You might want to sit down for this... BIG NEWS

This past few weeks we have been processing some crazy, bittersweet (mostly sweet) news... it's a real game changer. God has always had the reigns in our adoption processes and He just steered us a whole new direction and we feel obligated to keep everyone in the loop who have been following our adoption journey.

Here it is: we just found out that I'm pregnant with our 3rd child! I'm only about 6 weeks along (due Feb 20, 2014).

I know there's a lot of questions that come with this news so I'll try my best to answer them:

Yes, we were consistently and correctly using birth control and it failed. Our hearts were deeply invested into this adoption and we wanted to grow our family in that way. Afterall, one of the things that voids our adoption is becoming pregnant. No refunds. No holding your spot. When/if you want to start back up you start back at square one (once your youngest child is 1+ years old). They will, however, freeze our statues until 12 weeks gestation (the "danger zone" for miscarriage) and if at that point your pregnancy is considered "high risk" by a doctor then they can continue to freeze your status.

We value this precious life that has been given to us and yet we have shed many tears grieving what feels like a great loss with regards to our plans for adoption. Our hearts were all in and we were happily envisioning our future with our adopted child. But we feel great contentment and joy in knowing that God has a plan for our family. We know that while this pregnancy has taken US by suprise that this new life is no accident. All life has been given with intention and purpose by our Creator and we certainly see this life as a blessing to our family. 

¹³ "For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:13-16)

As you know, we have received many donations... $11,520 to be exact.  We've also spent a little over $3,330 on the adoption thus far. Still, we have decided to return all donations (other than a few who have already let us know that they refuse repayment) after I reach 12 weeks gestation. We don't want anyone to feel taken advantage of. We are so thankful for the generous giving of funds and we want those who gave to know that just because the adoption didn't "succeed" that their giving was not in vain. When God stirred their hearts to give they were obedient and became participants in caring for orphans regardless of the ultimate outcome. The deed was done and what was done was good. We are honored to have received these donations. Again, a big "thank you" to all of you who stepped out in faith with your resources. You've blessed our hearts.

We still feel a strong pull on our heart for orphans. While we can't move towards adoption right now we are still weighing and considering it for our future. We also know there are many ways to act on behalf of the parentless, vulnerable children of the world. We will be praying about what our role will be in responding to these children's great need. We hope you all do the same. After all the call to care for orphans is a command (not a suggestion) from God:

"...look after the orphans (and widows) in their distress" (James 1:27). 

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute" (Proverbs 31:8). 

"...'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" (Matthew 25:40).

We've loved sharing our journey with you. We're excited about what our future holds and love being reminded that God (not us) is in control... He's a more qualified driver anyway :)

With love, the Meyer Family

Third Home-Study Completed

Today at 10:30am we completed our 3rd (hour-long) home-study appointment. Our social worker asked Jeremy and I relationship questions (ie how we met, how we resolve conflict, and how we would describe each-other...) and then asked us questions about the kids (ie personalities, physical features...) and then observed them for a bit. Then she toured our house with our 4 year old, Jackson, as her guide. I think her favorite room was Jackson's room ;) (who doesn't love a lofted bed with a slide and fort below??).

We found out that she WILL meet up with us for a fourth time (Fri June 21st at 10:00am) where she will review her written study on our family (checking for any errors) and then we'll be given a more specific timeline for how long we can expect to wait for both being matched and when we'll have our court hearings in S Korea. It looks as though we'll have to fly to Korea 2 separate times. Once for immigration and a second time to gain custody. Thanks for your prayers!

"You're gonna have all of me..."

Today I watched a handful of other people's "gotcha day" home videos (that's the day you get to take your baby home). They were incredibly sweet and had me in tears a few times.  One of them had this song and I thought it was perfect so I'm sharing it with you all:

To the child we wait for... All Of Me - Matt Hammitt

2 Donations

Earlier this week we received a $100 check donation from a family at our church whom prefer to be anonymous. And we also recently received a $200 check from older sister, Jessica, and her family. We are so thankful for people's willingness to help shoulder some of the financial burden of our adoption. It will be amazing to tell our son/daughter someday about how friends, family and even some strangers made sacrfices to give a him/her (a child they never met) a family. What an amazing story of love. Thank you, thank you!

