LONG TIME NO BLOG

It's been a long time since my last post and there have been some developments in the adoption process. On December 15th we finally had our first collateral meeting. We drove up to Thief River Falls, MN to meet with the children's two psychologists, their foster mom, and social workers. It was a good meeting and I am thankful Jesus was there to guide the way. We were able to obtain some unknown information about the children and get to know their foster mom a little.
We were also pleased to hear that God has been preparing their hearts and Felicia, who 6 months ago did not want anything to do with being adopted, reported to her social worker that she is getting excited about being adopted!! What an answer to prayer! Thanks Jesus!
We are now waiting on several more reports that we have not been allowed to see until now. We did have an opportunity to read some of them but the print quality was so poor we did not get much new information.
It appears we have a lot more to pray about and consider as we wait to set a date to meet the children for the first time.
God has truly poured out His blessing on us thus far, and we have not heard Him say to turn around or stop! So we will be faithful and continue to move forward trusting that He will show us the path He has chosen!

NEW INFORMATION YAY!

Just got and e-mail asking if we can meet with the children's foster mom, teachers, and all on December 15th... Uuuhhhhhhh, YESSSSSSSSS!

As long as they don't cancel it again we will be there with bells on!!!!

We also received letters from each child. Felicia's mostly talked about wanting to continue with her many sports and her obsession with Justin Bieber.

Tyler is obsessed and specifically with University of North Dakota and wants UND walls, UND bed, UND carpet and UND posters.

Good thing I have a brother, a sister-in-law, and a boss that all attended UND.

Please pray for God to prepare their hearts and ours. I keep reading these awful facebook posts from other adoptive parent that have adopted special needs children and how much trouble they are having. I know that is Satan trying to freak me out but I definitely need prayer about that.

Thanks for following, praying and supporting!

THEY CHOSE US!

We had a meeting with Felicia and Tyler's County Social worker, Guardian ad lidem, and recruiter on Tuesday morning. It was a grueling 2 hours of information giving and gathering as the social worker and GAL had on their "poker face". When it was all over they said that they would let us know by the weekend if we were still being considered to adopt the kids. We stayed and met with our case worker to debrief. None of us were sure how the meeting went because it was so hard to read the social worker and the GAL. When I returned to work there was a phone call from our case worker telling me that the group had barely made it to a restaurant for lunch when they decided undoubtedly that Jeff and I were the ones that they would like to adopt. What great news! Not quite the same as finding out you are pregnant but pretty cool! As excitement filled my body, anxiety and fear take over. I know that anxiety and fear do not come from the Lord so I must take those thoughts and emotions captive and give them to the ONE who saves! Our new journey begins Nov. 30th as we travel to Theif River Falls to meet the foster mom, teachers, counselors and therapists. If those meetings go well and Jeff and I still want to proceed with adoption we will meet the kids for the first time in December! Please pray for God to prepare their hearts as they are recovering from some bad news. They just found out that their respite family is not going to adopt them, and I'm sure they are feeling rejected!

I pray for their sweet little hearts to heal miraculously as we continue to move forward in this journey!

NO NEWS

Still waiting to hear if the respite family wants to adopt the children. Should have an answer next week?

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strenghten thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord Psalm 27:14 KJV

PINS AND NEEDLES

It's been too long since my last post! Our match meeting with the recruiter went very well, Jesus was so present in that room. We were able to gain more information about the children which was helpful. We were told that she had 2 more families to interview on 9/15 and the respite family had indicated they might be interested in adoption the children. The respite families interest presents a new twist in that they already have a relationship with these children but they haven't indicated that they are certain they would like to adopt.
On Monday 9/19 we received an e-mail that the recruiter had completed her interviews with the other 2 possible adoptive families and at this time Jeff and I were the best option for the children with the exception of the respite family. We are currently waiting to hear if the respite family does or does not want to adopt these children. Again, we are on pins and needles waiting on our Loving Father to reveal His plan for our lives. Can't wait to see what He has in store!

