No news is…news?

We are officially the worst bloggers on the planet.  Every so often, Clayton and I will remind each other that we do in fact have a blog and should probably update it, but then we find ourselves struggling to decide what to write, because honestly, there’s not much news on the adoption front.

In general:

–In January, WordServe moved from one Sunday service to two.  It was an adjustment (especially for the praise team), but it’s going really well and we are definitely seeing the benefits of having more opportunities for worship.

–We did have a nice, easy-going summer.  I worked at Pure Barre a lot, but still got to be fairly lazy.

–Clayton’s office moved, so both he and I now work about a mile from our house.  Other Houstonian commuters, I know you hate us.

–We are on a waiting list for a corgi puppy.  Yes, we are crazy.  #waitingforhumanbaby #waitingforfurbaby

–Tara temporarily moved to New Zealand for an incredible job opportunity!

–I am now teaching all seniors, with a split between AP Lit & Comp/English IV.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new teaching schedule!

With the adoption, well, I say no news…I guess there have been some developments over the past year, but all have ended with disappointment.  Sorry to be a bummer,  but it’s true.  In February, we had an “almost-selection” that didn’t pan out, and our profile has been shown a couple of other times to expectant parents over the past six months or so, but we haven’t been picked yet.  PCHAS is working with several maternity clients across the state, but there are still a lot of moving parts and circumstances that are being dealt with and counseled through, so it’s really too uncertain to say that there are any huge updates.

So we are still waiting.  And trying to continue to wait well, as Clayton expressed in our last update.  To be honest, it’s getting much harder to be patient and hopeful the longer this process continues. For instance, now that Tara is in New Zealand, we really want to go visit.  We are so excited for her, yet at the same time feel this weird confliction–do we plan an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime trip to go see her and then possibly have our plans changed by an adoptive placement?  Do we not plan anything and trust that we aren’t missing out on something by playing it safe?  Is it wiser to save every penny and all the days off from work we can for when we do get a baby, or live it up since these could be our last days of being a family of two?

So yeah, we are living in a strange tension–continuing to cling to hope, yet trying not to be overly optimistic and set ourselves up for disappointment.  We do ask for your continued prayers, both for us and the expectant moms/parents PCHAS is working with.  We know this ultimately will all work out for good.  Please continue to check in on us, even if we keep giving the same answer over and over.  And hopefully, I will post again before the end of 2018.  🙂

And Now We Wait–A Post on Fatherhood (Clayton finally gets to write!)

So I pretty much had to beg Les to let me write a guest post for the blog.  Actually that’s not true; I just had to promise to let her edit the post before it went live.  The English teacher in her never stops 😉

It’s been a while since the last post, so a quick update for everyone: we are officially in the books and are just waiting for whatever comes next!  (You can see our Expectant Parent letter here! )  We also completed one session of our Seminar training and met the other couples who are in our monthly support group–awesome folks, by the way.

Everyone told us the adoption process would be hurry up and wait; and while it felt like we flew through the approval process, now we’re in the middle of the waiting process.  Which means the phone could ring any second… or it might not ring for years!  This is completely out of our control, an interesting place to be for a couple of control freaks like us.

Truth be told, we’re grateful that nothing has happened yet.  The past 3 months have been a complete whirlwind of work, starting school, Hurricane Harvey, aftermath of storm, starting school again, church, etc.  But now that things are falling back into a routine, the reality of the waiting process is really setting in.  This is not necessarily a bad thing since we’re able to take some time and process everything that’s been happening as well as what the future holds.  Our community continues to encourage us and asks us how to be praying.  I have had a little difficulty answering that specifically, but the other night at community group I found myself asking the guys for prayers that we would “wait well.”

Wait well?  What the heck; what does that even mean???  What does waiting well look like for an anxiety ridden worrier and an OCD over achiever?  Alright, maybe that description is a bit hyped up, but you get the picture.  This process could be end up being really short or may end up being really long.  How can we do this well?

