matter what and no mans approval is needed. I am so thankful there were no test or inspections from God, just my humble prayer of I am a sinner and I need you. AMEN! Thank you Lord for loving me!

So what's next....once the report is sent to our adoptions specialist we will get a letter about our adoption license. After that, we get matched to children, read biographies and get to meet them. The fun is just beginning!