2 Home-Studies Down

Jeremy and I met with our social worker for the first time today. Jeremy had his hour long one-on-one interview with her at our kitchen table and then the same for me followed. We felt that it went well. Like us, she is a Christian and seems to share many of our values. She also is the parent of an adopted child as well. We likely only have one more visit left to complete our home study. It's scheduled for June 7th so keep those prayers coming please!

Also, if you have not yet watched the short 2 1/2 min Documentary Promo "The Drop Box" you can find the link in the entery before this. It's near to our hearts and we hope it can serve to broaden people's worldview and melt hearts for the sake of these volunerable little ones. Please consider what your role may be in caring for the orphaned (or those in the midst of other types of great need). Helping can take many forms.

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love."
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (the message)

"The Drop Box" Documentary Promo

Click here to see a 2 1/2 min documentary promo about amazing things one man is doing for abandon babies in Seoul, S Korea (where we are adopting from): "The Drop Box" Promo

Donation and Home Study Appointment

My dear sister Anya (19 years old) donated $100 yet again and communicated that she plans on giving $100 every month until we bring her nephew/niece home. I, of course, thanked her but also commented on what a big sacrifice that was for someone her age and income. But she was quick to express how much she supports what we're doing and that it's worth the sacrifice ...so sweet, right?

Our first of three visits from our social worker is set for May 30th. This will be a one-on-one visit with me. the next will be just Jeremy and then the whole family. Prayers for smooth communication and favorable assessment would be appreciated. There's not much standing between us and being introduced to our child (via photo/profile)!

Passports... Check!

This morning I applied for my passport and Jeremy renewed his. After all is said and done the total came to $295 for both of us ($25 - 2 pictures, $220 - 2 checks to Department of State, $50 - 2 post office handling fees). The passports should be here in 6-8 weeks!

Our Social Worker called Friday and left a voicemail letting us know that she'd like to schedule our home study. We will try to nail down at date/time today with her.

We are also working on Part A of our future child's Immagration Visa.

There's the possibility things could move quite quickly after our home study (of course it may not too) so we have to be prepared both financially and with paperwork to the best of our ability.

We look forward to meeting our social worker and be able to begin applying for grants (after her study is written up).

Quick Update

Just wanted to give a quick update: Our FBI background check has cleared and everything is submitted. Our case file is being reviewed by our agency's branch manager and will be passed off to our social worker shortly. Our social worker will then come to visit our house and interview us. Once her report on us is written we can then be matched with a child.

Matching = receiving a picture(s) and a profile description of the child (including age, known health conditions, personality, ect...) that we can than choose to accept (or deny) as our future child

I can't wait to see the face of the little one who's been pulling at my heart strings from over 6,400 miles away. He/she didn't grow in my tummy but they certainly have been growing in my heart and I so look forward to holding him/her.

Sunday Morning Donation + Thoughts

This morning, while sitting in church, I got a little surprise. A friend of ours (and her hubby) slipped a sweet note and a $20 donation in my purse. Every little bit helps lift the financial burden and the encouragement from others is priceless. Thank you Houy family.

 I hope that as most of you read these blog posts that you feel a renewed sense of conviction and passion for where God has called you to "move" and act... don't wait. Don't put it off. This journey of jumping through hoops and acquiring funds is a sweet one because its where we're supposed to be.  I'd rather struggle for what's right than to comfortably live in apathy and I hope you all agree. There's a real sense of deep peace and joy when we go outside our comfort zones for something greater than ourselves. We ask that you continue to pray that we are receptive to God's leading and consistently willing to obey.

Donation and Encouragement

This evening I had the pleasure of visiting with a dear friend while doing my cosmetology thing. This friend, and her husband, also adopted from S Korea with Holt International 2 separate times. Their boys , received at 5 and 6 months old, are now a great couple of young men that my husband really enjoys having in the youth group at church. It's great to hear about their adoption experiences and it's also fun to be reminded that our family will likely look quite similar 12-13 years from now. It's fun to dream about the future... And yet I'm thankful to be right here, right now. "Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we're waiting for" (Charles Stanley).

