We want to say thank you for so many encouraging emails and comments these past few days. They have meant a lot to us and really affirm this direction we are headed. It has also been neat to hear of others who are interested in adopting in the future and of some who are familiar with the agency we are using, Bethany Christian Services.
After receiving word last week that our preliminary application had been approved, some additional items were sent to us. One of those being a link to the "adoption portal," which enables us to communicate with the agency and to fill out our formal application online. Another item sent to us is that "formal application," which isn't as bad as I thought it would be. We need to provide all the general information -- personal details, criminal history (none there), references, information about our parents, and a description of our house and community. I enjoyed telling them that our house was newly carpeted and painted thanks to many people from our church. A third bit of paperwork we need to fill out is called the "self study." This one's the whopper. It has too many questions for me to count and they aren't easy answers. Amanda and I both have to fill out the self study, describing things like our personality, our marriage, what it was like for us growing up, and what we think our roles are as parents. This is going to take us a while. They have told us that they are also sending through regular mail some other items for us to fill out. I didn't realize that this journey of life and hope is also a journey of paperwork. Nonetheless, it's one we're happy to endure.
Prayer needs:
- Please continue to pray for that unknown mother out there who has a difficult decision to make.
- Please pray that we could be patient as we wait on God's perfect timing for a little one.
- Please continue to pray for us as we gather our resources. Once our "home study" is completed in a few weeks, we will begin applying for grants and doing some fundraising to help cover the expenses.
- Please pray for us as we fill out all of this paperwork. We want to seize the moment to enjoy the journey.
Thank you!
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Monday, January 3, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
A Journey Begins
When we were dating, I jokingly told Amanda that I wanted to have six children one day -- three biological and three adopted. Thankfully, the thought of having six kids didn't scare her off. But it did set the stage for the journey we have begun, that is, the journey of adoption. For us, this journey is an opportunity to give life and hope to a child (or a few children) who would otherwise be hopeless.
To give you some background, we have been trying to conceive for about two years. When we finally did get pregnant last April, it sadly ended in a miscarriage. We were devastated as our hope for a family came crashing down. Recovery took some time and we have been able to see God's hand at work through all of that, eventually leading us to this point.
We haven't given up on biological conception, but we see an opportunity available to us. If we have a baby naturally now, we both feel that it might be easy for us to push aside adoption down the road, perhaps avoiding it. However, if we embark on this journey of adoption now, we could give life and hope to a baby that needs it now. There's no doubt that we are nervous and excited, anxious and at peace, afraid and faithful, but we are trusting the One who is in control.
This blog will chronicle our journey of life and hope. Please pray for us and follow our story. Also, feel free to pass our story on to others. Something that really helps the adoption process is networking, connecting with others who might know of an adoption opportunity. The more people you tell, the better we will be connected.
Here are our immediate prayer needs:
- Pray that God is moving in the heart of a birthmother to choose adoption over abortion.
- Pray for our meeting with the adoption agency (Bethany Christian Services) on January 10.
- Pray that we pass our "home study," aka, home inspection.
- Pray for our financial needs as we gather our resources. This journey isn't cheap:)
To give you some background, we have been trying to conceive for about two years. When we finally did get pregnant last April, it sadly ended in a miscarriage. We were devastated as our hope for a family came crashing down. Recovery took some time and we have been able to see God's hand at work through all of that, eventually leading us to this point.
We haven't given up on biological conception, but we see an opportunity available to us. If we have a baby naturally now, we both feel that it might be easy for us to push aside adoption down the road, perhaps avoiding it. However, if we embark on this journey of adoption now, we could give life and hope to a baby that needs it now. There's no doubt that we are nervous and excited, anxious and at peace, afraid and faithful, but we are trusting the One who is in control.
This blog will chronicle our journey of life and hope. Please pray for us and follow our story. Also, feel free to pass our story on to others. Something that really helps the adoption process is networking, connecting with others who might know of an adoption opportunity. The more people you tell, the better we will be connected.
Here are our immediate prayer needs:
- Pray that God is moving in the heart of a birthmother to choose adoption over abortion.
- Pray for our meeting with the adoption agency (Bethany Christian Services) on January 10.
- Pray that we pass our "home study," aka, home inspection.
- Pray for our financial needs as we gather our resources. This journey isn't cheap:)
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