Earlier this week I went with several of the men from our church to see the movie, The Heart of Man.  It’s a bit of a different take of the story of the prodigal son, focusing closely on the interaction between the Father and the son.  I was a bit skeptical of how it would turn out (honestly, I was expecting it to be cheesy) but it was VERY well done.  All of us agreed it was a really moving reminder on how crazy the Father’s love is for each one of us no matter what we’ve done, are doing, or will do.  The movie opens up *spoiler alert* with the Father intensely hacking His way through a jungle, clearing a path towards the edge of a cave.  It turns out to be the same cave he later finds the prodigal trapped in and rescues him out of.  Except here’s the kicker–and you don’t really connect the dots until later in the movie – the father is clearing this path before his son was even born.  Does that hit you like it hits me?  Long before you or I were ever born, the Father was expecting us; clearing a path and prepping not just for our rescue, but for our redemption, for our restoration, for our GOOD.  The truth is He started loving me long before I was me, before I existed–even long before the idea of me was even a thought for my parents (who are awesome, by the way).  He didn’t wait for me to arrive; He began loving me well before that.

Did you catch it?  Suddenly there are some pretty clear parallels here, aren’t there?  In all likelihood, our little one does not even exist yet and may not for years still.  But God has shown us a great example of what being an expectant father is.  Obviously I can’t follow the example to the level of perfection that He did, but I can begin clearing a path now!

We’re in a unique position in that we don’t know when this will happen or exactly how this will happen.  But knowing when and how is not required to love now.  In some ways we’ve already begun to loving this kid and clearing a path for whoever he or she is by following the call to adopt.  But it doesn’t end there; in fact that’s just the beginning!

What does it look like to wait well?  I think part of the answer to is to clear a path now.  I think part of the answer is to love him or her now.  I’m not sure I can tell you exactly what that looks like, but I can finally tell you exactly how to be praying for us!

Happy Anniversary!

I’ve got a little story for ya, Ags.  (So, I know you aren’t all Aggies, but I couldn’t help myself.)  Today is our 9^th wedding anniversary.  In just a little bit, I’ll wax poetic about how handsome, sweet, amazing, talented, and loving my hubby is (all true things), but I was reminded of a little situation that was going on in our lives almost a year ago to the date and want to share.

Our anniversary is July 19^th.  Last year, on July 18th, I was packing up my suitcase in a hotel room in Anaheim, CA after spending several days at the AP Annual Conference.  As I was zipping up my suitcase to leave and catch the waiting taxi downstairs, I felt something strange.  My wedding ring scratched my right hand.  Normally, that doesn’t happen.  I looked down, and much to my dismay, I realized that the engagement diamond was missing from my wedding ring and all that was left was an empty prong setting.  Enter full panic mode!

My friend, Courtney, who was my travel buddy that week, and I tore that poor hotel room apart.  We flipped mattresses, we shook out towels and bedding, we emptied every article of clothing out of my suitcase, and that diamond was nowhere to be found.  I was freaking out—the night before, we had been to Downtown Disney for dinner and then relaxed in the hot tub afterwards.  All I could imagine was that diamond glittering in some gutter down the main drag between our hotel and Disneyland, or sucked up in the hot tub jets.  Unfortunately, our searching couldn’t last long, as we quickly had to leave to catch our respective flights, without my diamond.

I was in tears the entire plane ride home. That was my diamond!  That was the diamond Clayton picked out and purchased as a poor college kid with no money.  It wasn’t the biggest, or the flashiest, but that didn’t matter–it was beautiful because of the sentiment and sacrific behind it.

That was the diamond in the ring that he gave to me with the promise that we were in this together, through thick and thin.  I’m also not a very sentimental person, but gosh dang it, I didn’t want it to be replaced!  Never before, in 8 years of marriage, had I misplaced my ring or had something bad happen to it.  I’m not a superstitious person by any means, but I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of foreboding.  You see—at that point, Clayton and I were waiting on results of fertility testing.

And of course, the news later that week wasn’t good.  These events were the catalyst to a solid 6 months of hard praying, searching, grieving, and feeling pretty lost.  (Thankfully those actions didn’t return void–we are now so excited to be on the adoption journey.) However, when I made the tearful call home to let Clayton we were leaving the hotel and that I had lost my diamond—he was so calm.  He was so comforting.  Of course, he was freaking out internally, too, but he assured me everything would be okay.  In that moment (just like so many moments in the past), and in many moments in the days to come, I knew I could trust him.  And that I could trust our merciful, gracious Savior.

