Formal Application Sent!

Ken and I had a wonderful time filling out the Formal Application, dreaming, and discussing the future. There is so much to think about. Bethany's application process is wonderful as each step makes the couple think deeper and harder about the responsibilities, decisions, and impact that adopting a child requires. For instance, they ask about your financial status, insurance policies, outstanding debts and loans. They also ask questions regarding what physical, emotional, and mental challenges you are willing to adopt with your child. Tough questions, but it brings up good conversation and honest answers. One of the first things Becky told us was to not feel "guilty" if we put down "no." It is not a bad reflection on us as a couple, but it will help them know what situations will be best to bring our child into our lives.

This process started me thinking about parenting and major life changes in general. So often in our instant society, we rush into decisions without really looking at what the ramifications might be. Who will your decision affect outside of yourself? How will your life change (as far as you can tell)? Have you gotten good, Godly advice? Are you ready for the financial impact of your decision? Most importantly, have you spent time in prayer over your decision? What do you hear God saying to you through scripture, His still, small voice, trusted Christians? Are you listening or are you plowing ahead on your own?

Ken and I don't know how our journey will unfold. We don't know God's timeline, but we are trying to seek His will. It's one step at a time. Sending in the formal application today is a good step forward. On we go!!!

Anxious and Thankful

It has been a long time since we've posted anything, but we've been in a rather quiet season before what looks like a very busy season when it comes to the adoption process. Ken and I enjoyed a wonderful 4 weeks in Washington State, Oregon, and Colorado. To be "home" with family and friends was really energizing. We are so blessed to have such home support. Now it's the beginning of 2010 and our last 10 months or so in Paris. Our adventure here will come to a close and a new one, including adoption, is beginning.

Ken and I just completed our official orientation call with Becky, our adoption specialist from Seattle. She is such a blessing. Our orientation lasted over an hour leaving Ken and I with spinning minds. We covered so much in such a short time.

I will do my best to cover where we are in the process in a succinct fashion.

FORMAL APPLICATION - We have this in our adoption portal and plan to fill it out and e-mail it in this weekend. This is the first step in the home study process.

HOME STUDY - We plan to fill out the paperwork part of the home study which involves written essays, financial information, references, etc. during the spring. This will give Bethany some insight into Ken and I individually, as a couple, and our future as parents.

BACKGROUND CHECK - We have the paperwork for this but as fingerprints and background checks only last one year we've decided to wait until this summer while we're in Seattle to complete this step.

TRAINING WEEKEND - We are praying that we can attend the weekend training while we are in Portland or Seattle this summer. Becky has our projected itinerary and will be seeing how she can fit our unique situation into their summer schedule.

IN-PERSON HOME STUDY - Once we're home and a bit settled this fall we will meet with Becky in our home as a couple and individually. This interview time will be one of the last steps of the home study.

PROFILE BOOK - Once our home study, background checks, and interviews are completed this fall. We will put the final touches on our profile book which will go out to the Bethany offices in the Northwest. Birth moms look at these profile books to chose who they would potentially like to be their baby's adoptive parents.

WAITING - Once the profile books and our information is out, Ken and I will be waiting and praying for Becky's phone saying there is a birth mom interested in us. I am thinking this will be the hardest part of the whole process. Becky will be checking in with us at least monthly and part of our "job" as potential adoptive parents will be showing that we are actively taking classes and getting ready for the little one (i.e. getting the car seat installed).

Once we get "the call," we will most likely meet the mom who may be 7 or so months pregnant. The birth mom will then let her counselor know if we are the right parents. Once we hear this, we have a short time to really get ready.

When she is in labor we will be called and may be at the hospital for the birth. Most likely we'd take the baby home two days later, just like any parent.

Many of you have asked about parental rights. According to Washington State law, the mom can terminate her parental rights any time during the pregnancy, but it doesn't become official until 48 hours after the child is born when the attorney presents the document in court. That means 48 hours after birth IF the courtrooms are open and in session. This may seem long, but according to Becky, it is a shorter time frame than in most states including Oregon. Becky says she has never had a problem regarding this, but it does cause much anxiety for the adoptive parents.

This is the process and journey that we're on. We're on God's timeline. We covet your prayers and support. We're both overwhelmed, yet so thankful that we can be walking through this together and with God. I am tending to be emotionally distant from this and not letting myself feel anything. Ken is ready to tackle all this paperwork. We know this is a process.

Please keep us, our baby, and the baby's birth family in your prayers.
Blessings and Love!

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.