Our family is in the process of adopting a child or a sibling
group from the state (CPS). We started the process in July 2011, had our home
study the beginning of Jan 2012, and are now awaiting our final approval. It
has been a very long process, but I know
that it's all happening the way God wants it. It's in His timing, not ours. We
just have to be patient and trust Him.
Whenever I have any doubts, God uses videos, movies, His Word, or friends that anything is possible with Him. We
have to trust that He will be with us through it all. He already has the
child/children picked out for us. I pray about certain children and asked God to
have them adopted by someone else if they are not the ones He wants for us. One by one, the children we chose have been adopted. Praise the Lord! He keeps confirming
to me that He has this under control. So, we just have to continue to look and
pray that He shows us the ones He wants us to have, not the ones we want. We will
get to meet them as long as we need to before we make this big decision. The
children we choose can even say they don't want us.
God
is equipping us as this process continues. God has surrounded us with people who
have adopted or are fostering, and I continue educating myself through numerous books
and websites. There will be trials. I don't doubt that, but that is why God is
equipping us and our family, so we can better help these children and become
stronger through it. We are in a better position than most. We home school so
we have more time to focus on attachments and dealing with issues. I feel God is
going to bless us through this and I pray we will be a blessing to these
children in return. Sometimes I wish we could adopt more than 2 because there are so many children who need a loving home, but I'm hoping
that through us doing this, others will be encouraged. I have absolute trust that
God will help us through this. I've been asking God to take me out of my
comfort zone to use me as He wishes - to glorify Him in all we do. Use our family as He
wishes. Every time I have followed through on what God wanted of our family, He
has blessed us more than I could have ever imagined. There were trials and
still are, but I know that God works all things for the good. We just have to
trust!
I am asked quite often, "Why do want to adopt?" First, I have wanted to adopt since I was a little girl. God asks us to help the orphans! Tears come to my eyes when I realize it is going to finally happen. Each and every child is a blessing and they deserved to be loved. When I am asked this question, this song comes to mind.
Who Will Love Me For Me by JJ Heller
He cries in the corner where nobody sees
He’s the kid with the story no one would believe
He prays every night, “Dear God won’t you please
Could you send someone here who will love me?”
Who will love me for me
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
‘Cause nobody has shown me what love
What love really means
I will love you for you
Not for what you have done or what you will become
I will love you for you
I will give you the love
The love that you never knew
Thursday, March 22, 2012
We are officially certified adoptive parents:
Hello friends, I just wanted to share an exciting piece of news that we have been waiting to hear! This afternoon as I was in the middle of spring cleaning and teaching my children, we finally got the word that we are official certified adoptive parents. I can't believe it is finally happening. Since it has taken so long, I have tried not to think about it as much. Believe me, it is always in the back of my mind. We kept picking out children and feeling they were the ones only to find they had disappeared from the website the next week. We are excited about the next step; the most important step of picking out our children. Wow! That sounds so crazy to me. Now, we are just going to wait as God shows us which ones to choose. If any of you readers have gone through adoption, how did you know the child was the one for your family? We would love to hear your experiences. And we would appreciate your prayers as we make this huge decision.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Process of Picking out the Child or Children
Now that we are officially certified adoptive parents, we can start to pick out the children! We started out wanting a boy and girl sibling group and then just one girl. We found a 10 year old girl we are interested in and we asked to be considered for her about a week ago. Then, yesterday, my hubby was interested in a sibling group of 3 girls. So funny, because my hubby was so set on just adding one to our family. Now, he is looking at adding 3! Shocking, but so sweet! He told me that if he could protect 3 girls from continuuing to get abused, then he would do it. But, we found out one of the girls has special needs. We're not sure if our family can handle that. We will just have to continue to pray. It's funny that I have seen so many adoptive families start off with wanting something specific only to end up adopting something totally different. You never know what the Lord has in mind.
