Wow! I am sitting here trying to figure out how to start the journaling of how my husband and I began the adoption process. Little did I know it was so long ago that it began…hence that is what the “Wow!” is all about. Turns out that it was December 13, 2005 at a Christmas concert. The concert was in intermission while they changed sets. See a few months back my husband and I were debating about whether we should adopt or not. We both had been praying seeking God’s answer in all of it. We were enjoying the concert when Steven Curtis Chapman had several local children come on the stage and he spoke how they were all adopted children from our area. I remember looking at my husband and he looking at me and we knew that God was trying to tell us loud and clear to adopt. I smiled and felt at peace with our decision. We enjoyed the rest of the concert and went home excited that we had made a decision and now it was a matter of ‘what do we do now’?
God is great!The next thing we hear in the coming days on the radio is about an organization you can call to learn more about adoption in our area. We contact them and they mention they will mail some information to us in the mail. Later on I would get use to this “snail” approach in the adoption process. I kept asking my husband everyday if the information had arrived in the mail. But nothing….days went by but finally the mailman had put my anxious mind at ease. It was one envelop with not much of anything in it. They had assigned us to an adoption agency that we had to contact to attend one of their orientations of what the adoption process entailed.
So we contacted them and received a date of when to attend for their orientation. I was excited and nervous. My husband is the calm one..but aren’t most men. Anyways, we arrive and listen to a pretty short orientation and are given a folder with some paperwork to fill out. We walk out that evening and spoke to one of the caseworkers what we were hoping to adopt (a young boy but not an infant) she assured us there were plenty of those and could get a child quickly), my husband walked me to my vehicle we had to come in separate vehicles and we spoke about the meeting briefly and looked forward to getting it started.
Little did we know how much there is to it…I say this in the kindest way I can…it is in many ways easier to get pregnant than adopt a child…whew…going on…we filled out the paperwork and were told about classes we would need to take…they were required for everyone by the state. So we began the classes…their were many long hours in these classes but we got thru them and completed them in a few months. Next came fingerprints, background checks and TB tests….took a long time to get our background check from the state….3-5 months if I am not mistaken. All of this holds up the process of getting a child in your home. Next we had the home study, which is where a caseworker visits your home and talks with you and your spouse. There was mass confusion for this. We were originally assigned a caseworker, given a date when she would make her first visit. I took the day off from work as did my husband and sat on the couch waiting and waiting. An hour goes by from the time she mentioned she would be there so I called and turns out she was no longer our caseworker. She said she was pulled from our case to another one and that the agency said they would contact us to reschedule with another caseworker. That didn’t happen…I sat on the couch after the call and cried and cried…if I can say anything about the adoption process is….that it will take your emotions to the limit. You are putting your life for a family in total strangers hands and hoping they see you as qualified parents to be…it is a helpless time in my life.
Well I will write more later…we are much further down the road but still no child as of yet. God is faithful and I know in due time our child will be here.
Archive for October, 2007
I am blessed..not a boastful blessed but a God given humbling blessed. A mouthful I think but anyways….I was sitting here and thinking of how God gives us family in so many ways..not just biological family but other forms of it. As one grows old you can see God’s hand in your life…you can recognize His movements in your life.
Lately, my husband and I have been having this weekly dinner with some friends of his who have now turned into friends of mine. We do the same thing, we make dinner and watch some shows/movies. We laugh and so far once have cried. 
I am the only woman in the group which I think brings balance to the group in my own little way. But when I am sitting on the sofa all bundled up in my blanket watching the tv, I feel a peace and comfort that reminds me of family. I can be me freely at this dinner and I love the men dearly. There is one gentlemen, Gollan, who is just the sweetest, kindest spirit I ever met. I tell people this often that when I see him I just want to get up and put in my pocket and take him home. There is another gentlemen (he would balk that I called him a gentlemen but oh well), West, and he is the joker in the group…really loves to instigate at any given moment and makes us all laugh. Then there is my husband which I enjoy watching him interact with his friends and I know for him he feels like he is at home. That is such a blessing to me.
I have a family from work, some lovely ladies that just edify and keep each other lifted up in this crazy world…Thanks Cha Cha and Little Bit!
I also am starting to develop a different family from doing a new path in my life that I keep meaning to get around to journaling on here and will soon, I promise. But on this new journey I now have some family that is growing and such a support system. Thanks Alicia and Mama!
I have a family from school, some awesome Christian ladies that just are truly a blessing to me. I am so glad God placed those unique individuals in my life. Thanks Monie, Michelle, Jackie, Dena & Toni!
God is great in that He gives so much and so much more that sometimes we just need to stop and recognize that He has placed people in our lives to help us get thru this thing called “life”!
Are there words…? There never seems to be for me. Whenever I sit at work and I know you are sleeping, I think of you often. I wonder if you are sleeping peacefully and if your body is getting enough rest and comfort. I know that Jesus is in the room watching over you and protecting you. It brings me peace. I often think of ways to tell you how you have impacted my life, but again words aren’t quite enough. In fact, they never measure up. They fail to describe what my heart and mind feel when you cross it. They change to such tiny weight that I care not to even try from time to time. But the power to edify you is greater so I must attempt to tell you how I feel about you.
I adore you, you are such a breath of fresh air after a stale day at work.
I love you, you are passion walking towards me after a dreadful commute to get back to you.
I desire you, you are inspiring when I am drained and wish to give up.
I hold your hand, and it fills me with peace and safeness that only you give me.
Soon we are going to start a new path that God has placed us on. I stand in awe, that He, the mighty one, the Great I Am, has chosen us for this journey. He could have selected anyone but He has chosen us. I wouldn’t have wanted to take this path with anyone other than you. I have confidence in your ability to lead us with God as your guide. I know you go to the Father at all times for us and I desire to follow you and Him on this journey. Thank you for having faith in me to go along with you. You are my best friend, my husband, and my soul mate. Again I feel words have failed me in conveying how I feel about you but I hope that these that I have chosen have given you a glimpse into my love for you.
There comes a time in your life when you meet someone who is such a reflection of Christ. You don’t always know it, I think for me personally. I have met someone like that, irony really is that I met her over a year ago at my present job. I am using her nickname on here, a name I gave her, Cha Cha.
So when I first met her, I didn’t like her. Go figure. I thought she was stuck up, ironic because later we both told each other we thought the same thing of each other. We are far from stuck up we came to find out. At first, she sat far from me but with some changes in our office she came to move into the office I sit in and our friendship was fed and grew into something only God could make.
Our friendship was so that she would hug me if I needed it, she would pray with me when ever she felt led to. I would counsel her. It was very much a two way street…but it was with such endearing love that we would talk to each other about our struggles and fears.
Well my Cha Cha got a job offer and has since left …left me alone. Prior to leaving she asked two of us to write to her about her impact in our lives. I didn’t want to…I knew I would cry and get all mushy so I didn’t but I thought I could write it here. It feels right to honor her to all how she has impacted my life.
She is the smile on the moon when she enters the room.
She is the reflection of peace and joy that comes from within.
She is a true friend who put her knees and heart to the ground in prayer for you.
She wants to love on everyone even when she doesn’t feel like it.
She is a breath of fresh air in such darkness of a world.
Her kindness is as sweet as the icing of a frosted cupcake. (Had to add food in there just for you my dear friend)Mostly, she is a kind, loving, graceful Christian lady, that I am honored to have shared space with for so long. I miss you dearly and our long, safe woman to woman talk. So what did you do for me? For someone who comes from such a hurt background, you provided in that place, a safeness. Thanks!