Light at the end of the tunnel!

Anyone who's known me long, knows I've always wanted to adopt. I grew up with a Korean cousin, just 32 days younger than me, who was adopted when he was 18 months old. As long as I can remember, he's been around. I also have another cousin who was adopted as an infant. Adoption has always been a part of my family and as I grew up knew that I wanted it for my own family as well. God says in his word that Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27, NIV) As most of you know, we have been walking the journey of our second adoption for almost a year now. But what most of you don't know is how hard it's been. For the most part, we have kept to ourselves the "drama" we have endured within the past eight months. Our first profile showing was in Feburary and since then we have been shown to four different birth moms and one DCF rep, all with no match. We have also been "one of two famlies" twice within that time frame. Needless to say it's been hard and after awhile you don't want to say anything to anyone because not everyone understands the roller coaster of adoption. We have also done a few fundraisers, all of which produced little result.

About two months ago I began to wonder "Are we in the right place? Are we rowing the wrong boat so to speak?"  On top of this I kept saying to myself "I want an orphan, an actual orphan. One that is sitting in an orphanage, just waiting for someone to come and take him home." As I began praying and talking to Michael, I just couldn't get over that feeling. But at the same time, we LOVE the people at our agency and we know they would do anything to support us because they have in the past. I mean how many social workers would ask a personal friend to let a couple stay in their house for free for an unknown about of time while this little girl, born 12 weeks early, is in NICU? How could we ever think about leaving them?  At that point we started calling on close friends and adoption resources for advice. It's funny how God works when you are simply brave to enough to ask what's on your heart! We truly believe, through a simple conversation with the people at
Woven Basket, one week ago, God heard our heart.

We are very pleased to say that with the blessing and guidance of our agency, Woven Bakset Christian Adoption Services in Tampa, we have decided to make the switch to an international adoption. We will be using Joshua Tree Adoptions in Clearwater, one of two agencies in the country who offer adoption in the country of Ecuador. We have been "unoffically" matched (mostly because we just started paperwork today) with a three year old little boy with limb deficiences. The past few days we have taken time to pray, do research and ask lots of questions about his needs, both now and in the future. We are so over-the-top excited about not only having the blessing of Woven Basket, but also having them ask if they could walk though this with us!!

 I spoke with the Director of Joshua Tree, a woman with FIVE Ecuadorian children, today and she sounds wonderful!! So, as it turns out, we weren't rowing the wrong boat, the boat was just taking us to another boat that will take us to brand new place!! Thank you for your prayers and support!!

I will post more details as we know them.


Blessings,

Dawn

Check out our new pictures!!

Since our family is now bigger, we decided it would be a great time to update our family pictures. They turned out great and are excited to show them off!

 

Our family of five!

 

All of our girls!

 

I so love this shirt! It was a fundraiser for a friend's adoption!

 

 

 

Tab really wanted to eat this lollypop!!

 

 

 

 

 

Also be sure to check out our new "Support Us" tab at the top of the page. Here will will list several of our fundraisers and all the items for our silent auction coming soon!

 

 

Blessings,

 

 

Dawn