They also blessed us with a $100 donation. I don't want to sound like a broken record but we greatly appreciate people's willingness to give financially to our family/future child.  Thank you Johnson family!

$200 Donation

Just found out from my hubby that we received a $200 donation today! Can't express how grateful we are when people do this for us. Not only is it actually helping us pay for our adoption expenses but it encourages us as well. We're now that much closer and we appreciate it so much. Thank you Dotson Family!

Make That $400!

I already posted today but I just received an online donation of $100 (added to our previously mentioned $300). We so appreciate people's willingness to give for the sake of our child in S Korea. We have tried to make it clear that we don't want our pursuit of adoption to become anyone else's burden. We chose this. But we are so thankful when people give because they believe in what's happening here. It's such a blessing to see God move through others and the generosity is not forgotten. We hope you celebrate with us when we bring our baby home to his/her forever family. Thank you Peter & Gina <3

A Repeat Snail-Mail Donation + Update

So my awesome little sister, Anya, (who happened to turn 20 yesterday) sent me a second $100 check in the mail today ($200 total)! I know I've mentioned before, in earlier posts, about how special it is that not only a younger sibling would help financially to bring their nephew/niece home but also the fact that she is adopted as well.  It's a great testimony to the fact that adoption changes lives and is such a good thing. Love you Anya!

Also, Jeremy and I will be finishing our parenting classes tonight so everything in our immediate inbox will be cleared out (for now) and we will wait for our next step... Our home study!

We have also been able to make a $200 adoption fund deposit of our own. We don't share every time we set money aside for our adoption for fear that we may bore you all to death but we also want you to know we're trying. And its so exciting to see that little thermometer (in the right hand column - "web version" of our blog) rise with each drop in the bucket! And today it's a $300 jump :D

What we paid and where it went

Just wanted to share, with those interested, what exactly we've paid so far and what it paid for:

$300 - Application Fee
$40 - Fingerprints Taken
$80 - Processing Background Checks
$120 - "Parents In Process" Parenting Classes
$2,500 - Adoption Study
_____________________________
$3,040 - Grand Total Paid Out So Far

...and to be completely honest, it actually feels good. There's so much junk that people (including us) spend money on to either impress people or make comfy lives even more comfy. And it's so stupid when other people (including innocent children) go without such basic needs met. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing inherently evil with a fun purchase and those purchases are more than ok to enjoy. I quite enjoy clothes shopping myself :). It's just that in our culture, so many of us do it soooooooo much of the time! You can only "treat yourself" because "you deserve it" so much before it becomes a sickening over indulgence. Learning not to love money is almost always a struggle. After all, with money comes security, power, and proof of our success... Or does it? How many people have we seen crumble to ruin when they "had it all"? I offer up the notion that nothing of this world can truly promise us those things.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

Some Orphan Stats

Just some stats found on Skyward Journey to make the orphan crisis a little more "real" to us:

• It is estimated there are between 143 million and 210 million orphans worldwide (recent UNICEF report.)

• The current population of the United States is just a little over 300 million… to give you an idea of the enormity of the numbers… (The current population of Russia is 141 million)

• Every day 5,760 more children become orphans

• 2,102,400 more children become orphans every year in Africa alone 

• Every 15 seconds, another child in Africa becomes an AIDS orphan

• Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but… 

• Each year 14, 505, 000 children grow up as orphans and age out of the system by age sixteen

• Each day 38,493 orphans age out

• Every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out with no family to belong to and no place to call home

• In Russia and the Ukraine, studies have shown that 10% – 15% of these children commit sucide before they reach age eighteen

• These studies also show that 60% of the girls become prostitutes and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals 

• Another Russian study reported that of the 15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed,6,000 were homeless and 3,000 were in prison within three years…

(Russia has recently banned U.S. adoptions with no indication of reopening)

My sisters, Anya and Tatyana, were about to age out...

