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!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Thursday, May 31, 2007
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!
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!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
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!
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!
Friday, April 6, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
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 $$ that we are still needing for the adoption is $16,700...until today that is!!!
That amount is only $14,200 after today...and what a crazy day this was!
The day started out with a phone call around 8am or so letting Wendy & I know that our church (New Covenant Presbyterian Church) was broken into and vandalized around 4:30am. Someone used fire extinguishers and sprayed them throughout the whole sanctuary. Needless to say, when we came into church (we had service in the gym) we didn't know what to expect to see. Well, we didn't see anything...the main sanctuary was closed off to the congregation, but there was an "air" of wondering by many.
Anyway, the Lord was glorified and worship was given...a tremendous message on Christ's full-sacrifice for us on the cross...His ultimate blessing to us!
The Lord had more blessings in store for us this day...Wendy & I were caught totally off-guard!
Unexpectedly, we were given $2500 during the course of the day!!!
I was/am being totally humbled in this whole process. Wendy always says that I am the one teaching her that God will supply all our needs and as He does (which I know He will) I continue to be "blown away" by His generosity to this "sparrow".
May the Lord be glorified as He is the "Giver and Supplier of all our needs"!!!
God bless,
shane
Anyway, back to the day we've had today.
As many of you might know...this adoption is not inexpensive...in fact the actual cost of $$ 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
Friday, March 23, 2007
Papparazzi
Our dearest pals,
We need pictures! Shane and I have to design a scrapbook profile for the adoption agency. If you have any pictures of us together, or as individuals, could you please send them to us? We desperately need pix. My limited collection makes it appear as if we have no life before this year. I would be glad to make copies and return them if they are near and dear to you.
Thank you!
Wendy
We need pictures! Shane and I have to design a scrapbook profile for the adoption agency. If you have any pictures of us together, or as individuals, could you please send them to us? We desperately need pix. My limited collection makes it appear as if we have no life before this year. I would be glad to make copies and return them if they are near and dear to you.
Thank you!
Wendy
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Puddles
We finally finished our fourth training session (our third this week) at Bethany. It has been awesome! The room of quiet, serious people quickly erupted into a cacophony of conversation. It has really been an awesome experience. The nine couples in the room are truly diverse, not just racially but in experience and interest. I have truly enjoyed this experience. We have this very hip and cute trainer named Shayla. She is actually the birthmother counselor for Bethany. She has brought some reality and perspective to this process. I'm afraid that I still had my rose-colored glasses on when I started this process. I appreciate the agency's goal to inform us of all possibilities.
Last night we had an assignment. We had to imagine that we were birthparents that had to make a plan of adoption for our child. We had to write a letter to our child, explaining ourselves. This was one of the most difficult assignments I have ever had to do. We all brought our letters and then some of us read them aloud. There weren't many dry eyes in the room. Many of us have struggled with the concept of open adoption. Open adoption is when the birthparents may have visits (supervised) with the child and the adoptive parents. This assignment gave us a new perspective on the whole thing. Now I know that my happiest day will be someone's saddest. What a bittersweet time.
Please pray for wisdom for all of the future parents in this class. We all have tough decisions to make. Also pray for those birthmoms and dads. Pray that God would guide and direct them in their very important decision making. Praise God for Bethany and their incredible ministry.
Last night we had an assignment. We had to imagine that we were birthparents that had to make a plan of adoption for our child. We had to write a letter to our child, explaining ourselves. This was one of the most difficult assignments I have ever had to do. We all brought our letters and then some of us read them aloud. There weren't many dry eyes in the room. Many of us have struggled with the concept of open adoption. Open adoption is when the birthparents may have visits (supervised) with the child and the adoptive parents. This assignment gave us a new perspective on the whole thing. Now I know that my happiest day will be someone's saddest. What a bittersweet time.
Please pray for wisdom for all of the future parents in this class. We all have tough decisions to make. Also pray for those birthmoms and dads. Pray that God would guide and direct them in their very important decision making. Praise God for Bethany and their incredible ministry.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
