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So many of you sweet blog followers email me and ask about our adoption journey. The fact that total strangers even care about our adoption journey just blesses my socks off.  Thank you.

Well, we continue to just take this longgggggggggggggg process one day at a time. We started this adoption journey 2 years ago next month. Who would have thought we would still be waiting?

A few months ago, we were very interested in a 2 year old girl that was in respite care and the mother was wanting to have her adopted because of her own health problems.  It seemed like a perfect situation for us. They were asking for apen adoption with the biological mother (which is our heart’s desire) and it was reasonably close to home.  It was an emotional roller coaster for several weeks as we saw pictures of the little girl, opened our hearts to the situation…..and then found out the biological mother appeared to be scamming the agency. Ug.

So, that door is, for now…. closed.

And moving right along…..

My husband and I finished our 9 weeks of STARS training last week.  It’s the required training to make you into “professional parents” as our instructor puts it. Ha! As if there is such a thing.

I was sooooooo  dreading the class. I was dreading the topics discussed in the class.  I was dreading the whole thing. But it wasn’t bad at all. My mother, who deserves some crown of glory, and my stepfather watched our children on Tuesday nights for 9 weeks straight. This act of service may not seem like alot to you…….unless you’ve babysat my Ava…..need I say more?

So every Tuesday night for 9 weeks I have got to ride a half hour away from home with my husband (can you say “uninterrupted car time”???).  We got to learn a lot, then drive another 1/2 hour home.  It was almost like a date night, according to my friend Shauna, but in a twisted foster-care-training sort of way.

I was complaining to the Lord at the beginning of our 9 weeks that if THIS was not the path He has for us to “please Lord….don’t waste our time with making us take the foster care classes”.  I was completely convicted when I heard the Lord gently tell me, in the way that only He can….that learning is NEVER a waste of time and we are surrounded by hurting, broken, angry children every day.  We just need to look on our own block, in our own neighborhood….and love on those kids.  They may not be “in the system”, but there are kids everywhere who are broken, angry, confused….and the classes really delved into why kids act the way they do. 

I, in my own arrogance and naivety, would have thought that with 3 biological kiddos….I would understand kids. But, I understand HEALTHY kids. I understand kids who have HEALTHY parents.  The class really opened our eyes to a world that we know very little about. And for that….I am grateful.  It was NOT a waste of time.

And so, as we finished week 9 last week….I was almost sad it’s was over.

We’ve had another home study from the social worker. She hasn’t been writing ferociously in red ink….so I think we are good on that end.

We have a few things to tie up like another round of fingerprinting (don’t get me started on why—basically they can’t use the private agencies prints or results. The state needs their own set of prints!) and putting together an “emergency bag”.

And then we wait until November when we can take our 12 hours of SPALDING training. This is the portion of training that will allow us to adopt from the foster care system.

And then we just wait.

And we pray.

And then we pray some more.

And I will need to make time to remind myself that I can trust Him.  He loves my bio kids even more than I do.  He sees the beginning from the end.  He sees my imperfect family and loves us anyway.  He knows I am a weak woman, but He promises to give me strength thru whatever He asks us to do.

We’ve cast our nets before the Lord and told Him we are AVAILABLE (thank you Pastor Curt for that great message a few weeks ago).  We really cannot do much else.

We could still get a call from our private agency to adopt a newborn (just last month we had 2 more birthmoms look at our profile).

We could be asked to foster a child (did I mention I am terrified?).

We could be asked to adopt a child from foster care.

I have no idea how this is going to work out.  But the Lord does. He has prepared our hearts and we trust Him.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer.


 

 

 

6 Comments

  • wow. This is s topic so very near and dear to my heart! I grew up in a family who provided foster care. There are so many troubled kids out there and even though I wasn’t on the parenting side growing up I still learned how to spot those children and to take them under our wing. I also learned things that I can’t even put into words what they are. Good luck on your journey and I pray a child will enter your family soon.

  • Jennifer, thank you so much for sharing this very personal topic.
    I was just praying for God to speak to me about our desires to grow our family.
    We have been feeling a tug on our hearts for quite a while now for adoption, but it always seems that hubby and i are never on the same page.
    Without getting into too much right now, our new church has a foster care ministry that we’ve been to basic info meetings on, but we have 4 bio kids already and we’ve been told that we could “only” be respite care b/c of that, so I’ve been feeling like you “this would be a waste of time”… then your post hits me square in the heart.
    I’m so sorry for my selfish attitude of wanting it my way, and losing the focus of what the Holy Spirit has been whispering to us all along.
    thanks again….

  • Thanks for sharing since I have you on my list of “friends” adopting and I pray for you in my daily prayers. This has been a good week for adoption updates, my BFF just got matched up with a little boy from Uganda! Can’t wait to read more about your adoption journey and what God has in store for you.

  • The Lord is the Shepherd and he always guides his sheep! Keep listening to His voice and following! Thanks for the update 🙂 Blessings, Ruthie

  • Lori Young says:

    Our journey was 4years long. Many almost placements, birthmom changing of heart, & more than I thought my heart could stand. But His timing & heartbreaks led us to our Mia. Those words don’t take away from any frustration or hurt you feel along your own journey but can encourage you!! I can’t wait to see who the Lord brings to your family!! Prayers & love sent to y’all!!- Lori (Vintage Charm Restored)

  • Frugal Jen says:

    Sending continued prayers! That was a really good point you made about kids around us. It’s easy to just avoid the “bad” kids all together but it’s an opportunity to show them love they don’t get at home.

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