Meet our DAUGHTER Samara :) Posted about over 9 years ago

Where do I even begin? It has been an intensely incredible week. I still can hardly believe that as I sit here writing this update, little Samara is snuggled against me sound asleep. She was born on December 27th weighing 6 lbs, 15 oz, and was 20” long. Her birth father is African American, and her birth mother is Caucasian (Swedish/German mix). She has a head of dark hair, dark brow...

Early Christmas Gift Posted about over 9 years ago

We received a nice little Christmas gift today from our adoption agency; our profile book is going to be shown to another birthmom after Christmas.  It does our hearts good to hear this as it continues to offer hope of a baby in 2016.  No gender known yet, but she is 18 weeks along (almost half-way).  To our prayer warrior friends, please keep her and us in your prayers for the right decision t...

"GOD HAS A BABY WITH OUR NAME ON THEM" Posted about over 9 years ago

Knowing that "God has a baby with our name on them" has become our axiom.  Thank you for the outpouring of love and support, especially during this intense week.  The good news is this sweet baby girl has a family to adopt her, but it is not us.  It's a bit difficult to let go of her and her family as we can't help but care deeply for them, especially as the birth mom has had a very difficult l...

Parents or not? Posted about over 9 years ago

Just a brief update on our last post: we expect to hear back this Monday morning/midday as to whether or not we will be parents in a week of a baby girl.  Thank you for your support and prayers so far and for all future ones. :)  We feel a particularly strong pull towards this special child and her birthparents, but ultimately desire to stay within God's will most of all.  The next few days of ...

PARENTS ALREADY? Posted about over 9 years ago

I had been planning on writing a completely different update, but things have been turned on their head today (in a good way).  We received an email from our agency about a birth mother requesting more profile books to look over (in addition to the several she already had), but there were a couple things in her medical history chart that didn't align with our initial "comfort level" packet.  Ho...

DEEPLY GRATEFUL- First Fundraiser Totals- 12/1/2015 Posted about over 9 years ago

To say that we are humbled and grateful from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of love and support in our effort to adopt doesn't begin to cover it.  Philippians 1:3-7: "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began ...

UPS (FUNDRAISER), GRANTS (DOWNS), AND THE FUTURE AS OF 11/14/15 Posted about over 9 years ago

UPS:  I owe you all an update and a HUGE THANK YOU for either physically or electronically participating in our first official fundraiser party!  To our vendors:  Leigh Anne with Younique Makeup, and Katie with Jamberry Nails, we can't thank you enough for donating your time and commission.To everyone who purchased products from them or my Tupperware sale, you made it all worth it and are bring...

FIRST OFFICIAL FUNDRAISER PARTY DAY! NOVEMBER 14, 2015 Posted about over 9 years ago

Today is the day...3 vendors coming together to sell Jamberry Nails, Younique Make-up, and Tupperware. The vendors are donating their commissions, as well as Tupperware donates 40% off the top of total sales to our fundraiser.  You can order online starting today through November 24th and it will be included into this.  Here we go!

WHERE WE ARE AS OF NOVEMBER 2, 2015 Posted about over 9 years ago

WHERE WE ARE AS OF NOVEMBER 2, 2015 Praying a lot for starters! This past Friday we had our first potential birth-mom view our profile book (an autobiography book we created with photos and information about our lives). She has several days to consider us among other adoptive families that matched the criteria, so we could hear back on that any day now. We have also been made awar...

GIVING GOD ROOM TO WORK- AFFORDING OUR ADOPTION Posted about over 9 years ago

AFFORDING OUR ADOPTION Even though the price-tag of adoption seems insurmountable, there are tens of thousands of adoptive families, so we know it’s possible! We are expecting to pay around $30,000 when all is said and done. This includes home study fees, interstate costs (the Interstate Compact and our travel to Florida), adoption agency fees, and expenses incurred by the birth mom....

THE ADOPTION PROCESS Posted about over 9 years ago

THE ADOPTION PROCESS: HOME STUDY That June we began working with a Home Study only agency; we had interviewed and researched many. When you begin a home study, you need to select the desired age range for which to be approved. Megan was conflicted over whether to adopt an infant or a bit older (single or sibling group). Thanks to Ruben’s practical reasoning, he put her mind at re...

STARTING A FAMILY STARTED YEARS AGO Posted about over 9 years ago

STARTING A FAMILY STARTED YEARS AGO Megan always wanted to adopt, and as if Ruben wasn’t already incredible enough, he was equally interested in adoption as well. About 8 years ago, Megan’s mom was in a community Bible Study with a woman named Karen Law, an adoption lawyer who hosts free annual adoption and foster care seminars. Even though we were only dating at the time, we eage...

OUR JOURNEY… Posted about over 9 years ago

OUR JOURNEY… …Began years ago according to God’s sovereign plan. As I like to think, is it really just a coincidence, or actually a Godincidence? HOW WE MET A little over 10 years ago, both of us moved to the same area within a couple of months of one another, him from Ohio and her from Georgia. Megan was invited to attend Grace Community Church by a long-time friend, and she imm...