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
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