Our Adoption Journey
We made it through our adoption paperwork … almost. A few weeks ago, I was feeling so overwhelmed with all the things on my “To-Do” list that I was unable to even get started. Have you ever had so much to do & felt so overwhelmed that you locked up entirely? That was me. I vividly remembered writing this post about adoption paperwork and thinking “I can do it!” only to feel a full-blown panic attack a few short hours later.
Then something amazing happened; I felt God speaking to me. I felt His spirit telling me to rest and not worry. He would handle it all. So you know what I did? Nothing. Not one thing. All.weekend.long. Then our adoption consultant called on Monday and broke it all down for me. I am so glad I listened to Him because the load was much more doable after talking to her! Instead of the 160 pages of paperwork I had calculated and envisioned (picture a stack of papers towering, that was what I could see), she revealed to me the time schedule of deadlines. I got started right away and got two sets of paperwork out in 2 days!
With our grant applications in the mail, it was now time to start working on our big fundraising project. Did you know that the expenses of a domestic adoption can be as high as $40,000? After looking at lots of great options, we have decided to move forward with one large fundraiser through an organization called Both Hands Foundation. It is such an amazing concept and ministry. (I’ll tell you all about it and how you can get involved soon!)
Until then, please continue to keep us in your prayers. Our next steps are to finalize all the details on our fundraising project and then get our family profile together to present to a birth mother! If our schedule stays on track with no snags, we could have our baby by this summer.
I seriously can’t believe I just said that.
I can’t tell you how much we appreciate all your prayers, emails and comments here. It really is encouraging and comforting. I am reading every single comment.
Thank you so much!
Bradford & Kelly
Kelly,
As I write this I am sitting in the backseat of my car, next to my son. He was born 2 weeks ago and I am his adoptive mom. We were just cleared by the courts yesterday and we are driving home to celebrate bringing him into our family with all our loved ones.
I’m sure you know this…but it is Worth. The. Wait. All the paperwork and interviews and long waiting periods…they all fade away the moment you lay eyes on your child.
Adoptive children truly are born in your heart.
May God bless your journey.
Michelle – Congratulations! Reading this makes me so excited to see your little one. Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
I was wandering if you’ve ever considered domestic adoption through DHS? I know every state is different but in Oklahoma where I live there is a huge need for foster families. Although the heart gets hurt often, every foster family I know who takes newborns into their homes have eventually gotten to adopt usually just after a few placements and sometimes the first baby they fostered. The heart has a chance of getting hurt but God’s will is always done and these babies get to be loved on my Christian families like yours. Love that they will carry with them if they go. The need is so great and the cost of adopting these babies once the courts have declared them adoptable is $0. Paperwork is minimal and you get financial help while you foster and sometimes after the adoption is finalized depending on the state where you live. My family has adopted 2 children through DHS and we have begun the journey of adopting a 3rd, which will make 5 children for us. Ours were 11 months and 2 years when we began fostering. They both came with challenges of having been neglected but prayer is powerful and God is good! They are both doing amazing! Love them both with every ounce of my heart! Fostering is not a choice but a calling so I know if that’s what you are supposed to do God will lead you there. I just wanted to suggest the idea. I’ve been following your adoption journey, thanks for sharing and inspiring others. I read your book a few years ago and have shared it with many others. Thank you for what you do! 🙂 Sincerely , Cheryl