Open Adoption(s)

This beautiful family has been such an inspiration to me & I'm sure to many, many others. They live LOVE out loud! Just read a little about their adoptions in Kim's own words. 





From early in our marriage Bruce and I knew that we wanted to adopt. We had four biological children and when our youngest was 7 we decided that we didn’t want to grow old and say “why didn’t we adopt?” We adopted Trey in 2012 through Mother Goose Adoptions. Some close friends had used Tracie Loux through Christian Adoption Consultants as their consultant and couldn’t say enough good things about her and the process.  We knew that this was the route we should take. After 20 + presentations to birth moms and one adoption we chose to walk away from midstream, we were matched with Trey’s beautiful birth momma.  She was able to fly to Arizona where she stayed for two months until she delivered. During this time we were able to get to know her very well and she bonded with our family and us with her. Bruce and I were both in the delivery room when he was born. The doctor even let me “catch” Trey! We now continue to have a close relationship with Trey’s birth mom. We talk on the phone at least a couple of times a month and she has been out to visit a couple of times.                                                                                               
We started to feel like Trey needed a sibling that looked like him. So we began the process to adopt again. In November of 2014 I got a call out of the blue from a friend who asked if we were home study ready. The agency they had adopted through was looking for a family that was open to a full African American baby. That was exactly what we were looking for! We presented and were chosen! Sadly, this adoption ended in heartache as it turned out this mom was scamming and was using multiple agencies. Not a month later though, I got a call from the agency I work part time for asking if we would be open to a sibling set. We decided to proceed and meet the birth mom. Long story short, on Valentines Day, 2015 we were flying home with not one but TWO babies….a 14 month old boy and 6 week old baby girl. We now also have a very close relationship with their birth mom.                                                     
We have been so blessed by both of our adoptions. I cringe when people say to me “Those kids are so blessed” because anyone who has adopted knows that the truth is that WE are the blessed ones. Adoption is such a redemption story and has grown and stretched us in ways that we could never have done without walking this road. 

Twofold

I love being able to share adoption stories and this one is extra special! Why? You have to read what Amy shares to find out! 


Our heart for adoption started long before we even met.  I (Amy) grew up around adoption and always felt someday it would be a bigger part of my life.  Before we were married we talked about adoption and said maybe someday down the road we would adopt. A few years after we were married we decided to try to have a biological child and ended up struggling with infertility.  Then we felt strongly that God’s someday and our someday were not in the same time frame.   After lots of prayer we dove into the adoption process.  In April 2012, we were matched with a brave expectant mom.  We are blessed by our relationship with her. I was even able to go to an ultrasound appointment and spend time with her about a month before baby was due!  Then in June, Ella was born and our whole world changed! We fell in love instantly.  At that moment, we knew we wanted to adopt again, but we didn’t know when.  Our passion grew as God’s heart for adoption became vivid to us.  We were shocked to learn there is tremendous need for infant adoptions in the United States.  Not long after Ella was born, we started praying about when to adopt our second child.  God’s plan was different than ours again! We were blessed with our biological son, Emmett the following year!
Two years later God began to nudge us to pursue adoption again! This spring we really felt God saying “now” in a variety of ways throughout our lives.  And once again God’s plan was more than we could have imagined! About a month after we started the waiting for ‘the call’ phase of our journey, we were shocked to find out we were matched…and the expectant momma is carrying twins!  Our twin boys are due the beginning of February 2016.  We are so excited to meet them!


I'm so excited to see this family grow! Follow their story here and you'll also find fundraising links to help bring the twins home! 

Little Bits

I can't even begin to express the adoration I have for this precious family! Jessica shares from her heart below, but catch up with their beautiful family over here and I guarantee you'll adore them, too! 





When we first announced to our family and friends that our household was expanding from two children to five the most common expression uttered was something akin to this- "You have 5 children? Why would you say yes to that?"  Here's why-  Two years ago I had a recurring dream.  For nights upon nights I would dream of a little one crying out for mommy. The voice was unknown to me, and honestly I can still replay it in my head.  The dream rattled me.  The feeling that there was a little child crying out for their parent and hearing no response affected me to the core.  One day 
with tears streaming down my face I said yes.  "Whatever it is Daddy God, whatever children come across our path, my answer is yes." My heart nearly burst as holy approval seemed to rest on those words.  That night at home I relayed to my amazing husband the events of the day and proving that he's just as crazy as me- he said yes, too.

