By His Power

If you've been wondering what we've we been doing for the last few weeks...we've been filling out mountains of paperwork, getting copies of important documents together, crunching numbers, getting our physicals and blood-work done, making phone calls and conducting interviews about resources, finishing up our home study meetings, reviewing the draft of our home study report, and doing lots of praying and waiting. That's a cycle you have to get used to in the adoption process...fill out paperwork like mad, trust the Lord and wait. 

We are hoping to finish up our home study this week. Then we'll be able to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) for a specific little boy. We are praying hard for the Lord's will to be done, trusting Him in the midst of all the unknowns and praying for His equipping. We can't wait to share more as time goes on and we're able! I told our social worker last week... I just don't know how people go through this process without being able to trust in the sovereignty of God. I would be an absolute basket case if I didn't have that assurance! 

When I started blogging about Becca's adoption, I answered a few questions we were getting asked a lot. We are getting some of those same questions this time from folks we didn't know back then. [See my post called "A Growing Pack" for the answers to the following questions: Why adopt when you can have biological children? Why international adoption? How are you going to pay for this?] Our answers have grown longer, but our initial reasons are also still present. We have more reasons for heading back to China now, including the amount of boys in the medical needs program vs. the amount who are actually being adopted, our love for the people of China has only grown and we also love that Becca will have someone else in our family who looks like her and has a similar story. 

Another question we are being asked is what drew us to the medical needs program. In a word, experience. Each of our three children have had medical needs over the years, requiring surgeries, hospital stays, regular treatments and specialists. Josh often jokes that I am "Dr. Karen," and I do feel I deserve at least an honorary nursing degree or something. Ok, not really, but I'm on my way there after hours in specialist offices and hospitals. I have the utmost respect for people in the medical field; our family is greatly in their debt. Because of our experience, we feel more at ease with all things medical than your average Joe; most medical needs just don't scare us anymore. We believe that's the work of God in our lives; we believe He has prepared and equipped us to not only handle medical needs, but to have the honor and privilege of helping our children (whatever their needs may be) to grow and thrive! 

We have already seen the fingerprints of God all over this adoption, from circumstances to provision to stretching our minds to divine conversations. A lot of the details we aren't able to share yet, but there are a few quick examples that I can share. 1) We recently switched pediatricians due to our move, and on our first visit, we learned the kids' new doctor was an adoptee! And, she was awesome! 2) Josh and I have both gotten calls out of the blue that were answers to our prayers for God's financial provision. 3) We've become aware of some promising therapy resources right in our own little rural area. & 4) I'm attending a women's Bible study through our church, and we are studying Exodus and Leviticus. Last week, our lesson was about His equipping, and our biblical texts spoke to me right where I was at.... struggling with some thoughts and questions about specific medical needs. He gave me total peace from His Word! God can handle the big questions, and He cares about the details; He can handle our doubts and feelings of inadequacy. So, if you are struggling with those things too, cast your cares on Him and live in the Bible. He will be faithful to answer if you seek Him!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and encouragement! Keep asking questions; we love sharing about adoption and aren't easily offended by honest questions. We are far from experts, but we love to educate where we can and share our personal experience with adoption. 

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith BY HIS POWER, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 ESV

Expansion

We are excited to announce that our family has recently started the adoption process again! After a four year blogging hibernation (oops), I will attempt to revive my blog to keep our friends and family in the loop. You and your prayers were such an encouragement and source of strength for our family through our first adoption process. When we started the process to bring Becca home, we had a hunch we would be heading back to China to adopt again. We initially had no idea that there were so many boys in China's waiting child (special needs) program, and this time we plan to bring home a son! We are using the same agency as last time, and we will be adopting a boy with medical needs between the ages of 0-7 years old. We have our second home study meeting later this week and are thrilled to be on this journey again!

We have been ready to start the process again for well over a year, but had put things on hold because we planned to move. Over the summer, we moved to the beautiful foothills of North Georgia, just outside of Jasper. Living in a small town rural setting suits our family so well..not to mention, I can see my mom's house from my back porch and my sister's house from my front porch now! It has been wonderful to be so close to family, constantly surrounded by God's magnificent creation rather than retail stores and traffic. Life has slowed down, and we have more time together as a family. We finished building our new house just before Christmas, and we are so utterly thankful. We were able to build the same size house for less money than we sold our house for in the suburbs, which is helping us get started with our adoption expenses.

The kids are doing great! Sydney is 11 years old and in 5th grade this year. She is an avid reader, tree climber and fearless leader. She is excited to start middle school with mom next year, as we plan to homeschool during those glorious middle school years (pray for me!). We are hoping that Sydney will be able to travel to China with us this time. Brody is about to turn 8 this month and is in 2nd grade, and he is as energetic and brilliant as ever. He is absolutely thrilled to be gaining a brother and is excited to have a bunkmate when little brother comes home. Becca Fei...she is just blossoming, y'all! She is 7 1/2 years old, getting straight A's in 1st grade and is an absolute joy. She is currently between cleft surgeries, and we are all enjoying this "down" time. She continues to do weekly speech therapy at school, but she is doing fantastic in a regular classroom. She is always carrying a book around and loves to eat...just like her Momma. 

I am enjoying being home full-time and planning homeschool curriculum for Sydney next year. (Don't tell her, but the planning will probably be my favorite part.) Unfortunately, Josh hasn't had much time to rest, since we have been working on the house. Thanks to his handy construction skills, we decided to finish the house ourselves, and well...we are still working on closets and shelving and filling nail holes, etc. He is, however, enjoying his virtually stress-free commute! Mountain views > Barrett Parkway. We have also plugged in to a great local church up here, Mountain City Church, and we have already begun to make some wonderful friendships. We are so thankful for the Lord's provision!!!

Please pray with us... (1) that the Lord would prepare our new son's heart to join our family and to know Him, (2) that the Lord would prepare our hearts to attach, (3) that the Lord would continue to provide the adoption funds and direct the process to go smoothly, (4) that the Lord would continue to grow us and teach us, molding us into the parents that our children need, ones who point to Him, and (5) that the Lord would sustain our new son's health until we are able to bring him home to receive whatever care he needs. And, praise the Lord with us! We are so grateful to join Him in His mission to care for the fatherless. He is the author of adoption; He is the one who brings beauty from ashes. His heart is one that defends the orphan, who creates, sustains, values and loves life and children. This is HIS work, and He will be faithful to complete it. We serve such a GOOD and LOVING God! 

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 

be with you all." - 2 Corinthians 13:14