You see, our marriage is not built on flashy diamonds.  Our marriage isn’t dependent on whether or not we are both wearing pretty jewelry on our left ring fingers.  Our marriage is instead founded upon some pretty serious vows we made to each other, before God and everybody, on July 19, 2008 (and really, years before that as we were falling in love with each other).  Even through my tears on the plane ride home, I heard the Lord whisper reminders to my heart that Clayton and I love each other and we love Him, and that if we continued to look to Him, to trust in Him, to follow him—to not put our hope in earthly possessions,  medical diagnoses, dreams that could so quickly be deterred—He would be so very faithful to complete the good work He began in us as individuals, as a couple, and as His children and followers.  Just like the rainbow after the flood was a physical reminder of God’s promises that will always be fulfilled, the ring was another symbol of our commitment, not the commitment itself.

When I got home and emptied my suitcase, lo and behold, that sparkly little diamond was nestled right in the bottom of my suitcase.  Like, just chilling there under my clothes, waiting to be found!  To this day, I marvel at how I could have very easily tossed it away as I was frantically looking for it.

I think that makes a great parallel to our journey with infertility, and our current journey while waiting for our adoption.  So often, in moments of panic, we fling things about—we make hasty decisions (yup, I’m so very guilty), we take action because GOSH WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, we take heed of counsel that isn’t necessarily wise or right because we want to be told want we want to hear.  Or sometimes, we become frozen in our fear or indecision or anger.  All the while, the Lord has plans for us.  He wants to guide and direct us.  He wants us to take that deep breath on the plane miles above the ground while worst-case scenarios are running through our minds, and call on Him.  To not only cast our cares on Him in fits of worry and desperation, but to lean in and accept His peace, and sometimes, wait until on the ground to get answers.  And sometimes those answers don’t come until the next leg of the journey.  And that’s okay—He is always, always faithful.

Over the course of this past year, I have had to go long periods of time without my wedding ring.  It took several weeks to get the diamond reset and then the ring was almost lost by USPS (that’s another story in itself—have I mentioned I greatly despise USPS?).  Later in the year, I had to get it resized because I eat my feelings, and I had a lot of them in 2016.  Being without a ring didn’t make me any less married.  Having to wait and seek and wait and seek and still not getting answers or immediate results doesn’t make the Lord any less loving or kind.

So today, I want to celebrate and remember our incredible wedding day and the marriage that began.  I’m going to look back at our wedding photos and laugh about what babies we were and how skinny we were.  I’m going to thank God for our families who have helped us and guided us in countless ways.  I’m going to reflect on our friends who stood beside us and encouraged us to be the best partners for each other that we could be.  And I’m also going to thank the Lord that He gave me a spouse who lives not for me, but for Him.  There’s no one else I want to be mine and there’s no other man I want to be the father of our children, however they come to us or how long we have to wait. (And boy, is he going to be such an amazing daddy!)

Happy anniversary, babe!   I love you and I like you.  A whole, whole lot.

Home Study Dates

Exciting news–we talked to our social worker this week and scheduled our home study!

The home study is an interview (or series of interviews) that explores our relationship as a couple, our family history/dynamics, our parenting philosophy, and various other topics related to family, marriage, and raising children.  There is also a home inspection component to make sure our house is a safe, clean environment for raising a child. (Dear Lawd, please keep the Lucy shedding to a minimum those days!)

Sometimes, home studies are done in one day, but with our particular agency, we will have 3 interviews:  Clayton’s individual interview is May 31, my individual interview is June 2, and our couple interview/home inspection is June 7.  Our social worker is very sweet, so I know the interviews will go well; I just can’t help but be a little bit nervous (okay, slightly neurotic) about making sure I’m prepared.  After our home study is written and approved, we will attend a training seminar and get “put in the book”!

