growing via adoption

Over the last 2 months, Kand I believe that God has been preparing
us to adopt another child. Here's why:



--On November 10th, K'sbirthday, we received a call from the same
adoption agency that helped us bring our daughter into our family. They said a boy had just been born, and they asked whether we would allow ourselves to be considered. This call came totally "out of the blue" because
we had not paid the agency their normal fee that normally causes them to
consider a family. They just remembered us and thought we might make a good
match. We said yes because we'd been hoping to adopt again, but then,
within a few days, the agency told us that this mother was not actually
intending to follow through with an adoption plan for her child. This was
hard news after getting excited, but it prompted us go ahead and get back on
the list at the end of November.



--On December 21st, we got another call from the adoption agency while we
were visiting K's family in San Diego. They asked again if we'd be
willing to adopt a boy that was due to be born on January 1st. They asked
permission this time because of some special circumstances-since we were
already on their list wanting consideration. We said yes again, and, almost
a week later, we learned that this family had chosen us to be the adoptive
parents. We were concerned because I was scheduled to be in St. Louis for
the Urbana conference from Dec. 26-Jan. 1, and we didn't want my girls
to be alone dealing with a new baby. But the baby was not born before I
headed home from this awesome conference, and we've been waiting for news
ever since. There has been absolute silence, though. We believe this family
has now changed its mind about making an adoption plan based on the amount
of time that has now passed since their last call to the adoption agency.
Please pray with us for this boy to be blessed by God with all that he needs
to live and thrive.



--On January 8th, as we were expecting to receive some news about adopting
the boy we talked about above, we learned some other startling news from our
adoption caseworker, Renee. On Dec. 17th, the Tucson branch of the agency
presented our profile to another expectant mother whose baby is due on
January 11th. Without knowing that we were officially "on hold" because of
the boy we were hoping to adopt, this birth mother chose us to become the
parents of her little one-we don't yet know the baby's gender. Yesterday, we
all went to Tucson to meet this expectant mother and her own mother, at the
agency office, so they could meet us and confirm this decision. They also
wanted to communicate their hopes for this child's future and the ways in
which they wish to remain in contact. This will be an "open adoption" with
ongoing communication between families. We have the same agreement with
Emma's birth-mom.



So, as you can see, we have been having a little adventure that's not quite
over yet. We are so excited to be given the honor of welcoming this new
child into our home, and we pray that he/she will be blessed by God through
us. Would you please pray for us this week?



--For this new child's health.

--For the family making the adoption plans to be blessed through this
process even as they deal with loss.

--For K and I to be a unified team as we begin to care for this baby
while communicating with the agency, birth family, and our own family. Ask
God to help us be good listeners and prioritize many different details well.

--Pray for our daughter because she'll probably be at home with her grandma for
several days while we're in Tucson for the birth. Ask God to prepare her
heart to welcome a new brother or sister.

--Please just celebrate with us this miracle of new life in our home by
praising God with us. Our hearts are just full of amazement and wonder at
the ways He has used these months of waiting, praying, and preparation to
bring us where we are now. He has strengthened us when we have felt very
weak and given us encouragement to wait for the child He intended to bring
into our family.



Lots of people ask us this question about adoption: "Can the birth family
change their minds?" The answer is yes and no. The state of Arizona mandates
that adoption papers cannot be signed until 72 hours after the time of
birth, so a different decision can be made during that time. However, after
meeting the birth mother and her own mother yesterday, we feel confident
that they have come to a certainty about this decision. After the papers
are signed, then they cannot change their minds. The adoption is basically
complete pending court approval of us as adoptive parents.



It's good to know you are with us in prayer, and we'll keep you updated and
make some photos available to you when we have some.



Yours in Christ,



Jeremy, representing the clan