It's official

We have decided to adopt a baby from Ethiopia. We've been praying about it and talking about it forever. We decided a few weeks ago to go ahead and get started. We're so excited. This has been my hearts desire since I was a little kid. I've always known I wanted to adopt. I have also always had this amazing heart connection to Africa. When we started getting serious about adoption I KNEW that I wanted a baby from Africa.

Adoption is something I've been talking about with DH for about 5 years. He was never very interested. I remember a conversation we had a pizza hut one day about 5 years ago where I told him that adoption was something I wanted to do so badly. He just didn't get it. We were NOT on the same page. I remember leaving there crying and not understanding why God would give me such a passion for adoption and not do the same thing in DH. For the past 5 years I've prayed that if this was something that God truly wanted for our family then he would have to do a heart change in DH. I would mention it every once in a while but didn't want to push it. The last thing I want is for him to take on something so huge and it not be what he really wanted or felt was best for our family. All that would do is cause him to end up resenting me and the baby for that. I knew if this was God then He would work in DH. After 5 years of praying He has!! God is faithful. Over the past few months Sean and been asking more and more questions and really opening his heart to adoption. God has begin to birth the true understanding of the spirit of adoption in DH. I can't explain what this does in my spirit. I never doubted God's ability to change DH's heart but I did doubt whether I had really heard from God. What if it was ME that wasn't hearing God?! I know now that this was His plans for us all along. The timing just wasn't right until now. Before we even got pregnant with CT I wanted to adopt. After my 1st birth experience with "A" I wasn't sure I had the strength physically and emotionally to go through that again. I talked to DH about it then and he wasn't "there" yet. Part of me knew then that the timing wasn't right to adopt. Now I can't imagine my life without CT. He is such an amazing piece of our family puzzle. The final piece is this baby in Ethiopia. This will make us complete. It's amazing how much love you can have for a child that probably doesn't even exist yet. I can only compare it to the love you have with the baby that you carry it in your womb. When you first find out you're pregnant you are in love. In love with this little life that is no bigger than a pea. It's an intense love. That is the love I feel for this baby that will someday be a part of our family.

We've talked to the kids about it. CT is to young to understand but "A" is over the moon excited. She wants to go with us to Africa to get the baby. I don't think we're going to take the kids. One reason is cost, it would cost us an extra 6K (at least) to take the kids and another reason is bonding. I think it's going to be very important that we have some time alone with the baby to bond with him/her. A's ready for us to go NOW to get the baby. Try explaining the waiting process of adoption to a 7 year old. :) This will be good for teaching her patience. It will be good for teaching ME patience as well. We think it will be at least a year before we get him/her. We've just filled out of 1st round of paperwork. There's plenty more where that came from. I've met some really sweet ladies on here that have either just walked through this process or are walking through it now. They have been very helpful in preparing me for how this works and what to be prepared for. So many things have just fallen into place that there is no denying that God is leading this adventure...we're just along for the ride. :)

Please keep us in your prayers as we begin this journey. Specifically pray that God would work the financial stuff out. I'm trying not to focus on that and just trust God that He birthed this desire in our hearts and He will align everything else.