Exciting News

In looking back at this blog, Ryan and I realized that we last posted an update about a year ago.  Well, Ryan returned from Brazil with a team that went in February and we are enjoying a weekend trip to Galena, Illinois before the spring craziness commences.  We skied Friday evening, albeit sprinkled with prayers for the safety for others and ourselves.   

Neither of us has skied in YEARS, but after growing our confidence on the bunnies and the green runs, Ryan boldly led us down a blue run.  Imagine a grannie in a Buick driving down a busy interstate.  That was me on the blue run.  Snowplow the whole way, baby.  

Beyond our little trip north to Galena, the Lord has been working on our hearts for some time regarding the decision to adopt.  Before we were married, both of us separately were drawn to adoption, particularly from China.  Initially we thought we would have biological children first…get some hands-on practice at being parents…then adopt.  But through God’s Spirit moving in our hearts and circumstances, we started to question whether He was prompting us to move forward with the adoption process sooner.  Starting last summer we began talking with families and couples we know who have adopted and we gleaned a tremendous amount of information.  We even researched adoption agencies and settled on which agency to use.

Multiple conversations were had, but none of those resulted in a definite decision.  We asked God to make His will clear to us.  I genuinely believe God does not try to hide His plans for us from us.  He reveals them to us clearly when we need to know.  One Friday as I was driving home from work, I was praying about adoption.  I asked specifically, “Lord, if you want us to adopt now, then please move Ryan to be the one to tell me that he’s ready to move forward with adopting now.”

Saturday we were together all day, going to a Brazil team meeting out of town.  Of course adoption comes up in the course of conversation, but nothing more than hypotheticals.  Then that Sunday it just so happened that an adoptive father shared at church about his family’s adoption story.  Silently we both looked at each other knowingly.  After church we hopped in the car and the first words out of Ryan’s mouth were – “I’m ready to sign the [adoption] papers.” 

So fast-forward to today.  Our application to adopt from China has been submitted and we are currently completing the initial paperwork required for our homestudy. 

We would appreciate your prayers as we start this process.  Please be praying for our future child, their birth mother, for us, and for the timing of this process.   We have already seen the perfection of the Lord’s timing.  Unbeknownst to us, our application being received by our agency on March 2nd qualified us for a $1000 discount on fees due to a special event they have going!