My Story...

I just finished reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Don describes a story as being a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. All great stories have this in common. 

Think about your favorite story. My favorite movie growing up was My Fair Lady. Eliza wants to be a proper English lady. She finds Professor Higgins and struggles "or ab lay" (horribly) to speak correctly. Finally she passes for a princess at a royal ball! Great story. How about any Scooby Doo episode you watched as a kid? The gang hears of a mystery. They chase and are chased by the masked bad guy. Shaggy and Scooby eat and discover that the mystery man was actually the old man that owns the amusement park. Good story, right?  

What about me? My family? What's my story? I know God has a plan for me...his word tells me numerous times (Jeremiah 29:11, for example)! But what can that be? 

Remember in the old testament when Balaam was riding his donkey and the donkey starts talking to him! I need me a donkey. That's a pretty miraculous occurrence.  That donkey was trying to get Balaam to turn around - go in a different direction. (Numbers 22. Look it up!) What's my direction? God, please send me a donkey...or any other talking animal for that matter. Awesome!  

I know I won't hear from a donkey because God tells me pretty clearly what he expects of me. I am to take care of the widows and orphans (James 1) and those that are hungry, thirsty, in prison, and naked (Matthew 25).  

Many Christians sit in the "heaven waiting room" and just hang out...waiting for the day we die and hop into the arms of Jesus. I wasn't called to sit and wait. Jesus tells me to "Go!"  

Why sit when we can have a pretty exciting story?!  

I want to love others like Jesus!  

I want to create a home for a child that wouldn't otherwise have a home.  

I want to feed the hungry. 

I want read books to kids with cancer in the hospital and encourage their
families.  

I want to provide clean water to families in Africa.  

I want to change the world.  

None of that's going to happen if I am hanging out in a stuffy waiting room! 

Right now you've stepped briefly into my story: 

Once upon a time there was this little family in Ohio that had more love to
share.... 

Character: Me, Jason, Jadon, Jake, and an abandoned child from Colombia. 

Wants something: To adopt a child to give him a good home and show him
Jesus's love through family. 

Overcomes conflict: Filling out paperwork, finding the finances (please help
if you can!), and making this whole thing work to bring my baby home! 

What's your story?

Big Brother Jadon

Try explaining adoption to a one and three year old.  It is a pretty confusing task.  We talk a lot about having another brother.  The plan as of late is to name our little baby Judah and Jadon refers to him as such.

Recent conversations with Jadon...

"Let's go get him." Jadon says.
"We can't right now but in a year and a half we can bring him home," I say realizing that a year and a half is in fact half of Jadon's lifetime.  "Not this summer, but next maybe."
"Where is he?" he asks.
"Well, honey we don't even know if he's born yet.  We don't know anything about him..just that he'll need a family and he'll come and live with us," I say.
"Here? Where is he?"
Confused look on Jadon's face.

"Where is Judah?"
"I don't know.  We just have to wait and see."
"We should pray for him."
"I agree" I say.
Jadon folds his hands and bows his head.

Heading out to the grocery story and I tell Jadon to get his coat on.
He says, "Are we going to go and get Judah now?"
"No, honey, we're just going to the grocery store," I say.

A little later:  "Will he be a baby?" Jadon asks.
"I don't know,"  I say.
"Jake's still a baby," Jadon responds.

Jadon is one of the most caring little guys you'll ever meet.  He has a heart for others and wants to make sure everyone is okay at all times.  He'll pull up a chair and sit next to you and say "Do you want to visit?"

He is (as patiently as a three year old can be) patiently waiting for his new little brother.  Judah doesn't know it yet, but he already has a terrific big brother who can't wait to meet him.

800 friends

At 4PM today we got news that our application for adoption was accepted with the stipulation that we agree to take a child up to 35 months old.  By the time we finally meet our little boy chances are that Jadon will be 4 1/2 and Jake will be 2 1/2 so this might work.  We were originally hoping for a one year old and there is still a great possibility that this will take place, but we will just have to wait and see.  God knows best and we will just allow him to bring our little one to us however old he is.  The Lord has led us this far....can't wait to see what is in store for us.

