Forms, forms, forms!!!

Bonsoir from Paris!

We've had a rather emotional and exciting night. First, we signed the title over to my Salem house. I can no longer call it "my Salem cottage." It's a blessing, but I'm nostalgic and a little sad. I loved that house.

We've also filled out two of the three additional forms of the preliminary adoption requirements for Bethany Christian Services. We signed off on their statement of faith. What a joy to read that and realize that we are working with people who love Jesus and love kids. We also filled out lots more information regarding ourselves on the application so "they" can start "checking us out." Pretty sweet to fill it out together. Ken sitting on his exercise ball with his arm around me as I typed.

This weekend we're going to work on our personal statements of faith. We've read through the questions tonight and as they are thought provoking will require some reflection. One of them asks about the spiritual raising of children and how we each view our roles. So good to think about before becoming parents but also challenging.

I've really been feeling strongly today that God is pointing us towards a domestic (US) infant adoption. It seems to be where both of our hearts are at and where the doors are continuing to open. We have really appreciated our contact in Seattle, Becky. She has been quick, thorough, and very helpful. I appreciate how she has reached out to us and that we are not making all the inquiries.

We've also decided that we're open to special needs children if that's who God has for us. On our paperwork, we noted that we are open to whomever God has planned for us and that we know He will equip us for "our kids."

Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we walk and trust step but step.

Another Step

Good evening from Paris! This has been a crazy, busy week, but I wanted to give you an update. I'm sorry it's been a while since I've blogged. God is moving, but it seems slow at times.

We received our "official" adoption packet from Bethany Christian Services today in our US mail packet. It was so encouraging to look through the information, but also daunting. There is so much involved with adoption and looking at the financial information is initially overwhelming. Yet, I've already seen how God is working and providing.

One way God is providing is with the sale of my Salem home. Though it was hard to sign the paperwork and say "good bye" to my little yellow house, I know God can use the proceeds from the sale to help us pay for the adoption costs. He is our "Jehovah Jireh" (the God who provides). I am so thankful for this blessing and look forward to seeing and recording His provisions every step of this journey.

We know that unless God has another plan it will be next summer when we can actively move forward. That will most likely be the first chance we'll have to attend the weekend adoption seminar in Seattle. This is a requirement. The next step is to start the home study. Bethany seems to provide a lot of support through this process. Of course we'll need to be "home" before a home study can start.

We are so thankful for all of you and your prayers and support. Here are some tangible ways you can pray:

1. Wisdom to know if Bethany is the adoption agency we should choose.

2. Good communication between Ken and I through this process.

3. Pray for the birth mother and father of our child.

4. Open and seeking hearts to hear and obey God.

Blessings and peace!

Romans 15:4-6 "Encouragement and Endurance"

Good morning from Paris! I most likely won't be blogging every day, but I need to share what God showed me this morning from His Word. I am going through an excellent devotional book by Donna Partow, "Becoming the Woman God wants me to be -A 90 day journey to becoming a Proverbs 31 woman." Today's devotional reading was on purifying your home. It was really convicting and challenging. I went through our apartment and prayed over it and asked God to show me from His Word what He wanted me to hear today. In my Bible reading I'm going through Romans and am on chapter 15. My eyes fell on these verses which I'd previously underlined and were simply meant for today and for Ken and my journey to parenthood.

Romans 15:4-6 NIV "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragment give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mind you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The words endurance and encouragment are written twice and really stuck out as two things we'll need on this journey. Where do we get the endurance and encouragement we need? From the scriptures? What does God want to give us through endurance and encouragement? Unity as we follow Jesus. All I could as I read this was just turn this verse into a prayer for Ken and I.

I really believe that God gave me this verse today as something to hold on to as we start the adoption process. God is so good! Everything is under HIS control.

The journey begins

We are so excited to announce that we are starting the process of becoming parents through adoption. This is something we've dreamed about and been praying for. We'd like you to come on our journey with us. It may be a long, slow, arduous journey or it may be a wild ride, but we are trusting God to be in the driver's seat.

As of right now, Amy is filling out initial paperwork with Bethany Christian Services and has contacted a couple other adoption agencies. Please pray that we'll pick the agency God wants for us and that we will stay organized, on track, and not rush ahead of God.

Please keep checking back here to see what we're up to in Paris and to see how you can pray for and with us.