...my sisters were picked up by my parents before that could happen but EVERY DAY 38,493 fifteen year old girls and boys have no one coming for them and are told to leave

Starting our classes

Last night we paid our $120 and completed the first 2 hours (out of 10) of our required, online adoptive-parenting classes. There was some good advice we took away; like tips on cultivating an emotional bond and setting up a support network to handle unique international-adoption issues. We plan on assembling a "life book" for our child that holds all the pre-adoption facts, stories, and pictures that we can get our hands on and how the adoption process went. We want him/her to  feel clear about who they are, where they came from, and that we were/are committed to them. We're likely to get a child around the age of 18 months to 2 years, which allows for us to likely be all the child ever remembers as they grow into adulthood. But there are still unique issues for a child that may have been shuffled around, neglected, and/or abused in the begining. Even if the child doesn't have specific memories of their first year or two they can still have increased insecurity, fear, anger, and sadness stemming from their earliest interactions. I look at my 15 month old daughter and see how she has already bonded and grown so much due to her upbringing ...she could be much different than the girl we know now had she not been given stability and consistent love/care from us. So, we're trying our best to prepare for those potential issues and keeping in mind that God is able to fix the hurts that we cannot reach or even see. The same is true for our biological children.

Something that I wanted to make clear is this:
We do not look to this child (or our biological children) to fulfill us. We believe it is not a child's job to give his/her parents purpose, significance, or even unconditional love. We are pursuing adoption because it's right. Because we feel "called". And because every child deserves love, commitment, and stability, whether they have anything to give in return or not. We will love this child because we choose to. Because God chose and "adopted" us. We don't need another reason because that's more than enough.

Please keep us and our future child in your prayers. There's still a long road ahead and undoubtedly many obstacles. I find myself getting increasingly more emotional at the thought of waiting and neglected children and can easily fall into frustration at the general lack of urgency the world seems to have about the topic. BUT I don't ever want to become embittered or angry. The truth is that we're blessed that God is allowing us to "tag along" on what He's doing here and I want to remember that truth through every twist and turn. Being able to share our love because God first loved us (even when we didnt love Him back) is priceless and amazing (1 John 4:19).

"War May Break Out At Any Moment"

Read about it here: Huffington Post Article 

Donation (3/24/13 - A.M.) & What's Happening Now

This morning we received a $100 check from good friends of ours at Antioch Christian Church.  It's such a blessing to have prayer and emotional support from friends let alone financial support... and they have done all these things for us. We've now jumped to over $14,000 on our thermometer! Praise God for stirring people's hearts to give so that we can be a family for a waiting child. It is our deep desire that the people who've sacrificed financially for us would feel blessed in doing so; knowing that whatever they did for the least of these, they did for God himself (Matthew 25:40).

***

There's a few things happening:
- Jeremy and I wrote out our $2,500 check for our Adoption Study last night to be mailed off first thing on Monday!
- We started preparing for our "Parents In Process" classes. The PIP classes are a required 10 hours of classroom time (plus homework) regarding becoming adoptive parents.
- We will also be working on part 1 of our immigration application
- We will be updating our passports
- We will be getting our Medical Exams (plus HIV & TB testing) the first two weeks of April and getting those mailed out
- We are also working on plans for a fundraiser (details to come)

...lots to do but we're making progress!

Online Donation (11:49pm - 3/22/13)

I woke up this morning to find an online donation of $100 (and note) from yet another friend from High School (Green Bay Preble High School) and her Fiancé.  We are so grateful that these friends (and others) are responding to the prompting placed on their hearts to give.  It's truly amazing.  Big "thanks" to the future Mr. and Mrs. Underwood.

***

I often think about the innocents of childhood and how dependent we have all been on our family to take care of us.  Most of us have had nurturing, loving homes and realize it's incredible impact on forming who we are today.... and still others have had very poor, abusive family dynamics and I believe they may know even better what a tender touch, hugs & kisses, encouragement and consistency would have done for them.  The world's most innocent, most deserving population is reaching out to us to notice them and realize their basic need to belong to a family and be loved.  We can't change the whole of humanity and it's brokeness but we can do something... and that something can mean everything to a child who is waiting.

I missed 2 more donations!

So I somehow didn't notice, the first time I checked the mailbox, that I also had 2 more donations! These ones come from my 2 youngest sisters... Both $100.  As I mentioned in the post just before this, both of my sisters were adopted in their early teens in 2008 from Russia. It was a 2 year adoption process. U.S. adoptions from Russia have recently closed.

