Step One!

Today was a special day! I was feeling a bit blue after coming back from meeting my niece Madison Grace. I had such a GREAT time with her, Brad, Erin, Mom, Dad and Lee (and Daisie) that I didn't want to come home to work AT ALL. (I'll save my Maddie stories for another post). So, after having a bit of baby withdrawal blues, we got a call from our official social worker assigned to our adoption case! Before, we had Amy, a FABULOUS gal who was assigned as our intake case worker. She was sooo great and patient as this process took awhile to get started. Now, we have Emily and she called to introduce herself. Next, we received an email with our first 15 or so documents, agreements and lists. Then, we saw a list with our next payment total (somewhere around $10,000 and that's only some of it!). GULP! Then, we found out when our scheduled adoption conference call would be (tomorrow). Finally, we received the first of our weekly encouraging emails with updates and a Bible verse. Again, I couldn't be happier that we selected this agency. I highly recommend it thus far, and had to add a quote from the email Emily sent. I can't imagine Jesus not being the originator and protector on this journey.


I am delighted to begin this journey with your family. There will be blessings and challenges along the way; however, I trust our feet will always have the Light to walk in as Christ is the leader of this voyage. I am praying for your family as you begin this exciting stage.
Joyfully,
Emily

I was just thinking today that we've been traveling this journey for 14 months already. During the time I was laid off, I spent 6 months praying about this process and researching agencies. Then, we applied, then we raised and saved money, and now we begin the dossier (paperwork) process. We also are scheduling our homestudy very soon! All that said, we hope to have this stage of the process completed in 6 months! Then, we wait about 4 months (give or take) to get our referral. Then another month to travel to our court date, then another 1-2 months to bring our baby home! So, all that said we HOPE we will have our little angel in a year!!! We are hoping for him/her to be our anniversary present next year!

I realized this weekend how ready I am to be a mother. With Maddie, I was changing diapers, feeding, burping and just finally felt ready. She made the longing in my heart for my own child grow stronger. I can't imagine loving a child more than I love her. She is just precious!


My friend from college wrote on my facebook wall and said she was thinking of me, all he pain we've endured and this song came on the radio as she prayed for us!!! And she gave me an amazing quote I had to share! Check out this song. The words have never rung more true in my life than now!

http://s0.ilike.com/play#Josh+Wilson:Before+the+Morning:143556922:s56102032.13624421.6749593.0.2.287%2Cstd_0de82357ccc346728181ad9cad11a748

"Coincidences are little miracles in which God wishes to remain anonymous."

A little Miracle named Madison Grace