It Begins...

And the road to adoption begins....

Well, let's be honest.  For me, it began when God was knitting me together in my Mother's womb and planning my days.  I realized it was beginning while on a mission trip in March of 2004 to Romania when I was holding a severely malnourished 4 year old who looked to be the age of my now 8 month old son.  Since that trip, I have not been able to look back.  That longing to adopt has grown, and grown, and grown, and I just don't know how much more it can grow without bursting my heart wide open.  I have such joy when I think about seeing my child for the first time.  I have such pain when I think of all the 'what ifs' that can take place during the process.  A long, tedious process that I don't think ever goes smoothly.  Sure, it is worth it in the end!  Of course it is!  May the Lord be gracious to my family, and my little heart, during the years ahead!

So, you might be thinking that Zane and I have started paperwork.  You would be wrong.  Several weeks ago we decided to start researching agencies and 'gathering the information,' if you will, so that when we are in a position to be ready to add a second child to our home, we will know the agency and country we wish to adopt from.  Part of this push to start gathering the information was because some friends of ours who have been on the adoption road for a year now found out just a few months ago that the country they were working towards would no longer allow them to adopt.  That struck pain into my heart for them.  And pain/fear into my heart for what is up ahead.  God has called me not to live a life of fear!  He is sovereign and our journey, their journey, is in His hands...but the human in me cries out so loudly when I become abundantly more aware of the lack of control I have.

During our research of agencies, we found that Bethany Christian Services offers meetings, monthly, for prospective parents of International Adoption.  While we have not decided on an agency, it is a GREAT idea, I'd say, to go ahead and go to a meeting to get ourselves informed.  I've also contacted an agency from Georgia, An Open Door, to ask a few questions and discuss concerns.  Zane and I will be visiting with a couple from our church in the next week or two to learn about their journey through adoption twice: once domestic and once international.  And my hands have busily been creating beanies for football season.  Every thing I crochet from here on out is to raise money for adoption.  (So if you see something you like on my Etsy shop, Moments Sealed, feel free to purchase it knowing what it is going towards.  You can always let me know what you want and I will do my best to make it for you.)

Feel free to pray without ceasing for us.  For me as I get way ahead of myself and hate the whole waiting thing.  For Zane since he has to deal with me hating the whole waiting thing.  For God to be at work in us and through us during this time.  To draw us closer together.  To cause us to focus on Him more.  For Roman to see a glimpse in this of what God has done for us, adopting us as His children.  For our future adoptive child/children and the emotions/insecurities they might go through.  For the birth parents, for them to come to know Jesus as their Savior; for them to be at peace with their decision; for God to be their comfort throughout their lives when they think about their child, where he/she is, what he/she looks like, etc. and praise Him on their behalf that they gave him/her life rather than aborting.

We invite you to go through this journey with us, praying alongside us.  Thank you for reading, and I will keep you posted!