So I have a few questions for my mamas out there who have adopted:

How soon after your home study did you start setting up the nursery/begin buying baby gear?

What are the absolutely, MOST necessary things you used/needed the first few months after bringing baby home?  

We don’t have to have a nursery set up for the home study; our case worker just has to see that there is a set place for the baby to sleep, so there’s not a huge rush.  I just know there is a slight possibility that we could be picked relatively soon after, but more than likely there will be a long wait.  With summer quickly approaching and with me having more time not being in school, the Type A/ISTJ/Enneagram 1 in me is already making lists and getting ready to DO. ALL. THE. THINGS.  (Even though I’m burned out with school right now, I’m fighting the urge to write a semester’s worth of lesson plans–just in case.)

While I really do want to maximize my time and opportunity to get organized, research and purchase things like car seats and strollers, stockpile diapers and wipes, decorate the room, and start buying all the cute Etsy onesies, I don’t want to make myself crazy with excitement, anticipation, impatience, etc.  Having to walk by a fully stocked and decorated room that lacks a baby for months on end could be really, really emotionally taxing.  But I also don’t want to be thrown into a tailspin if we get picked and don’t have much time to get things in order before a baby is placed with us.

Experienced mamas have reminded me that, of course, babies really only need the basics, especially as an infant.  The baby probably won’t even sleep in that nursery the first few months of his or her life anyway!  And, thankfully, we have a squad of friends/family who would swoop in and throw all hands on deck, if need be.  I just follow the trusty Boy Scout motto: be prepared!  (Disclaimer:  I really promise I’m not as uptight and crazed as I sound here!  🙂 )

Anyway–exciting times around here!  This is all getting very real–we’re inching closer and closer to having our world turned upside down!

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day can be a very bittersweet day for those waiting to become a mom, or for those missing a mom, for those who lack a relationship with a mom.  I always go into this weekend so very thankful for the awesome mothers in my life, but this year my focus is somewhat different. (Even though I’m still SO blessed by the awesome ladies you see in the photos!)

This year, I am thinking about and praying for the woman who will be/ (is?) our child’s birth mother.

I really cannot wait to meet her.  I want to know what she looks like, where she’s from, what her family is like, whether or not she has other children.  I want to know both the good and the hard things that have made her who she is.  She herself may be in a really difficult spot, because otherwise, she might choose to parent her child. While the prospect of meeting her is exciting because it means that our own family will be growing, it’s still going to be very sad and unimaginably difficult to communicate how appreciative we are for the gift of life she is allowing us to steward, and at the same time acknowledge her pain and support her through quite possibly the most intense loss she’s ever experienced.

I want her to know that we love her.  That we honor her.  That she is NO. LESS. A MOTHER because she is choosing this option for her child.  I want our child have the same attitude and respect for her as well.  This week, there has been an incredible video circling around Facebook from a young man named Ryan Jon, who though he has never met his birth mother, shares a beautiful, moving tribute to her.  (I tried to link the video, but I’m not tech-savvy enough to figure it out).  His words show both the beauty and pain of adoption.  My most earnest prayer is that our birth mother will want a relationship with us and our child and will ultimately experience healing, joy, and transformation through adoption.

This weekend, whether you are celebrating your mother in church, out at brunch, or through some other family outing, take a moment and pray for those moms-to-be who are hurting, scared, and unsure of what the future holds for them and their babies.  Pray for the birth mother who hasn’t been allowed a relationship with her child.  Pray for the person who was adopted and feels abandoned and scarred from his or her loss.  Pray for mothers whose children have been placed in the foster care system and desperately need healing and transformation in their lives in order to be able to parent their children again.  Pray for the couple that is fearful of adoption, that might feel called to it, but is still uncertain.  Pray that the world sees the Gospel of Christ through all of our interactions with mothers, children, and families from ALL kinds of backgrounds.

I hope and pray that next Mother’s Day I have a baby in my lap and can thank and praise not only my own mom and mother-in-law, but the brave woman who helped me become a mommy.

