I can't hold it in any longer! I haven't been able to write in weeks because my heart has been preoccupied with something that I couldn't talk about yet, but now I can!!!! God has opened our hearts to ADOPTION!!!!! YES!! Ben and I are going to adopt!!! I am crying just typing this! We are so beyond excited about this decision! God has opened and closed every door in His perfect time and now we are ready to start the long hard process of bringing other children into our home to love and cherish for FOREVER! I feel like my heart has grown two sizes in the last months as we have researched and prayed about adopting. God has replaced that hopeless feeling that was beginning to drag Ben and I down with an overwhelming sense of hope and love! It's almost unbelievable at times because of the changes that have been made in our hearts.
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I could sit here an gush all day about how excited we are (really I could!) but I'm sure you want to know some of the details we have worked out, soooo.... right now we are looking at two countries outside of Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova. We have several very good friends who are from Romania and one of them just happens to be our sister in law (Ben's brother's wife, Christina) who is expecting their first baby in a few months. We are still looking for a good agency who has a good reputation dealing with either of these countries and are a little overwhelmed. Picking an agency is one of the most important decisions and it is really confusing, but we know God will somehow put us where we need to be. We have decided to ask for a boy as you usually are asked to choose which you prefer, but to tell you the truth we really are hoping and praying for a sibling group. We have heard and read that sibling groups must be adopted out together therefore a lot of the time they are left there because most couples are only prepared for one child. Ben and the children and I would LOVE to come home with two or even three children!
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Our lives will be changing drastically in the coming months, we will be making big decisions and having to raise lots of money to bring our child or children home...Please pray for us! If we need anything at this moment it is lots of prayers! As you know there are good adoption stories and there are horror stories, we want ours to be WONDERFUL! Of course we know there will be bumps in the road, those are to be expected, but we are praying for God to guide our steps!
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If you have ANY advice PLEASE let us know! We are still new at this and we are looking for people who have been through this before to help us make the right choices. Any advice or words of wisdom, or even just a pat on the back, would be great.
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So I guess you know what I will be yapping about from now on! I am so happy! Oh my sweet friends! Thank you for being here.....You have been a constant encouragement to me over the last two years, I know it wasn't always a happy or fun place to be, but you were all here and supportive even when it was hard to read. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! As I sit here tonight typing, my cup truly runneth over!
Comments
Congrats to you and your family! I know what it is like to be expecting, but in the heart rather than the womb. Be prepared for a bumpy ride and to lean into Christ like never before. You know, as Christians, we are grafted in, adopted into a family. That alone gets me excited. Having been there, done all the paperwork, lived the endless days without info, and traveled the path I have to say you are in for a journey that will change your entire life. There is no going back.
My advice is to finalize on a country and get started on state docs, I-171H, and a homestudy. My husband's birth cert. from out of state (that had to be state sealed and authenticated by the state on top of that) took weeks upone weeks. Other things of this nature (birth certs for all children you currently have living in the home, marriage papers, etc.) you will need multiples of. Depending on country and homestudy agency of course. You will live and breath by your dossier papers for weeks. You will stress at having your home just-so for a homestudy. Time will slow to an heart-breaking pace once you get those first photos.
My biggest advice, though, regards your I-171H. On there you will have to state the country and number of children you are wishing to adopt. We were sure we wanted a sibling set, but only had room for two more children in our home so that is what we put. Just because you put three, though, doesn't mean you will adopt three. Put what you have legitimate room and finances for and let God plan your path...can't go wrong there!
Just to pass on how He shows up. We decided on a country, number of children we could adopt, signed our names to the I-171H, and sent it out in the mail the very next morning. It was July the 27th, 2006...3 months later we would find out it was the day the twins were born.
Did I ever send you the story of Ahnalin's adoption? If not, I will send it. It shows the miracles.
xoxoxox
Blessings to your family,
jenn
good luck! you are very special people....
The biggest thing I've learned through all of it is that when God is truly leading you to adopt, He will work everything out. It doesn't matter how hard or confusing things might get - God will work everything out. Our entire adoption journey is miracle after miracle. God is so good.
If you're ever curious to read our adoption journey, just head over to my blog and click the adoption category. It's in the archives....but it's been almost 6 years now since we started the process to bring our son home.
Can't wait to see how things progress for you!
Friends of my daughter recently adopted three siblings from Romania.
Their adoption blog is here:
http://lovedalready.blogspot.com
There you can read of their journey.
It will be interesting to read your updates as things unfold.
Blessings on you all.
♥
I didn't know that Christina was expecting. No one tells me anything.;) But I'm SO happy for them as well.:)
Off to tell the family the good news,
Alissa
Alissa,
Yes Christina is about 4 months now! She told me last night that she will get to find out what the baby is in a couple of more weeks. Tell everyone I said hey!
Thanks for the prayers! We will keep you up to date on how things are going too. I'm hoping to do a big yard sale by the end of the Summer to raise money, so tell everyone if they have any junk that I'll take it!
xoxo,
Samantha
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Mama to 5,
Thank you! We will look the website over tonight and I will definitely get in touch with you if we have any questions....I'm sure we will! LOL! We are a bit lost! THANK YOU so much!
xoxo,
Samantha
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~Jenny~
Try Shaohannah's Hope (google it). The Chapmans have made it their mission to help other Christian families adopt. We got through some initial steps when we found out we were expecting our sixth...and now our seventh is coming next month. I will be praying you through this!
Praise Him for your open hearts!
Warmly,
Stacey