It has been a busy few weeks as we continue to work through the home study process. We have submitted lots of paperwork, had a physical to ensure that we are in good health to parent these children, and just last night, we started the Adoption Training Program. This is a collection of videos that we must watch, while completing a workbook with discussion questions and then at the end we will take a quiz. Last night's video was just the intro video, but I found that it was mostly geared toward couples who have dealt with infertility, becoming parents for the first time through adoption. Not much of it pertained to us. Most of the questions felt like no brainers: will we love these boys as if they were our biological kids? If we had any doubt of that we never would have started this process. Will we openly discuss adoption with our adoptive children? We would always want our kids to feel free to talk to us about anything and we will always try to be honest. I used to have doubts and fears about adoption, which is probably why it took us 13 years to get to this place. I used to doubt I could love an adopted child as my own. I used to be afraid the birth parents would want contact with my child and I didn't think I could be okay with that. I worried about older children who would come to us damaged and who might damage my biological children or my family. It is amazing to reflect back on how far we have come to get to this point. Even 5 years ago these "no brainer" questions in our training video would have led to tough conversations. It is amazing how much God has changed and molded us to prepare us for adding to our family in this way. Our adoption announcement has been mostly met with excitement, encouragement and support but there have been a few who think we are crazy and have suggested as much. My feelings are this: it may appear to some that we are not equipped for this job, or that it is crazy to take these children in when we don't have the funds to get them here and don't even have a house large enough for everyone to have their own bedroom. But I see how much we have changed to get to this point spiritually and emotionally, where we are ready to open our home and our hearts to these boys. And I am surprised that I feel in many ways like they are already mine. If we have come this far already without even trying, I have no doubt God will equip us with everything we will need now and in the future to get them here and to be the best parents we can for them when they get here. And I already know in my heart that they will be an even bigger blessing to us than we will be to them.
Fundraising Update:
We are so thankful for all those who have participated in our puzzle fundraiser. So far we have raised about $600!
We are currently planning a fundraiser at Chick-fil-a, as well as a Christmas tea fundraiser and look for a Jamberry nails fundraiser coming up at the end of the month! Our short term fundraising goal is to raise about $2,000 in order to submit our I800 form in the next few weeks. Please pray with us as we work toward this goal!!
Thank you for reading and for joining us on our journey toward bringing our boys home!
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