Tatyana Joy is on the left and Anya Grace is on the right.

They are not biological sisters but were in the same children's home when my parents first learned of them. This photo was taken when they appeared before the Russian court to resign their Russian citizenship and testify of their desire to be adopted by my parents.

Tatyana now 18 years old and is our spunky, hard working, fun-loving youngest sister.

Anya is now 19 and is our social and calm sister.

Both girls are amazingly talented in the artistic arena and have excelled in school. Most importantly, both have accepted Jesus as their salvation and anchor in life!

I share this with you all to hopefully edify you all and bring joy to your heart. Adoption makes a difference. My sisters both vocalize their advocacy for adoption and openly speak about their joy in realizing that God orchestrated their journeys, even before they knew Him.  I love them dearly and their financial support  is a huge testimony. It's amazing to see God using their adoption to make another possible.

Snail-mail Donation (3/21/13)

Opened my mailbox this morning to find a really great surprise... A $100 donation from my "little" brother. There's something particularly sweet and humbling about your younger sibling financially supporting your ministry of adoption. We have experienced 1st hand the impact that adoption has through our parents adopting our 2 younger sisters (from Russia). My precious sisters were always ment to be a part of our family even though it ment not joining us until they were young teenagers... not babies or even children. God has built my family in a unique and beautiful way and I look forward to Him growing it further; this time as "mommy" instead of "sister". I love my family! God is good!

Waiting

Right now we're waiting for our FBI criminal history (the one that takes 9 weeks to process) to be completed along with waiting for our Medical Physicals (which will take place in a couple of weeks).  We received invoice requesting we send in $2,500 for our Adoption Study between now and when our FBI criminal history clears. We will be sending that in shortly.

Please continue to pray for continued guidance and wisdom for us. We're getting closer to either being matched with a child or picking a child heading to the Waiting Child program (children with greater needs).

Donation (3/13/13 - 10:48AM)

We received another $100 online donation yesterday morning from an old Green Bay Preble high school friend and her husband. Can't tell you how much it touches our heart when we know someone's intentionally gone out of their way for us and our child-to-be. Thanks so much for getting us that much closer to holding our baby.

You grew in my heart...

A photo that, believe it or not, my (almost 4 year old) son took... he said, "my baby is going to come from there".  <3

Why Adopt?

This trailer is 2 min... please, please watch and get a small picture into what many of these orphans go through. Most of us are blissfully unaware and that needs to change. These children are just as precious as the ones born to us and yet there's far too little action taken on their behalf... little to no inconvenience made in our comfy lives because, to most of us, they are "out of sight and out if mind".

(See the full documentary at Stuck for $12.99)

Online Donation (3/11/13 - 6:25pm)

We recieved another anonymous $100 donation this evening. We so appreciate the sacrifice others choose to make to (God willing) bring us that much closer to being a "forever family" to a precious, waiting, and vulnerable child. Thank you.

Audio Adrenaline - Kings & Queens

Good Things Happening

A few new things I'm happy to report:

(1) We received our second donation. A $100 online donation was made today by a wonderful young couple from our church! I pray they feel even more blessed in giving than we do in receiving... And we feel very blessed (and thankful)!

(2) We mailed back a massive packet of documents to our branch office. It's both a relief to have them completed and sent, while a little nerve racking knowing such important documents are now in the hands of unknown mail carriers.  But mostly it's a great feeling knowing we're that much closer!

(3) I'm prohibited from discussing the details of the conference call we had last fri but I can say that we're still on track.  It was very comforting to hear Holt workers speak of all their prior success and their confidence regarding future adoptions. We have no cause to worry. After all, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" (Matthew 6:26-27)

Fingerprints & Background Checks

Today we went to the Cedar Rapids Police Department to get two sheets (each) of fingerprints taken down. We've filled out our clearance papers to be background checked for child abuse, State Criminal History, and FBI Criminal history. We finished our individual 30 page "Personal Data Information Forms"  which is approximately 90 short paragraph answers to various personal questions (such as how we parent/discipline, how we interact with those of a different race, etc...). We still need our medical reports. Our FBI criminal history will take about 9 weeks to process but after that we will be setting up an appointment with our social worker to get our first home study done. Things are moving along!

