October...time for a great story.

I am starting to get giddy for our trip to Ethiopia in November for our court date!!  Not much has happened since we got our court-date assignment. We purchased our airline tickets. Now we just wait.

At the Pumpkin Fest downtown.

 

My sweet boy on our family hike.

I thought I would share this...in case you may have been wondering, or just needed to read a story about a really BLESSED family. :0)

Our Adoption Story

   We are a family of five, with three boys; Cole (12), Zachary (almost 10), and Luke (7).  Adoption has been on Kendra’s heart for years in hopes of having a little girl.

   A few years ago we started going to a little church…the first time as a family.  We were drawn to a couple whom we became very close with and soon after learned they were adopting from Ethiopia.  For two years we walked with them through their process and the hardships they endured made it seem impossible, leaving us feeling that international adoption may not be for us.  But God kept pushing us on.  Kendra became very involved daily in reading blogs about African adoptions and the missionary work happening there.  In the meantime God was quietly whispering his desires for our family to so something bigger than we were.  Kendra quickly fell in love with Africa, it’s people, and the idea of adopting there.  Dic was still seriously concerned about the financial aspect, which made it seem unreachable.

   In July of 2009, our church hosted the Matsiko Children’s Choir from Uganda.  Kendra volunteered, with honor, to place all of the children in the homes of several different families.  We were blessed with three girls for a few days.  Our family grew from this experience (the boys all began to realize how amazing it would be to have a sister and they began to pray for her) and we bonded with these beauties from across the world.  We still keep in touch with them through the choir and help with their needs when we can.  The day they left we were all heart-broken.  This was the day Dic succumbed to God and finally joined Kendra in her decision to adopt…..from Africa.

   We applied to Holt International in January 2009 and were matched with the most gorgeous little girl we have ever seen (we knew she was ours because she looks like us! :0) with her daddy’s bushy eyebrows and her brother’s cheeks and smile).  This precious baby lost both of her birth parents between July and September of last year.  Her uncle cared for her up until the time of relinquishment in May 2009.  From reports, we hear she is a very smart (200 word vocabulary at 2 years) and sociable child who sings to God every day.  We know we are blessed in every way and can’t wait to meet her in November when we go to Ethiopia for our scheduled court hearing (50 days to be exact).

   When God laid this journey on our hearts we truly believed that He was asking us to do His will by caring for His orphaned children, which we thought meant saving a child.  And the more we pray and ask God for guidance, we have a clearer understanding that He has also chosen to bless US with His amazing gift.  Fore she will be OUR family just as we will be hers.  After all, a FAMILY’S  LOVE is the most important thing we can impart to our children…both from the womb and afar.

   Jesus is continually asking us, just as He did Peter, “Do you love me?”  And we answer “Yes, Lord, we LOVE you and even if it is difficult. We will follow and do as you ask of us.”

written for a grant application....something I will keep forever.................