Tidbits

Hey!

Well, the days to the TX trip are counting down (slowly!). I did speak to someone at Gladney and it cleared up some confusion. Not all the confusion but some. Basically, we are in the program for now. Then after we attend the orientation we can purchase the application. Then we need to be approved again and have our home study approved. Then we are officially in the program! So please pray that the process will go smoothly.

We received our packet on the orientation and a little more information on the program. Everything looks good so far. I have been trying to focus on the end result and not think about another approval process. So I have been searching out baby names and working a little bit in the nursery. I have to say although it scares me a little to be so optimistic it mostly feels great! Trusting God is so great it is puzzling why I struggle with it so much.

So, the TX countdown continues…


-Kristin

Waiting for TX trip

Hey,
Well there isn't much new on the adoption front other than the wait to go to TX and get things moving! I have been searching for the perfect outfit (of course I have it all picked out in my head) and have only managed to find the "perfect shoes". Which those of you who know me well (or have heard how Chris found me on the floor of the closet freaking out about what shoes to wear 5 minutes before the social worker came for the home study) know my love of all things shoes! I think that this is an area where I have control so I am being a little nuts about it. I know you are thinking not Kristin!! I rationally know that they will not send us home because I do not have the perfect outfit, it just will make me feel better.

I also in a moment of not quite insanity but close decided to have my hair cut. I got a little carried away with the amount that I had cut off! I am now being told how "cute" it looks (and that is not a bad thing) but it is usually accompinied with it makes you look even younger! Now I know most 31-year-olds are cool with looking younger, but since I already have some people who think I am in middle school, younger was not what I was going for. Oh well it is just hair, it will grow back. I will just wear a sign in our profile picture that says that I am 31 so birthmothers will take me seriously.

-Kristin

Some Info

Hey,
I realize our blog has been kind of peppered with sporadic information. This may have been confusing and we are right there with you! The main reason is that the adoption had been stalled for so long there was nothing to post. Then it seemed like we may be moving forward with Ethiopia. Well, our path has totally changed.

I posted a while back that we were opening ourselves up to any (legal) form of adoption. It seemed like we were not fully trusting in God if we put some many limits on him. Through the research process we have found a program at Gladney that we strongly feel we are being led to. It is thier ABC program. The program consists of adopting an African American or Biracial baby within the United States. We are nervous but excited to pursue this path.

Later I will have a blog post going into detail how this is not because we think children in this country deserve a home more than other countries!! It is very frustrating when people say that to me now, thinking that this is the reason we have switched!

People would tell me that God had something in store for us that we couldn't even imagine. And while I agree with that I couldn't think of what that could be. Finally having a child in our family, what could be better than that. Well one of the exciting things that this will provide us with is the chance to raise a baby from their time of birth. To quote an old favorite Tv show of mine when I was a child (Little House on the Prarie) "It is a dream I made myself forget." So God is showing me that he can do things that I could only dream of!

I know that this post poses many questions. Such as:

-What is the process now?
-Why Texas??...

There will be more posts to follow answering (hopefully) all of those. Right now lets just say that we are moving forward and we are very excited! As always please pray.

-Kristin

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey!

Just wanted to let everyone know that we were pre-accepted into the program that we wante! We are headed to Ft. Worth TX on June 17th for the orentation. We can hardly wait. I was ready to pack last night.

After the orentation we will be able to purchase the full application. If we are accepted at that point it will be lots of things to do (which is great!) and more waiting. This waiting however will be different because we know we are moving forward and actually know what we are waiting for!

Thank again for all the prayers.

-Kristin

Process Started

Hey,

Well I have just finished submitting the On-line Information Sheet (a pre-application of sorts) to the agency (Gladney) we want to work with. What will happen now is it will be given to the pre-approval review board and they will decide if we are accepted into the program of our choice. I am not sure how long it will take to hear from them. Hopefully soon!! If we are accepted into the program the next step would be an orentation we are required to attend. It sounds amazing. We would have so many questions answered and would meet people from all departments that we will be dealing with. We will also be able to tour their extensive facilities. That is the great news the only other news (although not bad, just inconvenient) is that this orentation is held at the main location in Fort Worth, TX. That is fine with us. We are ready to go!! At this point we are trying to get through these first 2 steps (especially the first!) after we find out if we are approved we will give everyone more information on what is next. Thank you for all your prayers!! Please keep it up!

-Kristin

Gladney and Fundraisers.

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to update everyone that as of right now we have found an agency that we really want to use. The name is Gladney and they are based out of Fort Worth, TX. We are really encouraged by all that we have heard of them and by information on their website. We are going to fill out an information sheet, and see if we are approved to continue to the actual application. Please pray that they will work with us. My biggest concern is as always our financial situation. Also please pray that I will trust that God will pave the way for us.

Also with this decision comes the reality that we need to obtain more funds to proceed. We are very much looking for ideas and anything anyone is willing to do to help. I know it is not as easy to get excited when we don't have an actual child and pictures to go with that knowledge. However, this is the typical way that things are done. And we need your support now more than ever.

Also, I just wanted to say that we have been contacted in the last few days by some people in our church (people that we don't have constant interaction with) and they have told us that they have been praying for us! What an amazing encouragement!! Two contacts in one week, God is working in that!

-Kristin