We will be on a 9:00am conference call tomorrow morning to talk with Holt Korea's staff along with many other adoptive patents in process with South Korea to get updates on various specifics related to our program/country. Please keep us in your prayers and that we receive either good news or news we can "work with". Thanks!

The Distance That Separates Us

6,468.4 miles

Big News!

Big news people! We just received a $10,000 donation!!! This couple wishes to remain anonymous but we are so very thankful to them for sacrificing so much to help us and fund, what we believe is, God's work. Their selfless giving is humbling and beautiful. Praise God who has done a great work through them!

Verses to Ponder

These are some verses I've been thinking on lately and I can't help thinking of them in relation to our adoption... Thought I'd share:

“...'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:40

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." Proverbs 31:8

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2

"He must become greater, I must become less." John 3:30

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" Hebrews 13:5-6

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

⁸ "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." Ephesians 1:4-5

More Photos for Our File

The Financial Step of Faith

When we first discussed adoption we knew immediately that the finances would be more than we could afford.  As we looked through the series of fees, the cost kept stacking up.  We finally arrived at an estimated total cost of $35,000.  It was a number that was far beyond our means.  Making frugal choices and denying ourselves luxuries wouldn’t be enough to fulfill the requirements in the time alotted.  So now what?  Does that mean God has closed the door on us taking in an orphaned child as our own?  Does that mean we shouldn’t try to give a precious little one a chance at having two parents that unconditionally love him/her?  The answer seems clear to us... “NO.”  There are various grants and financial aid that we can apply for, and the government has extended the Adoption Tax Credit as well.  We will continue to give to the local church, as well as other ministries that we have committed to support.  From there, we will give to this adoption.  We will not be adding to our retirement fund during this time, instead, directing those funds towards the adoption.  One thing we do consider a responsibility, however, is to maintain an “emergency fund.”  

James 1:27 is often quoted in these scenarios, and it is good and right to bring to mind the command of “looking after orphans (and widows) in their distress.”  However, the last part of that verse if too readily dropped from the reference--“and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”  Truly, this is our desire.  As Christians, we are directed according to God’s Word with how to live our lives for God’s glory.  As we live for His glory, our delight in Him grows.  It is good to enjoy what God has given us to enjoy, but it is destructive to oneself to seek any of these things above the glory of God.  Furthermore, it is destructive to others to lead them into anything short of God’s desires for our delight.  Please, do not hear our words of sacrifice as boasting.  God has plans for each of us in revealing His glory to the world.  At this time, this is where we are convinced He is leading us.  Maybe God is leading you to partner with us financially.  If so, we want you to know that we will readily receive your gift with gladness.  It is our conviction that when God leads people to do something, it is good for those that are walking with them to know how deep the roots of the conviction run.  And for those of you who are led to give, we want you to know that we are not asking for the funds to come from others, but we do not want to inhibit the blessing of giving from those who desire to give (Acts 20:35).  Yet, the deepest desire we have for you, for ourselves, and for our children, is to seek first the Kingdom of God.  God will provide for all our needs, and in this, the adoption, He will provide.  

For you, the reader, remember that in all things and at all times, God’s plans are good.  Difficulties are real, and hardships will come, but in all these things, He is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9).  And the pleasures of this world are not all wrong in themselves, but not one of them will satisfy, all will leave us with a desire for something more.  In Christ, we are at rest, and in Christ alone do we find our hope (Psalm 62:1; 1 Pet 1:3).  And it is Christ’s blood that we have been purchased for adoption as sons and daughters of God, co-heirs with Christ, if only we have faith to believe in these promises for us (Ephesians 1).   

Thank-you all for taking the time to read this, and for coming alongside us as we follow where Christ is leading.  We love you all!

Contact from South Korea Progrm

We got an email from Holt's South Korea program yesterday. They gave us information to get connected to other families (with Holt) that are currently adopting from South Korea.  They also will be keeping us updated on the list of Children that are currently waiting to be matched with a family internationally along with children who are currently going home with their "forever families".

