A Journey of Faith: Part 1

I know I have left many with so many questions lately regarding what is going on in our lives that has been so difficult.  I haven't really been able to bring myself to blog since May because the biggest thing going on in our lives, we weren't able to talk about.  No pictures, no facebook posts.  It was so hard not to share the exciting news in our lives.  We were on a journey to adoption of two children.  I want to share that story now, our journey of faith.......

The story began for us in the spring of this year.  When Jason and I moved here we weren't actively looking at the possibility of adoption, but we weren't closing the door to it.  If God led us in that direction we were willing to seek His will.  Our lives had so much change in it that we knew at first that the timing wasn't right and we truly didn't feel God leading us in that direction.  When you constantly see so many kids in need of homes and you have that desire in your heart for more children, it isn't easy saying no.  But we waited.  We developed a relationship with a local orphanage, helping with their village ministry.  We visited the children with our own children at least once a week.  Our kids absolutely loved that time and quickly got to know all the children well.

Fast forward a year and we started to see a relationship develop between our kids and one 3yr old boy imparticular.  The kids sought him out immediately to get one of his huge hugs.  This little boy had a brain condition and if he did not find a forever family soon we were told that he would be relocated to a long term care facility.  We were first told that in June of 2012 and had been fervently praying for a family for him.  This was during the season that we knew God hadn't called us to adoption yet.  Months passed and he still didn't have a family even after intense searching on the orphanage's part.  Seeing our kids with him and facing our own growing feelings towards him, Jason and I started discussing and praying if we were meant to be that forever family that we had been praying about.

The boys playing with Joseph at the home.

These two have had a special friendship from the start!

Jason with his new son!

In seeking the Lord we knew that He was telling us that YES, now we were ready and Joseph was to be our son.  We spoke with the orphanage and shared our feelings with them and they were thrilled.  They asked us to consider adopting another child at the same time.  Jason and I were prepared for this because we knew their policy and knew they preferred this.  We told them that we were open to praying about this and open to the directors knowledge on families and placement.  They knew our family well at that time and also knew Joseph.

What we weren't expecting was the call that we received asking us to consider being the parents of a 7month old girl.  For some reason, both Jason and I had it in our minds that it would be a little girl that was at least 2yrs old.  We had said goodbye to MANY years in the baby stages of life and it was crazy to think about being back there.  Jason and I were able to get away for a time of prayer and sought the council of some great friends.  We asked the difficult questions to the home such as....
"How did the girl come to be at the home?"
"Has everything been done to find her biological family?"
"Is there a chance of someone entering the picture wanting her back at a later time?"
After being assured that the child was completely abandoned and there was no hope of being back with her bio family, and after much prayer together, we decided to move forward on adopting both children.

Hadlee meeting her baby sister for the first time!

Hadlee never let go after that first meeting!

Even though we had been visiting the home so often, we didn't know what little girl this might be.  We hadn't met her yet and didn't even know her name when we said yes.  We called and were told her name was Faith.

We were all in love and our family felt so complete!

I will never forget the moment she was placed in my arms and I was told, "Meet your new daughter".