Fast forward a few months to see that David,  Judah and his twin sister Annika have been added to our family.  We've enjoyed glittering family moments as well as a few moments that have prompted less than glittering emotions to be felt.  To be honest, some days have been downright terrible.  But our yes is still (and will always be) a resounding yes.

Family is an adventure. Is it difficult? Sometimes, yes. But every difficulty is overshadowed by the opportunity to shower love upon precious babes who are in need.

Psalm 98:4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music

In His Timing

I will never tire of hearing stories of God weaving families together through adoption. Just look at this beautiful family and read in Beth's words the amazing way they became a family of 7. 

My husband, Jim, and I knew from the beginning of our relationship that adoption would be part of our story.  We both felt called to adopt and decided early on in our marriage that Haiti was where we were headed.  After three biological children and eight years of praying and saving, we began the process to adopt from Haiti.  Initially, we decided that a toddler boy would fit best into the dynamics of our family and we were matched with our sweet little guy.  He was malnourished and tiny but began thriving in the orphanage.  I, then, felt that God was calling us to adopt a daughter, as well.  I knew she should be about four years old; around the age of our oldest son.  Circumstances prevented us from adding another child to our adoption process at that time, and I was a bit discouraged, but we moved forward and were finally able to bring our son home after two agonizing years of waiting.

I always felt that there was a daughter missing from our family.  I had originally thought she was in Haiti, but maybe I was wrong?  We looked into adopting out of foster care but the timing just never felt right or lined up.  This past February, at an adoptive moms retreat, a dear friend found out about a little girl who was in need of a forever family.  She had been living in a group home for the past four years and she was originally from… Haiti.  Four months ago, we brought our newest daughter home.  She is the age of our oldest son.  In all of this, we have seen God’s sovereignty and have learned, even more, to trust in His perfect plan and timing. 

Psalm 27:14 

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Smile!

Smile!

That's what I do every, single time I see a photo of this precious family! I loved watching them walk through their adoptions with such grace. Hannah was gracious to share a little about adoption & you can catch up with her over here on her blog. 

Adoption was nagging at me for a couple years. When I read adoption blogs, I’d cry and ask my husband to donate to their cause. I talked about adoption all the time and tried to convince everyone I knew to adopt. Except myself. 

We had two kids keeping me on my toes and I was set in my ways. So I was good at talking myself out of adoption. But it wouldn’t stop nagging at my heart.

One day my husband came to me and said he felt that God wanted us to pursue adoption. And suddenly all of my hesitancy melted away, because I knew this had been a long time coming. I just needed someone else to push me over the edge!

Saying yes was just the beginning of the process. There was paperwork to fill out, phone appointments, meetings, doctor visits, and more paperwork. But we rushed through the early stages as fast as we could! And then came the waiting. And more waiting.

The path that led us to our two babies was bumpier than we expected. It didn’t always look the way we envisioned and definitely wasn’t as smooth as we’d hoped. But it was so worth it.

Because when we started the adoption process, I thought it was something we were supposed to do because babies needed us. But I was so wrong. We were the ones who needed them. The joy they have brought into our family, the laughter, the love: we needed them to complete us.

Chris & Hannah,

Isaiah, Leah, Enoch & Phoebe

In honor of National Adoption Month, I'll be sharing many beautiful adoption stories. 

It seems most appropriate to begin this series sharing a dear friend's story who walked hand in hand with us to bring home our sweet little man. Through being an adoption consultant, she has helped 100's of families grow through adoption. 

Tracie, John & their beautiful family are treasured friends. Check out their amazing family here.

Ephesians 1:5

 He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.

So, There's This Guy....

So, there's this guy that stole my heart. In my eyes, he's beyond handsome. And ever so charming. He can be rather hilarious. He's definitely a keeper. In fact, 21 years and counting. 5 kids & 4 grandkids later. 

                                  

                              

There's been some for better and for worse
There's been some in sickness and in health.
There's been some for richer or for poorer. 



Plus some. For sure. But everything we've experienced, the rough times and the smooth times, have enriched our marriage for the good. Through the grace of God, we are a couple. And for that, I'm grateful.  

You, Mr. Langston, still make my heart go pitter-pat.
Happy 21st Anniversary to my very best friend.
I love you so very much.