Guest Post on Houston Moms Blog

Howdy, friends!  It seems like every week there is some type of awareness campaign for different issues and it can be easy to sometimes skim over blog posts and articles related to each specific one–yes, I’m guilty as charged.  However, this week is National Infertility Awareness week, which is an issue that obviously hits very close to home now.  One of my good friends, Meagan, writes for Houston Moms Blog and asked so kindly if I would write a guest post for HMB about our experience with infertility and our subsequent decision to adopt.  Again, it’s really scary to put out such personal information for the all the interwebz to read, but I felt like our story might be able to encourage someone else in a similar situation.  If you haven’t already, I would be honored for you to hop on over to Houston Moms Blog and check it out!

Choosing Adoption After Infertility

Even though I’m not yet a mom, I really enjoy HMB–it provides so much great information about goings-on in the Houston area and resources for moms, kids and families, as well as special interest pieces that relate to everyone, not just mommas and kiddos!

Checking off the list

Hey friends!  Sorry it has been a while since my last post.  Again, we cannot wrap our minds around the fact that we reached our fundraising goal so quickly!  You guys are incredible!

These past few weeks have been pretty busy between Spring Break, STAAR prep at school, and trying to complete more of the adoption paperwork.

For those of you who are curious about what the process entails, here are some of the things we’ve had to (or will have to) turn in so far:

–Financial Disclosure Sheet:  This is basically a lengthy document that lists all of our assets/ liabilities and monthly expenses.  We definitely didn’t have to provide this much information to purchase a car or a house, but I understand why agencies want this information up front. We’ve also had to submit last year’s tax information, along with current pay stubs, proof of employment, and employer recommendation forms.

–Child Inventory Sheet:  This was a really difficult form for us.  It’s a checklist of what kinds of medical and criminal history we would accept in a birth parent as well as the different types of medical conditions we would or would not be comfortable with in a child.  There are certain medical conditions we definitely do not feel like we are equipped to deal with at this point in our lives, but it’s easy to feel guilt or shame about saying “no” when, if we had a biological child with those needs, we would do all we possibly could to provide the best care for him or her.  Also, it’s hard to know the degree of severity with some of these conditions at birth, so while some medical problems seem scary on paper, in reality, they might not be so bad in the long run.  And then there’s fact that the more conditions or factors we are unwilling to accept, the longer it could take for us to be selected.  So, we are keeping an open mind (with the exception of a few situations) and are prayerful that we will end up with a healthy child, or one can feel confidently about caring for regardless of health.  Again, we had faith that God would provide the financial assistance we needed to pursue this adoption, so we are certain that he will be faithful to give us the child we are meant to parent.

–“Dear Expectant Parent” Letter:  These next two items are works in progress!  While I say the Child Inventory Sheet was difficult, I think the “Dear Expectant Parent” letter and Autobiography are the most stressful because these will make the first impressions on our future birth mother.  This is a one page (front and back) letter that briefly introduces us to her, giving general information about our ages, jobs, hobbies, and hopes for the adoption process.  It also includes color photographs of the two of us just doing life.  It is soooooo hard choosing which photos to include (and to find recent pics of us without sunglasses–do you realize how many pics we take of ourselves in sunglasses?!).  Also, I have ZERO creativity when it comes to design and formatting–my first attempt at arranging our photos was so bland and boring that I can’t imagine any person taking a second glance. Thankfully, I have a co-worker who is going to work her magic and help me design something pretty.  🙂

Oh and just a tidbit of info I recently read–many agencies refer to these letters as “Dear Birth Mother” letters; however, that term isn’t really the most appropriate because a mother doesn’t become a birth mother until after a placement has occurred.  Often times, when a mother reads these letters, she is still trying to determine whether or not she truly wants to create an adoption plan for her child, so it’s presumptuous on the part of the adoptive parents to address her as such.  Until then, she should be referred to as an “expectant mother”, just like any other pregnant mom.  So, that was one edit I had to make to our letter!