DRAWING ME CLOSER!

Tomorrow is our match meeting with the children's adoption recruiter. I have been unemotional about it and have had a guarded heart, or have I? I am finding that I am more in love with these kids than I was able to admit, even to myself. Today I received and e-mail from our case worker informing us that other families are being considered as well as the respite provider. What's that supposed to mean? Is it just information? OR is it a subtle bubble buster? I'm not sure, but I'm finding myself strangely disappointed and emotional now?
If anything, I suppose the match meeting will be good practice if these are not the children God has planned for us! Still wanting what God wants more than anything else. He's drawing me closer!

GOOD NEWS????

Well, we are scheduled to meet with the recruiter next Wednesday. This will be an opportunity for her to gather more information about Jeff and I and take it back to the children's social worker. At the same time we hope to get some questions answered about the kids. We are not sure how familiar the recruiter is with these children and their situation. What a slow and emotionally draining process. I was thinking on Sunday that God could be using all this time to prepare the children's hearts for adoption, which made me want to be more patient with HIM! God give me strength and bind away the enemy!!!! Praise you Lord for your perfect timing!

WAITING IN HOPE

Today the family recruiter will be meeting with the children's social worker to share with her several possible adoptive families. We are obviously one of those families. I find myself hopeful and excited for the first time in a long time, rather that complacent and pessimistic. Praise You Lord!
GOD'S WILL BE DONE!
We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20

3,2,1, CONTACT!

FINALLY we have some information, not much information but information none-the-less.
The recruiter for the kids we are waiting for was able to get in contact with their social worker today. She will be meeting with her next week to discuss our homestudies along with several other families home studies. Wow, I am so glad God is in control!!!
We were thanked for our persistance and told we would be hearing something soon about a possible match meeting.
Father in Heaven, I know you have all of this in the palm of your mighty hand. I pray that your will be done as we wait for these children's social worker to choose a family that would be best for them. I pray that you protect the kids from fear and disappointment throughout this process. Please open their hearts to the idea of adoption and give them peace which passes all understanding! You are Awesome God!
Amen.

God, could you hurry a little?

I thought I knew how much strength it takes to wait on the Lord. Maybe I was wrong. I thought I had waiting "in the bag", but He continually grows my faith and trust by asking me to wait on Him. It takes everything I have not to call or e-mail our case worker every morning to see if she's heard anything. I wonder... will it be before Christmas 2011 that God will give us children to love???

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
We wait with hope in the Lord, for He is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5
Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God. Psalm 38:15
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior my God will hear me.
Micah 7:7
...it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:26
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up and show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him. Isaiah 30:18


Hmmm, do you think God's word is telling me to wait?

Who has time to blog?

Well it's been a long time. I almost forgot I even started a blog. I have decided bloggers must have a ton of free time. Me, not so much!
Here we are in August and no children yet. We have shifted gears a little and moved to adoption from foster care, as the cost to adopt an infant was becoming too large. We had no idea how long this process was going to take. It wasn't until late May/ early June that we were even able to adopt as we were waiting on our Foster Care License. What a frustrating process... hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait! So, now we are legal, YAY!
On July 5th we received a message from our case worker stating that another social worker had seen our profile and wanted to know if we were interested in a brother and sister sibling group. Jeff and I talked and agreed we would be interested in a match meeting.
July 7th...E-mail case worker, yes we are interested.
Nothing...
E-mail case worker, what's going on?
She's trying to get a hold of the other social worker.
Nothing...
Finally, other social worker is contacted with the information that Jeff and I are interested.
Nothing...
E-mail case worker, what's going on?
Waiting to hear back from other social worker.
August 3rd... Nothing...
This is how this whole process has been. At this point we have fallen in love with these two beautiful children and aren't even sure if we will have a match meeting to learn more about them.
God, I know your plan is perfect. Please help me to wait on you and to trust You completely!
Amen!