We had hopes of a little more "definite" news on the adoption of K, but wheels turn slowly (no surprise). We do know that our home study is currently sitting on the supervisor's desk and waiting for approval to go to committee. Committee is the decision of the best family for each child between a maximum of 3 options.
We hope to hear more information next week, but until then, we continue to pray for a 6 year old boy who is in a foster home in Salem. When I let my heart think about how close he is.... it gets a little hard to breathe.
Dear K,
Merry Christmas, little man. I don't know if or when we'll ever get the opportunity to meet you face to face... and give you the biggest hugs ever... but we're praying for you. I mean that. We're praying for God's will in your life. We're praying for your safety. We're praying for your heart.
I hope you know love this Christmas. (And while I'll be ok with whatever God has planned, I'm really hoping you're in our home next Christmas. We're ready for you.)
Our road to our second adoption... one deep breath at a time.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Nesting?
I think I finally get it. I think I understand this whole cleaning at the end of a pregnancy thing!
It's possible that you reach the end of 9 months of waiting and you're at a point of zero control of what's happening to your body. You have to find something that you can control. Scrubbing, organizing, rearranging...it's something you can actually make a decision about.
That said: I'm cleaning and rearranging constantly lately. I even cleaned out the kitchen 'junk drawer.' People. I organized the masses of hot sauce and ketchup packets. There may be a problem.
This adoption thing is out of my control. Completely out of my control. I don't know if we'll get a call. I don't know when we'll get a call. I don't know what news that call will bring.
<insert scream here>
The honest truth? I'm not sure my heart can go through this roller coaster again.
It's hard.
Yet I know it could be so incredibly worth it in the end.
Please pray for our little family and for 'K'. Even if he doesn't come into our family, I'm begging God to keep his heart safe.
It's possible that you reach the end of 9 months of waiting and you're at a point of zero control of what's happening to your body. You have to find something that you can control. Scrubbing, organizing, rearranging...it's something you can actually make a decision about.
That said: I'm cleaning and rearranging constantly lately. I even cleaned out the kitchen 'junk drawer.' People. I organized the masses of hot sauce and ketchup packets. There may be a problem.
This adoption thing is out of my control. Completely out of my control. I don't know if we'll get a call. I don't know when we'll get a call. I don't know what news that call will bring.
<insert scream here>
The honest truth? I'm not sure my heart can go through this roller coaster again.
It's hard.
Yet I know it could be so incredibly worth it in the end.
Please pray for our little family and for 'K'. Even if he doesn't come into our family, I'm begging God to keep his heart safe.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Oh My Heart
We've requested information on many kids over the last few months. Some came with a bit more than we felt capable of dealing with. Others came with definite possibility... but a need for a whole lot more information. That's just how it goes when you're looking at adopting an older child who has already experienced a whole lot of life.
Fast forward to today. This marks the first time I've read the full history of a child and had absolutely no doubt that he would be a perfect fit for our family.
While we're still in for a long wait and I'm really fighting the urge to call the caseworker every 5 minutes and yell "Pick us! Pick us!", I'm hopeful. (Although I'm trying not to be too hopeful. It's a weird balance.)
Friends, please continue to pray for a little boy named K. I don't know if he'll be a part of our family, but this young man has a big piece of my heart.
Fast forward to today. This marks the first time I've read the full history of a child and had absolutely no doubt that he would be a perfect fit for our family.
While we're still in for a long wait and I'm really fighting the urge to call the caseworker every 5 minutes and yell "Pick us! Pick us!", I'm hopeful. (Although I'm trying not to be too hopeful. It's a weird balance.)
Friends, please continue to pray for a little boy named K. I don't know if he'll be a part of our family, but this young man has a big piece of my heart.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Up and Down We Go
Where we'll stop, nobody knows!
The journey of adoption definitely isn't a straight line. It looks a bit more like:
Our requests for a child aren't too specific, but we definitely have some requests that are important to us: We would like a boy between the ages of 5 and 11. We're open to contact with biological family. We'd like to avoid extreme attachment disorders or disabilities. Bring on the ADHD- that doesn't phase us at all. There are a few behaviors that we would prefer not to bring into our home, but other than that, we're open to talking about most kids.
The process for Oregon is:
1. We browse lists of available kids and express interest in those that tug on our heart strings.
2. Our home study is then passed on to that child's caseworker who decides if we are a good match.
3. If it seems like a good match, we become one of three families that goes to "committee" for the child. Committee consists of our caseworker, the child's caseworker, and select others who help make the best decision.
4. If our family is selected as the best choice, we then receive even more information about the child and have opportunity to make additional decisions.
5. If all goes well, the child comes into our home in a 'pre-adoptive' placement- which is approximately 6 months.
6. If we all survive the 6 months and the fit still seems like the right one, adoption takes place.
It sounds as though we may be going to committee on one of two potential children- at both ends of our age range. K is 6 and A is almost 12. My prayer is that God makes this decision abundantly clear for us... or takes it out of our hands completely. I'm not sure I could ever pick one child over another.