–Autobiography:  This will be given to an expecting mom after she reads our initial letter and decides she wants more information about us.  Clayton and I each have to write a 3-page letter that outlines our significant aspects of our childhood–what our family dynamic was like, what we were like as children, more detailed explanations of our personalities and hobbies, how our family has influenced how we want to parent, etc.  At first, I thought it would be hard to write three pages about myself, but then as I was thinking about everything I would want to know if trying to select parents for my child, I got a little long-winded.  (Classic English teacher move.)  So, that needs a little more editing before submission.  We are excited, yet nervous about presenting ourselves on paper.  I know we just need to be authentically ourselves, because no one is perfect–the agency and potential birth parents know this, too, but there’s so much doubt–are we too nerdy?  Too “white”?  Too boring?  Surely, some potential birth mother will find us endearing, albeit dorky!

–Fingerprinting:  Easy peasy.  We are squeaky clean, so there shouldn’t be issues with those!

–Health Physical:  We have physicals scheduled in a couple of weeks.  Again, hopefully nothing crazy shows up, but we are decently healthy, apart from making bad food choices a lot of the time!  Clayton recently had his weight and BMI taken for a weight-loss competition at work and he had the lowest out of the entire office.  Of course he would.  :-p  But generally, I think agencies just want to make sure we don’t have any serious, long-term illnesses that could prohibit us from being able to parent a child long-term.

After these documents are approved by our agency, we will “officially” be accepted into their program and then will receive dates for our Home Study, which is a series of about 4 interviews (both individually and as a couple) that will delve even deeper into our marriage/family dynamic and how we plan to parent as a couple.  I’m sure there will be a post dedicated to just the Home Study later down the road.

Anyway, some of that might have been TMI for you, but going into this process I really wasn’t sure what all we would be required to do.  We like to think this info could be helpful to others who might be considering adoption themselves.  So, thanks for reading our play-by-play!  Take care, friends!

 

 

 

100%

Y’all.

Our adoption is fully funded.

We are simply blown away.  And humbled.  And grateful.  And awestruck by how incredibly kind the Lord (and our amazing friends and family) have been to us.

I cannot count the number of times over these past few weeks that I have been moved to my knees in tears by the generosity of our loved ones.

So thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you for loving us so very well.  Thank you for praying for our child and this process.  Thank you for giving generously and sacrificially.

We feel so unworthy to receive these kinds of gifts, but oh, how God wants us to accept all of His provision with praise and adoration:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  Ephesians 3:20-21

Sweet baby, your story has an incredible beginning…we can’t wait to see what the rest of the chapters hold.

“Problematic” Gifts

Night before last, our community group discussed spiritual gifts, in relation to the study on the book of Ephesians that we are currently going through.  I was taken back to the first time I learned about spiritual gifts as a young teenager (thanks, Brady Traywick/FBC Snyder youth group).  If I remember correctly, the series was about realizing calling through our S.H.A.P.E–spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences.  During our discussion the other night, we pondered our roles and responsibilities in using our particular and unique spiritual gifts–should we focus mainly in our wheelhouse areas of spiritual gifting, or does God sometimes call us beyond what we are capable of and comfortable with doing?  After all, I can organize and manage like a beast and throw together a casserole for someone in need in a way that would make Ree Drummond swoon, but I am of very little help hanging insulation at a Habitat for Huggins construction site.  So does that mean I should just avoid those opportunities for service and let the handy-men Mikes take care of it?

But then, today during my lunch break I read an article, “Called to Childlessness:  The Surprising Ways of God” by Karen Swallow Prior. (http://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/called-to-childlessness-the-surprising-ways-of-god) To me, it hit home very squarely concerning spiritual gifting, God’s crazy ways, and Clayton’s and my calling to adopt.

Prior writes,”It would be nice if God’s call on our life always coincided neatly with our passions and talents, but that’s not always, perhaps not even often, how it works. While it’s certainly true that our passions and talents hint at our calling, God sometimes calls us to things we don’t want to do and don’t have a knack for.”

