The Paper Pregnancy

Well, we are happy to say that we passed through our screening interview with flying colors. We arrived at the agency and sat in their cute little office. I met Linda, the perky receptionist. She's as perky in person as she is on the phone. Sally, the social worker, greeted us and led us back to her office. She had pictures of her family (her husband and two boys) on the table. We sat down and she ran through the details from the agency's end of things. She asked us questions. One of the questions was to describe each other with 3 words. Shane rambled on past the 3 words. She said she always lets the husbands gush a bit. We decided that we would be a good fit for the agency and then we began to sign papers. It felt like we were closing on a house or something. She gave us a packet of paperwork.


We are now on Phase 3 of 5 phases. In phase 3 we must complete 21 hrs. of training, a home study and inspection, and a 6 page autobiography. We also have additional paperwork to complete. Shane is very organized and meticulous, so we have about 2/3 of the paperwork done already. That's why it's taken me so long to blog. I'm pooped. I guess I feel tired just like any other mother to be. The magic number for this adoption is $15,050. Please pray specifically for this number. We know that God is able to supply all our needs with this process!

Tintinnabulation

"To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells

From the bells, bells, bells. - Edgar Allen Poe"

I heard bells yesterday. Not the type that let you know that a cat is near, or the type that warn you of an impending fire. I heard the bells that remind me that God is in the details. Last week we turned in our initial application for adoption. I sent the envelope certified mail so that I could know for sure that the agency had received it. We received confirmation on Thursday. I spoke with my friend Shon, who has gone through much of this process to adopt two boys from Haiti. As usual, she reassured me and encouraged me to be patient. What a testimony of patience she exhibits as she waits for her two boys that she already knows by name, Isaac and Essai.

I wanted to call the agency to find out about the next step. I called the office and Linda, the kind receptionist, let me know that the social worker would call us. Not even an hour later, Sally, the social worker at the agency, called to set up an interview time. How funny. I was worried and the phone rang not even an hour later. We have our first screening interview next Wednesday at 10 a.m. This interview determines whether or not we are a good fit for the agency. Please pray that we will speak words, seasoned with salt. Also pray that we would be calm and that our answers would truly reflect who we are and what we are about.

Ramble On

Well, here I am...blogging?! Never thought I'd be doing it, but I guess I have some thoughts on this whole process (man, who am I kidding...I'm really excited and I have a ton of thoughts on this and I think you all need to know what they are!).


In some ways Wendy has mentioned alot of my thoughts/feelings with what has been going on so far, but as the father in this obviously I'll have some thoughts of my own.
Can I really raise a human being? I love dogs and our 2 seem to be healthy...so I'm sure I can keep a human alive to grow up. Man, changing diapers will be GREAT I'm sure!!!
Can I raise a child with solid Christian principles...I know I can for God is sovereign and all the stupid stuff I do will teach this child what not to do, and then there is my awesome church family who will help "train him up in the Lord"!
The waiting process will be the toughest though, but the time will give us space to make preparations for the "little one".


I'm no where near as good of a writer as Wendy (she will be posting more than I), normally I write my thoughts out in songs/lyrics...but as things come to me to share I will "hit the blog" with what's going on in my head!

We covet your prayers!

God bless you,
shane

Scrambled Eggs

Today is the day. The first step taken . . . one million more to go. Last night we finished the initial application. After a several minute long rant on fiscal responsibility, I succumbed to my husband's steady and calming influence. Very simply he said, "Wendy, God is sovereign. He'll take care of us. He always does." Thank goodness God puts Type A's with Type B's. What it all boils down to is my lack of trust. I want to get my hands dirty and control this whole situation. I heard a funny quote: "The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it."


I felt an excitement wash over me this morning when I carried the sealed envelope to the car. I taught a full morning, and then, as 11:00 approached, I sent my ducks upstairs to gym and ran upstairs to try to coerce an accomplice. I told Lori the plan and she was quick to jump aboard. We headed to the Abingdon Post Office. This is not a place I typically get excited about. We took pictures at the door going in. What a fool I am! The P.O. was uncharacteristically quiet. I placed my special envelope on the counter and proceeded to fill out the paperwork for certified mail. We chatted with the cute postal lady with the blue gloves. She's adopting too. We headed to Wendy's to celebrate. No scrambled eggs today.

Let them eat cake!

Our wonderful friends Daniel and Christie invited us over for a "Congrats on Beginning the Adoption Process" dinner. They treated us to a delicious dinner of chicken and dumplings, dense and delicious bread, and a chocolate cake with white icing. Daniel toasted us with champagne and we enjoyed a great evening of "golf" and fellowship with Daniel, Christie, Jude, Angie, and Annie. We are blessed to have awesome friends!

The First Day

See here son, I’m giving and giving

But I don’t have enough

As for toys, and cards, and books

And the warmth of a father’s touch

I can give you all of these . . .

But all the things that heart truly desires

Will never come from these hands of dust and clay

And the day will come

When as a blind man you will stumble

And raise your cry to the one who passes by

And in your hand you’ll feel

The gift that can’t be held.

-Orphan Project, "Paupers Unfulfilled"

Clay. That is what I feel like today. I am keenly aware of my weakness and my desperate need for Jesus' hand in this whole process; the adoption process. I'm the adoption novice here. Shane had his own personal experience with the journey. Thankfully we are travelling together.

The tunnel was closed. We didn't have a map. My cell phone was dead. Our meeting was at 9:30 in Crofton, a town near Bowie (famous for the Bay Sox). We were already facing challenges and we hadn't even arrived. God is good and I know he cares for even the littlest things, like the cell phone charger that was hidden in the glove box. We called my mom, who has an uncanny nose for directions, and navigated around the tunnel and to our destination with 10 minutes to spare. I hate being late. We were the second to arrive.

We entered a little church called Mount Oak Fellowship and we were ushered into a beautiful little sanctuary. I surveyed the couples that entered and found myself evaluating my outfit in comparison to the other women who were there. What is an adoptive mother-to-be supposed to look like? Do we look the part? There goes my flesh again. We met the director of the adoption agency and the social worker in charge of the cases. They were pleasant and hopeful and shared the truth about adoption. They communicated the seriousness of the committment to adopt. It would be no easy process. Shane sat as still as he could and I took copious notes, mostly to keep my hands busy while I listened. It's good to see the reality of this adventure on paper.

When the adoption process is finalized, we will have completed at least 4 interviews, a home inspection by the fire department and health department (talk about the neurotic cleaning I envisioned!), a home visit, 21 hours of training, and a finalized profile scrapbook of who we are in 10 pages or less. Seems simple right? Oh, and we will have to pay a bill of about $15,000 dollars. The yoke seems heavy but . . .

Clay has to endure molding, shaping, and fire it is able to be of some use. This is where Shane and I draw our confidence. We are so excited and I don't believe it's a naive excitement. God is going to do this with two rough around the edges, big kids like us. The joy is in the journey, right?