The next step:  We also received our EAC/Colombian adoption contract today.  Oh, the paperwork.  I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that throughout this entire process that I will end up with only 4 paper cuts.  I may be over zealous here, but that my goal..no more than 4.

I've also started getting passport paperwork ready for the boys and I.  So funny that my 1 year old will have a passport.  I wonder it his picture will look just as great as everyone else's passport pictures?  I'm convinced that there is a requirement somewhere that your passport pic needs to look like you AFTER a 10 hour flight so that they can accurately match you to your picture.

Also, I spoke with my husband this morning and told him that I realized that if 800 of our closest friends sent us $50 each then we could knock out this 40K in no time.  You know who you are...  all 800 of you....  :o)

Thank you again for your prayers and loving words.  They are gratefully appreciated. We'll talk soon.

Not flesh of my flesh, Nor bone of my bone,

But still miraculously my own.

Never forget for a single minute,

You didn't grow under my heart - but in it.

Fleur Conkling Heylinger: Saturday Evening Post: April 5, 1952

Please Help with our Adoption Fund

Choices

I grew up during the age of Where's Waldo? and Where is the World is Carmen Santiago? I'm sure these two individuals were very taxing on their parents' as small children. Occasionally, I'll find Jake in the bathtub fully clothed or sitting in the dogs' water dish. I am one to often lose my keys, my cell phone, or the remote control. I am always elated when I've found what I had previously misplaced.  


Where do you start in order to find your child, whom you've never met, only prayed for and dreamed of. How can we possibly decide on one child among all of the children in the world that need a home? How can I make that BIG of a decision? I'm normally the one that chooses the wrong check-out line at the grocery store. You know the one. You are in line right behind a short order, but low and behold one of the products is not scanning correctly, or the person forgot their debit card, or the cash register spontaneously combusts!  

A child. How do you find a child?  

First you have to choose an agency with the right program for your family. Two adoption agencies rose to the top of our list because of referrals from friends that had previously used those agencies.  We chose the European Adoption Consultants (EAC). We spoke to different agencies, attended a webinar, and poured over material. We had to choose the right program, the right country, and right away if we wanted to get moving on this adoption process. 

Honduras? Colombia? China? India? Russia? Some countries will not work with a couple where one of the individuals is younger than 30. Jason will not be 30 until September and we wanted to start this process now...that took out China and Honduras. Russia requires 3 or 4 trips..that's out. India wants you to adopt older children...we want a toddler. Colombia. Columbia requires one trip (but it is 4 or 5 weeks!) and we can have a child between the ages of 9 - 18 months in a year and a half. 

Done.  

Colombia. My third little boy will be born in Colombia. The boys are excited because their new brother will look like Diego (a favorite cartoon character that loves animals.) I'm excited that we have made a decision. 

Monday, January 23rd 2012 we sent in our application to adopt a little boy
from Colombia.

I have always known.

I have always known that I would have three boys.  Always.  As a young married adult I would pray for my three boys.  I would pray that my grandparents could meet all three of them someday.  A couple of years ago I bought three matching Christmas stockings.  I just knew.  Funny how you just know things.  Like how you just knew big bangs in the 80s were not a good idea, how you will never understand the weather in Ohio, or how you can always count on your little one's wanting a hug in the morning.  Some things you just know.  I have always known that I would have three boys.

Right now my household contains myself, my husband, Jason, our two little ones, Jadon (3) and Jake (1) and our two dogs.  I wanted a third child.  My husband and I decided that in order to expand our family we should reach out and adopt a child that would not otherwise have a home and a family.  (And this might be our only chance for a child with dark features like Jason because oddly enough my genes have dominated in our gene pool generating 2 beautiful pale, blond, blue eyed boys..I won round 1 and 2!)

This blog will be about our journey.  Our journey to seek out baby Blackwell boy number 3.  The final piece to our family puzzle.  The final stocking to be hung at Christmas time.  Please join me as we embark upon this adventure together.