... And the waiting continues. Hopefully we'll know more next week (but I'm not going to get my hopes up on that one).
The journey of adoption definitely isn't a straight line. It looks a bit more like:
Our requests for a child aren't too specific, but we definitely have some requests that are important to us: We would like a boy between the ages of 5 and 11. We're open to contact with biological family. We'd like to avoid extreme attachment disorders or disabilities. Bring on the ADHD- that doesn't phase us at all. There are a few behaviors that we would prefer not to bring into our home, but other than that, we're open to talking about most kids.
The process for Oregon is:
1. We browse lists of available kids and express interest in those that tug on our heart strings.
2. Our home study is then passed on to that child's caseworker who decides if we are a good match.
3. If it seems like a good match, we become one of three families that goes to "committee" for the child. Committee consists of our caseworker, the child's caseworker, and select others who help make the best decision.
4. If our family is selected as the best choice, we then receive even more information about the child and have opportunity to make additional decisions.
5. If all goes well, the child comes into our home in a 'pre-adoptive' placement- which is approximately 6 months.
6. If we all survive the 6 months and the fit still seems like the right one, adoption takes place.
It sounds as though we may be going to committee on one of two potential children- at both ends of our age range. K is 6 and A is almost 12. My prayer is that God makes this decision abundantly clear for us... or takes it out of our hands completely. I'm not sure I could ever pick one child over another.
... And the waiting continues. Hopefully we'll know more next week (but I'm not going to get my hopes up on that one).
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Hopeful
I'll be honest- it's been a while since I've felt very hopeful with the adoption process.
Two boys came up on the Oregon listing of available kids today. One is 6. The other is 11. They're both adorable and either one seems to be a good fit for our family.
So, friends, I'm asking you to help me with this whole 'hope' thing. Will you pray for our family... and for "E" and "K"- two sweet boys looking for forever families?
There's a little bit of hope floating in my heart.
Two boys came up on the Oregon listing of available kids today. One is 6. The other is 11. They're both adorable and either one seems to be a good fit for our family.
So, friends, I'm asking you to help me with this whole 'hope' thing. Will you pray for our family... and for "E" and "K"- two sweet boys looking for forever families?
There's a little bit of hope floating in my heart.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Truth
The truth for today:
I'm discouraged.
In my heart of hearts, I know that God's timing is absolutely perfect. And I trust that. But, oh my goodness, the adoption process is threatening my sanity at times.
There are SO.MANY.KIDS who need a forever home. They're waiting. Dreaming. Wishing.
Our family is nowhere close to perfect, but I think we have a healthy home to offer another child.
And yet we wait. It's been a year now. We still wait. I look at website full of available kids every day. I've put in requests for kids from California, Florida, Idaho, Ohio, Washington, etc. It's a long list.
And we wait.
Child,
I don't know who you are or where you are... but we pray for you. We pray that you're safe and loved and fed right now. And we wait.
I'm discouraged.
In my heart of hearts, I know that God's timing is absolutely perfect. And I trust that. But, oh my goodness, the adoption process is threatening my sanity at times.
There are SO.MANY.KIDS who need a forever home. They're waiting. Dreaming. Wishing.
Our family is nowhere close to perfect, but I think we have a healthy home to offer another child.
And yet we wait. It's been a year now. We still wait. I look at website full of available kids every day. I've put in requests for kids from California, Florida, Idaho, Ohio, Washington, etc. It's a long list.
And we wait.
Child,
I don't know who you are or where you are... but we pray for you. We pray that you're safe and loved and fed right now. And we wait.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Daddy's Girl
This is an old blog post I wrote. I came across it today... and it was what I needed to read.
I spent way too long this morning searching through Google Images... trying to find the picture that's been stuck in my brain for the last year. Apparently this picture only exists in my head. The funny thing about that is that I'm mental-image-handicapped. I typically can't picture anything in my head at all. (annoying!)
I spent way too long this morning searching through Google Images... trying to find the picture that's been stuck in my brain for the last year. Apparently this picture only exists in my head. The funny thing about that is that I'm mental-image-handicapped. I typically can't picture anything in my head at all. (annoying!)
A little boy, in a well-worn baseball uniform, is sitting on a bench.
I'm thinking it wasn't his best game ever- he looks a bit disappointed in himself.
His dad is standing behind him with his hands on the boy's shoulders.
Dad's expression says, "This is my child... and I'm so proud of him."
I have referred to God as my "Heavenly Father" for years- but it never settled well in my heart. I'm so very thankful for the image that He has stamped on the forefront of my brain.
"You are my child.... and I'm so proud of you."
I won't drop you.
I adore you.
I have plans for you that you can't even begin to imagine.
I'll walk beside you on your journey...
and I'll never, ever let go.
I will always have time for you.
I am so proud of you.
Now relax, my child.
Stop worrying.
This world isn't yours to fix.
You are not a disappointment to me.
You are mine.
And I love you.
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