We're Approved Posted about almost 10 years ago

In case you missed our Facebook post last Friday, we’ve received the green light from our adoption agency. For the last sixteen months, we’ve worked on raising the first half of the funds ($13,000), filling out the paperwork, taking required parenting and CPR classes, reading the required books, created a family photo album profile, and done a home study. It’s been quite a process so far, but...

Where Are We Now? Posted about almost 10 years ago

We formally started the adoption process in late January, 2015 when we turned in our pre-application to Christian Homes and Family Services. In March, we were invited to orientation, which was held in April, 2015. We learned about the process, the paperwork and the prices for each step. It was overwhelming, to say the least. We set a goal for ourselves to have the first half ($13,000) ra...

One Baby Step at a Time Posted about about 10 years ago

It has been a while since we last wrote an update on our adoption. In the past few months, we’ve continued to see God move as we’ve taken baby steps toward the adoption goal. Last May, when we did our first update here is what we said: Where are we now? We picked Christian Homes and Family Services in Abilene as our agency and have begun the process of filling out papers. We went to ori...

Unexpected Gifts and T-Shirts Posted about over 10 years ago

Throughout December, we said to each other some combination of these two sentences: “God must know something we don’t,” and “He’s telling us to get in gear.” In December, we received several unexpected gifts that added up to $4,045 ($3,150 of that was since our last post). With each gift, we were so overwhelmed by the unexpected acts of generosity, and it was encouraging because we knew that...

Mary Did You Know? Posted about over 10 years ago

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,     and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 1...

Bunco for Babies and Beyond Posted about over 10 years ago

In January of this year, after at least a year of praying and exploring options, we began this adoption journey. In April, we went to orientation and were overwhelmed with all that would be required of us. We were given a mountain of paperwork to complete and a price sheet that was more daunting than the paperwork. Knowing that God directed us down this path, we knew that somehow He would pr...

Faith Like a Child Posted about over 10 years ago

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. -Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 There is indeed a season...

Ask and ye shall receive . . . garage sale items! Posted about almost 11 years ago

On July 6, when we first put out the plea for items to sell in a garage sale, we never imagined how big of a response that would bring. Up until the Tuesday before the garage sale, we had only planned on doing a one-day sale. That Tuesday, when we began sorting what had already come in, knowing there was still more to come, we realized that there was enough there for a two-day sale ins...

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise! Posted about almost 11 years ago

Earlier this summer, I announced that I would be leaving the HSU Alumni Office this August because I had accepted a teaching position at Baird HS. A few weeks later, the HSU Board of Young Associates held their summer meeting. At the end of their business session, they surprised me with a going-away gift, which consisted of a very sweet card and $500 that they had collected on the sly fo...

Blessings Abound! Posted about almost 11 years ago

We began our adoption fundraising efforts in mid-May, and we've been amazed to watch how God has blessed our efforts.  So far, we have set up a crowd funding site, sold some musical equipment, and held a spaghetti dinner.  In May, Joyce also received some generous birthday gifts, which were added to the adoption fund.Nathan has sold some of his musical equipment on Craig's List, and there are a...