So we just completed our first Home Study visit with Sharon. Everything went well. We were given lots of paperwork to fill out, so I better not spend too much time on here blogging :)
Our next Home Study visit will be on Feb 11th and our goal to complete our paperwork is March 1st.
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Psalm 66:20
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The Ups & Downs of Adoption...
I've had many adopting families share with me about how there were so many ups & downs during their adoption. I've read about it. I've heard about it. But I've kind of always thought in the back of my mind, that's not going to happen with us... Ha!
An email came in yesterday in regards to our adoption that basically said, until we know more about a law that was just passed on January 14th... we'll not be accepting anymore clients. My heart sunk; my mind trying to wrap itself around what this really meant and it took all I could to not cry about what I had just read.
I emailed the agency back, asking more questions before I called Paul to share the news with him. I just couldn't believe this was happening to us. We'd waited for so long and God had open so many doors, why were they now being shut so quickly?
Many of my questions were answered (not in the way that I wanted) but I realized all those times I thought this wouldn't happen to us and now we sit in the dead center of heartbreak. I called Paul to tell him what was happening. And that I was waiting to hear back from them, after they heard back from the government. I thought to myself, this is a joke. The government responding to an agency could take forever!
I left for my lunch break, called a friend and then went home and allowed the emotions to sink in fully. I kept reminding myself of God's promises. His faithfulness. His love. I prayed that He would show me what this meant. Where were we supposed to go from here?
If we chose to go with another agency, we'd be leaving an agency that we love and we'd be moved to the bottom of the list again. This could mean months or even another year before we got to where we are now. I've resigned from the City and my last day is February 8th, so the idea of waiting another year was extremely hard to grasp. However, I placed my worry and doubt in the hands of God and asked that he just take the situation and do with it as he pleased.
I think sometimes we hold on to an idea, a relationship, a habit, an item, a way of living so tight that even though we may be praying to God... in the back of our minds we're still trying to control the entire situation. We end up feeling better about our situation because we've "prayed" but in all honesty, we've not been obedient. We cling to those things and never ever let them go, completely doubting God's ability and power.
Lately I've been trying to determine in my own life, Is how I live Biblical? Is how I worship Biblical? Is what I say Biblical? And for me, the way that we respond in disappointing situations, should be Biblical. So what does this look like? "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." -Matthew 6:33 In the verses prior to verse 33, scripture lays out all the things God cares about and how he provides and takes care of everything. Why do we allow a simple email, a simple phone call, a letter in the mail or a relationship to get us all worked up? As soon as this happens, we take our eyes off Christ and focus on ourselves.
God is Mighty! God is Great! God is Sovereign! God is all-knowing! God is Powerful. These are the truths of my God. These are the characteristics of my God. Why do I doubt? Why do I fear? Why do I worry?
Later on that afternoon another email came in from our agency, they had already received a response from the government (yes, that's right... my God also has control over even the government :) and even though there was a law passed on January 14th that would have caused a delay or even completely stopped our adoption... there was a clause included that allowed families to be grandfathered in who have their Home Study complete by July of this year.
So with that being said, we start our Home Study on Tuesday. God is good. God is Great! God is Sovereign!
An email came in yesterday in regards to our adoption that basically said, until we know more about a law that was just passed on January 14th... we'll not be accepting anymore clients. My heart sunk; my mind trying to wrap itself around what this really meant and it took all I could to not cry about what I had just read.
I emailed the agency back, asking more questions before I called Paul to share the news with him. I just couldn't believe this was happening to us. We'd waited for so long and God had open so many doors, why were they now being shut so quickly?
Many of my questions were answered (not in the way that I wanted) but I realized all those times I thought this wouldn't happen to us and now we sit in the dead center of heartbreak. I called Paul to tell him what was happening. And that I was waiting to hear back from them, after they heard back from the government. I thought to myself, this is a joke. The government responding to an agency could take forever!
I left for my lunch break, called a friend and then went home and allowed the emotions to sink in fully. I kept reminding myself of God's promises. His faithfulness. His love. I prayed that He would show me what this meant. Where were we supposed to go from here?
If we chose to go with another agency, we'd be leaving an agency that we love and we'd be moved to the bottom of the list again. This could mean months or even another year before we got to where we are now. I've resigned from the City and my last day is February 8th, so the idea of waiting another year was extremely hard to grasp. However, I placed my worry and doubt in the hands of God and asked that he just take the situation and do with it as he pleased.
I think sometimes we hold on to an idea, a relationship, a habit, an item, a way of living so tight that even though we may be praying to God... in the back of our minds we're still trying to control the entire situation. We end up feeling better about our situation because we've "prayed" but in all honesty, we've not been obedient. We cling to those things and never ever let them go, completely doubting God's ability and power.
