Our Adoption Story

Our adoption story has been a miraculous sprint, 

an outpouring of God's faithfulness,

and the love and support of 

family, friends, and adoption minded people around the world!!

If you are new to grown2worship 

and do not know how we started this particular journey...

you can find out here Ready...Set..Go

We began our journey to our three boys (ages 17, 11, and 9) on January 10th of this year.  

Homestudy complete February 20th.

Dossier to the Philippines March 20th.

 800A (immigration clearance) arrived April 12th.  

 May 8th officially matched with our boys!!!!

May 16th referral arrived.

June 4th legals arrived and overnighted 800 and 864 to immigration.

(we are waiting for 800 clearance, 

and passport, visa, and medical appointments to be able to travel to our sons)

To some this timeline may seem normal, or mean nothing at all.  

To us...this is a testimony of God's amazing plan for our family!!!

In the midst of distractions 

(Hubby's surgery, water damage to our home, broken washer, broken dishwasher, 

multiple flat tires, broken toilet, broken lawn mower, car trouble...) 

regardless of circumstances...

the adoption timeline continued to race forward. 

And as the enemy of our soul sent continuous costly distractions

 that prevented us from paying adoption fees...

Our heavenly father opened flood gates of provision

and provided EVERY PENNY of our agency and international fees

exactly when we needed it!!!!

For these boys we have prayed!!

For these boys we walk in faith!!

For these boys we open our hearts and love much!!

If you have met me, follow me on Facebook, or read my sporadic blog posts

You cannot miss my heart for adoption.  

It is NOT because I am good, and NOT because I am something special!!!

And it is NOT because we have had romantic, easy adoptions!!!

Christ has birthed this passion in our hearts

HE brings the orphan to his/her forever family!!!

He shows grace in the hard times

and heals the broken hearted!!

People are astonished that we would adopt three boys at the same time.

Then tell them that one will turn 18 soon after arriving home...

yep, folks stand with bug eyes and jaws dropped. 

At times it is difficult to explain God's will for our family.

It is hard for folks to wrap their brain around the concept of 

downsizing to feed more children.  

Well bloggy friends...

it is like this.  

The more we seek Christ,

the more we ask HIM to grow us in HIS image,

the more we ask HIM to break our hearts for what breaks HIS...

 We are more willing to trust him for the miraculous,

we can better love even when it is painful,

and we can walk forward even when we have no idea how it could possibly happen!

We know without a doubt that these three treasures are our sons!

Not because we have met them, or even spoken to them yet. 

We know because we have prayed.

We know because we asked Christ to open or close doors.

We know because our agency should have said no...the ICAB should have said no...

quit frankly, our bank account said no:)

But God does not need or rely on our abilities.  

And he certainly does not need an overflowing bank account.  

HE can take our mustard seed faith

stretch it

grow it

and transform it into more than we could hope for or imagine!

We are so very privileged to parent these silly geese,

and we are soooo very anxious to bring the next three treasures that God has chosen for us!!!

I stare at their faces on my computer screen, 

praying for Christ to prepare their hearts.

I wonder if my oldest son has a husky voice 

when his Filipino laced English greets me for the first time?? 

Does my second to youngest son wear his show stopping smile often,

 or does he reserve that for the camera?? 

Does my youngest son like to giggle as his eyes suggest, 

or does he take life a bit more seriously??

Will they want hugs from their mama as much as I long to give them...

or will I need to find different ways to show my unconditional love to them??

I may not have all the answers

but I do know that they are wanted, treasured, and loved!

I know they are worth the hard

every

day 

of 

the

week!

Christ has given us the privilege of being HIS hands and feet in the lives of HIS children.

We are blessed with a front row seat as God transforms beauty from ashes in each of our lives!!

I could never do enough to earn that privilege...

HE gives it freely.

We just need to be willing to exercise faith...and step out!!!