Grae Haven

I know, the title is only for Lord of the Rings dorks like us. We are excited to announce that we will (Lord willing) be bringing home a little Lankford on Friday. Yes, this Friday. Please be in prayer for us as we begin this new adventure. We've had a wonderful experience and feel like we are adopting a family. We have been so blessed by our interaction with the birthparents and their families. We still have a few weeks of nervousness because we are taking placement early. Please pray for the birthparents as well. This is a joyful time for us, but a very bittersweet time for them. We can't wait to share a 'lil Grae with you!

Roller Coaster

Wow! It's been a long time since I've sat at the keyboard to write. For much of the summer, I felt like there was not much new information to share. A lot has happened since my last post.

In late September we were called by our social worker Sally, who informed us that a birthmom was looking at our profile. She needed permission to show us to this birthmom because it was considered a high risk placement. A high risk placement is an in-hospital placement with the potential adoptive parents. The risk comes because of the 30 recision period in Maryland. I was very unsure and hesitant but after much prayer and trust in my husband's confident decision, we decided to move forward. We were not selected by that set of birthparents.

About 3 weeks later, I was in the middle of teaching when I got a call from Shayla, the birthmother counselor. "You've been selected" she said in her usual calm and understated way. I think my jaw dropped and I let out a little yelp. (My students later asked if I had won the lottery!) We got the details and the ride began. If everything goes as plan, we will have a little boy in our arms by mid-February.

People are so kind and often ask if we have any news. I usually respond by saying that we are guardedly excited. That's the truth. If I'm honest, I can say that this has been a challenging experience because I am having a difficult time knowing how much of my heart to invest. I want to feel excited, but that is a dangerous proposition. Investing too much of my heart could mean heartbreak, because this process is always tenuous. All indications are very positive and our meeting with the birthparents went, in the language of my husband, "Awesome". We are definitely along for the ride.

My confidence is that my God uses "all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose". I know that whatever happens, God is not a distant watchmaker, but a loving shepherd who holds us, the birthparents, and this child in His very capable hands. Besides, I love roller coasters!

The Climb

As I sit down to write again, I marvel at the amazing journey we have walked so far. In just a little over 5 months we have applied for adoption, attended 24 hours of training, had our home inspected 3 times, completed 4 interviews, completed a stack of paperwork, and completed our home visit. It all seems to have gone pretty quickly and we have emerged from the mound of paperwork and procedures relatively unscathed. As a type-A personality, I have enjoyed the challenge of completing the requirements. This process gave me a goal to reach and achieve. I think now is the hardest part of the trip. It is almost like reaching base camp. This stage of the climb is a challenge in itself, but the most arduous part of the journey lies ahead. Unlike those climbers, we cannot rely on our own strength and skill to reach the summit. We know where we are going, but we don't know how long it will take to get there. God has been so faithful to see us through to this point. Along the way, I have learned that I can't control much about this process. His timing is perfect. Now that my efforts are exhausted and Shane and I have met the requirements, we must wait.
Wait. What does it mean to wait? It means that we must trust that God and His plans for us are good, no matter the frustration and anticipation. It means that we learn the lessons He is teaching us along the way. At some point we will reach the top and view the beauty of the path we have traveled, but it may not be this side of heaven. Pray for Shane and I as we lace up our boots!

My Cup Overflows

Well, the past month and some days have been full of much activity. Not much of it was adoption related and again I feel as if we're in the hurry up and wait part of this process. We are in fact waiting to be officially waiting. Shane's fingerprints went through and the social worker has been calling our references. We are waiting for the home visit and the rest of the interviews. One of our friends in our class is already officially waiting!

I've been overwhelmed with our school musical "Charlotte's Web" which was presented last Thursday. Now I have sixth grade graduation on the horizon. It's a busy time. I have to admit that this process seems a bit surreal. I know that we have been through the classes and have made some preparations, but it seems as if this baby is just a figment of my hopeful heart. I know that the process is moving, but I'm just anxious for things to move faster. I guess if the social worker called tomorrow, I'd probably become neurotic with all that is happening in the next week. God's timing is perfect, I just wish I could see His dayplanner.

On a positive note, we have officially raised our entire placement fee. You can see from the blog that in just a little over a month, our friends and family have generously provided over $16,000 for Little Lankford. I always tell people that we never left church without at least $400 in our pockets and it seemed that every other day we were finding checks in our mailbox. That is an amazing testimony of God's hand on our process and confirms that He is able to move in the hearts of others to share their blessings. We stand in complete amazement and awe.

