An Update and a Video
We just had our 2nd interview in the homestudy process at Bethany a few days ago. Other than rambling at times (me, not Ben!), I think it went well. So, now we are almost done with our homestudy process. Next month we have our last interview–this time in our home, our background checks and finger prints are in, and most of our medical information is completed and sent in, and at the end of the month we have our required educational meeting run by the agency. Once everything is complete, our case worker will write up our homestudy and we will complete our family portfolio. (The portfolio is like a scrapbook that the birth family sees to help in their decision of choosing a family to raise their baby.) Then comes the part of waiting 🙂 Lord willing, we will be officially approved and waiting to be chosen by early April.
God has provided so much grace to us during this time, as well as finances, as many of these little steps along the way include ‘little’ payments or bills! Not only has this begun to stretch us financially, but we have had to think about how open we are to accepting children with different races or backgrounds than ourselves. Through all the little hurdles we’ve crossed in this process, we feel God continuing to affirm that this is indeed His path for us. Perhaps the most “stretching” moment for us, though, occurred after our second interview. Our case worker wanted to prepare us that because we are open to any race or mix of races, we should be prepared for the process to move fast, maybe even as soon as we become approved. Though this thought is exciting to us, we find ourselves in an interesting situation. First, we want to hold her comment loosely, not expecting a child soon and resting completely in the perfect plan God has for us. But yet, somehow prepare our home and family and finances for a child earlier than we expected. So, while I set up the nursery again bit by bit, I remind myself that God’s plan and timing are perfect…even if its a year from now or later that we bring another child into our home.
I’d like to ask you once again to pray for our family as we walk through the next few months. Here are some ways we’d love your prayers:
* That our thoughts, actions, and preparations would be pleasing to the Lord.
* That we would walk through financing the adoption in the way that is faithful. (There are many grants available but cannot be applied for until your homestudy is approved. If we are chosen early, we may not have time to receive these before the “big boy” placement fee is due. )
* That we would rest and trust in the goodness of God.
* And please continue to lift up in prayer the birth family and our baby growing in the birth mother’s womb.
Thank you for your prayers and support–we are grateful for you!
As a reward for reading through this long update, here is a recent video of AJ. This moment made his Daddy very proud 🙂
A Day in the Life... 