This is how the process works from here on out. I am writing this post because we were told something totally different in the beginning. 6 months later, we were finally told how the process works. First, we look through the pages of children online or through emails sent to us. As a family, we pick out who we might be interested in. We see a short description of the child including: emotional, physical, and developmental needs. That's it. So, we pick out the child or children and put in a request to be considered for those children.
Next, the child's case worker looks through our applications to see which 3 families are the best choice for this child. Yes, can you believe there are more than 3 families looking at one child or a sibling group. Each family in Texas has their own adoption worker. Now, a staff meeting is held to determine which family should be chosen. The top 3 families' workers are asked to be available via phone for questions, etc.
Once they determine the top family, that family gets a folder of the child's entire life - what they know of him or her. Wow, you find out everything about the child including what kind of abuse they experienced! Then, after all that, the family decides if they are still interested. If they are interested, they set up a meeting date with the child and the adoptive family. If the family is not interested, they move onto another child and the process starts all over again.
I don't know about you, but that is one long process just to find out more information on a child. It seems like they could come up with an alternative process? Seems like more work for the workers than necessary.
He’s the kid with the story no one would believe
He prays every night, “Dear God won’t you please
Could you send someone here who will love me?”
Who will love me for me
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
‘Cause nobody has shown me what love
What love really means
I will love you for you
Not for what you have done or what you will become
I will love you for you
I will give you the love
The love that you never knew
Thursday, March 22, 2012
We are officially certified adoptive parents:
Hello friends, I just wanted to share an exciting piece of news that we have been waiting to hear! This afternoon as I was in the middle of spring cleaning and teaching my children, we finally got the word that we are official certified adoptive parents. I can't believe it is finally happening. Since it has taken so long, I have tried not to think about it as much. Believe me, it is always in the back of my mind. We kept picking out children and feeling they were the ones only to find they had disappeared from the website the next week. We are excited about the next step; the most important step of picking out our children. Wow! That sounds so crazy to me. Now, we are just going to wait as God shows us which ones to choose. If any of you readers have gone through adoption, how did you know the child was the one for your family? We would love to hear your experiences. And we would appreciate your prayers as we make this huge decision.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Process of Picking out the Child or Children
Now that we are officially certified adoptive parents, we can start to pick out the children! We started out wanting a boy and girl sibling group and then just one girl. We found a 10 year old girl we are interested in and we asked to be considered for her about a week ago. Then, yesterday, my hubby was interested in a sibling group of 3 girls. So funny, because my hubby was so set on just adding one to our family. Now, he is looking at adding 3! Shocking, but so sweet! He told me that if he could protect 3 girls from continuuing to get abused, then he would do it. But, we found out one of the girls has special needs. We're not sure if our family can handle that. We will just have to continue to pray. It's funny that I have seen so many adoptive families start off with wanting something specific only to end up adopting something totally different. You never know what the Lord has in mind.
This is how the process works from here on out. I am writing this post because we were told something totally different in the beginning. 6 months later, we were finally told how the process works. First, we look through the pages of children online or through emails sent to us. As a family, we pick out who we might be interested in. We see a short description of the child including: emotional, physical, and developmental needs. That's it. So, we pick out the child or children and put in a request to be considered for those children.
Next, the child's case worker looks through our applications to see which 3 families are the best choice for this child. Yes, can you believe there are more than 3 families looking at one child or a sibling group. Each family in Texas has their own adoption worker. Now, a staff meeting is held to determine which family should be chosen. The top 3 families' workers are asked to be available via phone for questions, etc.
Once they determine the top family, that family gets a folder of the child's entire life - what they know of him or her. Wow, you find out everything about the child including what kind of abuse they experienced! Then, after all that, the family decides if they are still interested. If they are interested, they set up a meeting date with the child and the adoptive family. If the family is not interested, they move onto another child and the process starts all over again.
I don't know about you, but that is one long process just to find out more information on a child. It seems like they could come up with an alternative process? Seems like more work for the workers than necessary.
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