Hmm.  Things I don’t want to do:  Wait.  Have my schedule thrown out of whack (yeah, parenting will make that one really fun).  Put decisions concerning my family in someone else’s hands.  Things I don’t have a knack for:  Waiting–waiting patiently.  Knowing how to raise a child (well, I don’t know that I really have this deficiency yet, but according to most parents I know, they have no clue about it either).  Being vulnerable and open regarding struggle and weakness.  I’m very certain that the Lord has called us to adopt, but I’m very uncertain about my ability to deal with a lot of these things that come with the adoption process.  So, like the stuttering Moses who was called to convince Pharaoh to free his people, it looks like my spiritual gifts might be set aside for me to grow and stretch and let God’s grace, mercy, and power transform my life–and serve his people.  His chosen, special, adopted children.  And perhaps instead of focusing on how my new calling doesn’t necessarily match up with my perceived gifting, I need to realize that this calling IS, in fact, a gift.

The article continues, “I believe that the church and the world need more of the particular gifts that infertile (and childless and unmarried) women (and men) can offer. I can’t help but wonder how different the church and the world would look if infertility were viewed not as a problem to be solved, but a calling to serve God and meet the needs of the world in other ways.”

Wow.  I’m so guilty of that–especially in the early days of our infertility diagnosis, I was so quick to look for a “solution” to the problem rather than sit and meditate on how to “live our infertility well.”  While I am thankful that the Lord intervened relatively quickly to direct our path, it’s still a battle to fully submit to His ways every single day.  I know so many of my dear friends and loved ones who are struggling to solve the “problem” of their particular situations–raising children with special needs, losing jobs/searching for new ones, struggling with singleness, longing for the next phase of life, whatever it may be.  What would it look like for us to really embrace what the world (and sometimes the Church) considers problematic situations of our lives as special gifts we have been given to serve and expand the Kingdom?

Maybe the Mikes can teach me a thing or two at the next Habitat for Huggins workday.  And maybe one of them can someday babysit for us in return–just as long as power tools aren’t involved.  😉

 

Be the a Piece of the Puzzle

Adoption is a tricky process.  There are numerous moving parts–paperwork (so.much.paperwork), reading, counseling, training, home visits, selection.  It’s a daunting process to take on as a couple.  However, we are so thankful that we have an incredible community of supportive friends and family to walk with us through each point.  One of the scariest parts about adoption is the financial aspect.

We struggled with the concept of asking for monetary support, but then realized that people become passionate about causes like adoption and that our friends and family would be glad to help.

We would be honored for you to prayerfully consider becoming a “piece” of our adoption story, so in order to raise funds to complete our adoption requirements, we are selling puzzle pieces!  Here’s how it works:

1.    We have created a 500 piece custom puzzle with a graphic designed specifically for this project. (See the top of this post–our awesome WordServe communications director, Elizabeth Janson, lovingly made the graphic!)
2.   You or your family can purchase 1, 2, 3, or however many puzzle pieces you would like for $25 each.
3.   To purchase, simply create a PayPal account from paypal.com and email the funds to thewakefields719@gmail.com . Or, you may mail cash or a check directly to us.  Just contact me for our mailing address!
4.   Once we have received your contribution, we will send you a special “thank you” gift that will serve as a reminder to pray for our little one and his/her birth.
5.   For each person or family that purchases a puzzle piece, we will sign that name to the back side of the piece.  When all of the pieces have been bought and put together, the puzzle will be float-framed and hung in our baby’s nursery.

The final result will be a beautiful picture of all the people who have prayed for our family and already love our little baby so very much!  We cannot wait to sit with our child and go over, piece by piece, each person who helped bring him or her home.  What an awesome, tangible way to tell our child his or her story and of the faithfulness and love of God’s people!

If you are unable to contribute financially at this point, we ask only for your prayers for the process, for our birthparents, for a placement according to God’s perfect timing, and ultimately, for our child to grow to know and love Jesus and serve Him throughout his or her life.  Also, pray that Clayton and I will be fully equipped to be the exactly the parents this special little person needs.

We will post frequent updates about the fundraiser and news regarding the adoption here on the blog.  We currently have $15,000 of our projected $27,000-$30,000 total cost; our goal is to raise at least $12,500 to cover the final portion of adoption expenses, due at the time of our placement.  Every puzzle piece makes a difference, just like you have already made an impact in our lives.  Again, thank you for your love and support during this exciting time.  We can’t wait to bring Baby Wakefield home!