Children in Korea are typically relinquished for adoption shortly after birth.  To give children the opportunity to grow up in their birth country, they first become available for adoption exclusively by families in Korea.  After approximately 6 months, they are released for international adoption.  Most children placed internationally are 6-12 months at time of match, and 18-30 months at time of placement.

In Korea, families often prefer to adopt girls. As a result, more boys are released for international adoption than girls.

The child we get matched with will more than likely have one or several of the following conditions:

·         Prematurity

·         Low birth weight

·         Hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice)

·         Birth mother history (use of alcohol, smoking, or use of over-the-counter medicines)

·         Initial abnormal neurosonogram followed by a subsequent normal neurosonogram

·          Minor heart murmur

Seeing the precious little faces and reading the profiles of the children waiting to be matched definitely makes this adoption process feel even more real.  You just want to pick them up and squeeze them.  They're so sweet. Can't wait to get matched!  

Our Family of Four

Individual shots to be added to our case file :)

Getting Down to Business

We recieved our snail-mail packet and our PDFs are printed off. "Phase 2" of the adoption process is in full swing! I organized the documents today and gave them a quick once over... and... there's a lot there. Answering some of these questions will require some serious digging! All worth it but intimidating none the less. I scheduled our medical exams and fingerprinting and wrote out our "to do" list. We've also begun brainstorming fundraising ideas. Please pray that we keep focused and efficient. I was reading that South Korea wants to stop international adoptions by 2015 (22 months away) ...adoptions to South Korea take, on average 20-26 months. I'll be asking about our risk of not meeting that deadline once I'm connected with Holt's South Korea branch and fill you all in.

Another BIGGER batch of papers

I got a phone call from Holt International's Midwest Branch Director this morning. She filled me in on the next big batch of papers to come. Some of which are: background checks, letters of referral, proof of employment, check-ups with HIV and Hepatitis testing, fingerprints, 10 hrs minimum adoptive parent education, a 15 page questionnaire, and lots of other little print offs requiring signatures. Daunting but exciting! She also confirmed that we are best suited to adopt from South Korea and that we will most likely be matched with a boy... so that gives us a tiny piece of the puzzle about who our little one is. Can't wait to see a picture and learn a name!

Next Step - Homestudy

Our next step will be our homestudy. We will be assigned a social worker that will meet with us and talk about issues related to becoming adoptive parents. He/She will also asses our home and family and make recommendations based off his/her analasys. The homestudy fee is $3,000.

One piece of advice we keep getting from people on the inside of adoption is: "don't let money be the reason you don't adopt" ...and while I agree, i'm not gonna lie, it can be little hard to trust at times. We are as sure as we can be that God is calling us to adopt a child, and not because we simply want more kids (because having another biological child would be much easier), but because we have felt this pull on our heart for many years (even individually, before dating). The hard balance to strike is this: working hard and sacrificing to achieve this "act of obedience" AND allowing others to come along side and share in the blessing of "looking after the orphans (and widows) in their distress" (James 1:27). 

Jeremy and I both feel strongly that this is OUR call to adoption and no one around us should feel forced to take up the financial burden. And yet we know that realistically we can't come up with this money by saving our extra income and giving up cable, going out to eat, vacations and unnecessary  spending. We also know not everyone is able to be an adoptive parent. Some people give financially, while others pray, and still others give of their time or talents. The financial cost right now seems like an unpassable mountain but God has worked far bigger things out (when they are within His will). We hope to be an example of God's provision by being in His will. 

Even if we leave this journey without a child added to our family we know this with all our heart: God is good... all the time.

Application... check!

Last night we submitted our online application and $300 application fee! We will mail out our notarized International Adoption Service Agreement, 2010-2012 federal tax return copies, and photos of our family and home tomorrow (Monday) morning. The process has officially begun! Keep the prayers coming!

We're Adopting!

We are excited to announce that we have made the decision to go forward with adoption for our third child!!!  We're teaming up with Holt International to accomplish our goal of providing a loving, stable, Christian home to an orphaned child.  So far, to our knowledge, we qualify for South Korea (and possibly Holt's Waiting Child Program). We are gathering our application and will keep everyone posted. Prayers for God's wisdom, guidance, and provision will be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!