Lately I've been trying to determine in my own life, Is how I live Biblical? Is how I worship Biblical? Is what I say Biblical? And for me, the way that we respond in disappointing situations, should be Biblical. So what does this look like? "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." -Matthew 6:33 In the verses prior to verse 33, scripture lays out all the things God cares about and how he provides and takes care of everything. Why do we allow a simple email, a simple phone call, a letter in the mail or a relationship to get us all worked up? As soon as this happens, we take our eyes off Christ and focus on ourselves.
God is Mighty! God is Great! God is Sovereign! God is all-knowing! God is Powerful. These are the truths of my God. These are the characteristics of my God. Why do I doubt? Why do I fear? Why do I worry?
Later on that afternoon another email came in from our agency, they had already received a response from the government (yes, that's right... my God also has control over even the government :) and even though there was a law passed on January 14th that would have caused a delay or even completely stopped our adoption... there was a clause included that allowed families to be grandfathered in who have their Home Study complete by July of this year.
So with that being said, we start our Home Study on Tuesday. God is good. God is Great! God is Sovereign!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
ready to go
We've been waiting for quite some time now to hear from our agency to tell us that they were READY TO GO... since August, to be exact! And around 9am this morning, I opened up my email (to see the new TOMS that just came out) and there sat the email, saying... Ready.To.Go.
What does this mean? This means that tomorrow morning we will receive another email from the agency with our Agency Application, Contract & Home Study info. This process (I believe) typically takes around 30-60 days, which will depend on us and how fast we get to filling out the paperwork.
After ALL our paperwork is sent off, then we are placed on a waiting list. At this point we wait, again. YAY! This waiting period could be anywhere from 2 months - 7 or 8 months. If I've done my math correctly, that's a 2013 adoption.
So enough about the details (who really cares about them anyways)... lets talk some God Stuff. God Stuff is when something happens that only God could have done. It's cool, it's neat, it's awesome, it's fun. It's God Stuff. And it's exactly not Human Stuff.
We know that God has had His hand in this process since the very beginning. We know that His timing is Always PERFECT. And in a few weeks, I'll probably be sharing some of the exact events that have taken place in my life & in our families life in regards to work and ministry. But for now, let's just say, this has all been God Stuff happening and He gets ALL the credit & glory & praise for the great news today.
ready.to.go.
Monday, January 7, 2013
give 1 save 1 for the graham's
Ok, for all you ladies who have had biological children, I'm guessing that when you got pregnant and found out that another friend was pregnant at the same time, you somehow had a closer bond with them. You stayed in touch more and shared with that person so many personal things, just to determine if you were alone and if the other was feeling the same way or going through the same types of "stuff."
Well it's kind of the same way when you find out that someone is adopting, and then when you find out it's from the same country as you, it's just so exciting. But then to find out that they'll be adopting around the same time and that your children could possibly come from the same orphanage... it's an amazing & comforting feeling.
And so, I introduce you to April & Luke Graham! Our friends that will probably be forever in our lives because of the bond we will share through adoption.
They too, are adopting from Uganda and with the same agency as us. They are right ahead of us in the process (could possibly be with them in Africa together while we pick up Eli). While we will not be fundraising for our adoption, I'd like to ask y'all to consider pitching in a dollar or 2 or more for their adoption. They are such awesome Godly people!!!
Click on the link above to see their story and to give $1 to save 1 child!
Oh and while you're at... PLEASE SHARE THE GIVE 1 SAVE 1 website on facebook, twitter or your own personal blog so that others can help them bring their baby home!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
get to reading
while i'll not be making a new year's resolution, i have decided what books i plan to read in 2013. i was so inspired last year by the books i read, i decided i should do a little bit more of that.
2013
(not pictured but on it's way, "the queen of katwe")
(not pictured but on it's way, "the queen of katwe")
2012
(not pictured "a long walk to water")
maybe i'll take some more time to share with you about my 2012 readings in another post.
Friday, January 4, 2013
mixed emotions
Today was a bit of a roller coaster of emotions
I was...
happy because it was Friday
bummed because I had to get up and work on Friday
stoked when my passport came in
excited that our Sole Hope kit is here for January 26th
relieved cuz I've put in my notice at work and won't be there much longer
nervous that I'll be a stay at home mom at some point this year
ready for this next chapter of my life
anxious for the Guatemala Mission Trip
proud when I saw a video made by a family having a blast raising funds for their mission trip
tired because I've been watching passion 2013 every night
totally motivated because I've watched passion 2013 for so many nights
encouraged by a friend at lunch
that's enough for one day... so I'll call it a night!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2013 is THE year!
Spent most of my day cleaning out closets and cluttered areas so that we could begin to get ready for Eli!
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