Please pray for patience as we wait. Thank you all for filling our cup!

Holding Pattern

I must confess that I think that this month has been harder than the last. In March we were caught up in a whirlwind of activity. We barely had time to breathe, which in turn means that we barely had time to become impatient. This month has not been too productive. Aside from the baby room, we are still waiting on paperwork. Shane's fingerprints came back again, which is a sign that he is working very hard but also a sign that we are still at the mercy of the fingerprint inspectors. What a job that must be. We have one book report left and then we wait for the social worker to schedule the home visit and the final 3 interviews. I've been putting off the blog because I don't have anything profound or even interesting. We have been fielding lots of questions like, "Any news?", which sadly I have to answer "Not yet."
Isn't that the way God seems to operate? God has chosen a child already for us and yet we must wait on His timing. God has given me the hope of heaven, but I must still live out His plan for me first. I'm not very good at this "already, not yet" lifestyle. Continue to pray for Shane and I as we wait on the Lord. Thank God He's not my co-pilot. I need someone else to fly this plane!
P.S. We continue to be blessed from the hearts and pockets of friends, family, and even strangers. We now have 20% of our placement fee!

Fields of Green

I'm up to my eyeballs in green things lately. I have had some time off for Easter break and I spent a few days getting the nursery painted. The walls before were covered with a hideous, almost day-glo jungle border and safety yellow paint. Beauty must be in the eye of the beholder. Because of that lovely yellow paint, I had to primer the room before painting. Today I rolled the last wall of meadow green paint. I've got green paint in my hair, under my fingernails, and I'm sure there's a splotch on some exposed skin that I, no doubt, will leave the house displaying to the public. This has been a fun time, though I don't enjoy painting at all. I thought it would be a reflective, prayerful time. Most of the time I spent confessing my negative attitude toward the previous homeowners for that repugnant yellow! During my time painting today, I did have a chance to pray for that little person that will one day rest in the little green room. I also prayed for the woman who is or may soon be carrying this little person. More and more, I'm longing to meet little Lankford. I can't hurry this process. God has laid out the path for our baby, and has given this time to his/her birthparents. Pray for us as we hurry up and wait.
Shane spoke in the previous blog about the other green stuff we are swimming in lately. I thought it was so amazing that by the end of the day we had almost 10% of the placement fee, and this 10% came on a Sunday. In the last hours of that day we received another $1000 which testifies to the amazing generosity of friends and family and also God's overflowing provision for us. On Tuesday of this week, we received another precious monetary gift from a friend. We are just being showered with blessings. It is not the money that amazes me, but the hearts of the people who have given. These aren't rich people, they are people who are rich with the stuff that "moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal" - Matthew 6:20.

Lots of "pennies" from heaven!!!

Wow! What an incredible day! First of all, I want to say "hey" to everyone reading this...I haven't been on to blog for awhile. I've been incredibly busy, but Wendy & I are making it through this process with God's incredible grace!
Anyway, back to the day we've had today.


As many of you might know...this adoption is not inexpensive...in fact the actual cost of $$ that we are still needing for the adoption is $16,700...until today that is!!!
That amount is only $14,200 after today...and what a crazy day this was!
The day started out with a phone call around 8am or so letting Wendy & I know that our church (New Covenant Presbyterian Church) was broken into and vandalized around 4:30am. Someone used fire extinguishers and sprayed them throughout the whole sanctuary. Needless to say, when we came into church (we had service in the gym) we didn't know what to expect to see. Well, we didn't see anything...the main sanctuary was closed off to the congregation, but there was an "air" of wondering by many.
Anyway, the Lord was glorified and worship was given...a tremendous message on Christ's full-sacrifice for us on the cross...His ultimate blessing to us!


The Lord had more blessings in store for us this day...Wendy & I were caught totally off-guard!
Unexpectedly, we were given $2500 during the course of the day!!!
I was/am being totally humbled in this whole process. Wendy always says that I am the one teaching her that God will supply all our needs and as He does (which I know He will) I continue to be "blown away" by His generosity to this "sparrow".


May the Lord be glorified as He is the "Giver and Supplier of all our needs"!!!

God bless,
shane