While We Are Waiting…

Emerson is excited to become a big sister and we pray for him or her every night before she goes to bed 🙂 Thanks Krista for taking this picture!

I am so humbled as I sit down to write this post. Tons of you have sent such kind and encouraging words to Jon and myself. We truly appreciate you thinking of us and praying for God to put together this adoption story. Right now we are in that awkward waiting phase where we just…..keep waiting. I am not the most patient person in the world and when I get an idea in my head, I go “all in” until it is complete. The adoption process is definitely a way for God to teach me patience and joy in our daily lives. I feel filled with joy and optimism that can only be from God. I feel such a peace over this whole journey that I cannot explain. With Emerson’s adoption there was so much anxiety and tons of fear of the unknown. I will be sharing her adoption story on here soon! Don’t worry….our fears were all calmed and we are extremely blessed by how everything took place with sweet Emmy girl.  I know that once we get picked as parents we will probably have some of those worries again….it just feels surreal at this moment to totally trust God to put this story together!

I also want to share with you lovelies about open adoption on this blog! There are so many old myths and each adoption story is unique so please don’t think our story is “normal”. There is NO normal in any adoption situation. I will be writing about Emmy’s birth family with their permission so you can see how amazing open adoption CAN be. No crazy drama here!

Let me tell you today about Dawn. Dawn is one of Emerson’s biological grandmas. I had the privilege of meeting her at Emerson’s birth for the first time. It was such a crazy day that I really did not get to know her very well during all of the hospital stay and we didn’t really talk much until more recently. I think it is very hard for any biological father’s family in an adoption situation and I understand how it took us longer to re-connect. Jon and I had already formed a good relationship with Em’s birth mom and her mom during the pregnancy and adoption process and they became extended family. It took a little longer for us to get to know Em’s other biological family…and that is ok. 🙂 Sometimes it takes a while for relationships to grow…and I am so happy we decided to work on making more connections for Emmy. Dawn is spunky, amazingly sweet and wears her heart on her sleeve. I can see these qualities in Emerson too! I asked Dawn to write a couple sentences about what open adoption has meant to her. Here is what she says!

 

Nicole,

Well I don’t know if I can begin to say how open adoption has affected my life in a couple sentences..!  First: Me and Levi (we) are so thankful and blessed to had our little blessing to be adopted by two loving, amazing, sweet, kind, and open minded and open hearted people as you two, and to know in our hearts she is loved and cared for everyday not only by you two but all of you two’s family and friends as well. Second: I as a grandmother love to see her be able to grow in pictures, be able to hear her sweet little voice on videos, and to be able to send her little things that I hope will bring a smile to her sweet little face and to let her know I am always thinking of her. I love that fact that we get to spend a time with her in person. Third: Someday she will know she was always in our hearts and minds and we always put her and her well being first and above what other people thought and our own feeling’s…it was always what was best for her and her life and upbringing. Fourth: I would not change one thing when it comes to the choice of open adoption for my little blessing and I am so grateful to her mother for taking the time to have found two of the most amazing people to raise and love one of the most important people in my life…and I say in my life….because with open adoption…she is still in my life almost every day, and for that I am blessed and thankful!!

Thanks Dawn! I tear up every time I think about all of you (Em’s bio. Family)….I feel the love and will always cherish her and you!

Captured

Yeah, sooooooo we don’t know if we will get “the call” in 2 weeks or 2 years. It is just part of adoption. We know this fact AND it is what it is. 🙂

We are trying to find ways to keep busy during the wait………….

One way I am keeping busy is by capturing moments and memories on this blog. Last weekend I was able to go see Beth Moore live in Fort Wayne. What an amazing day! I learned so much and was touched by the entire day of teaching and worship. ONE thing that I took away from that conference is that my joy is not full unless I am sharing it with family and friends. Well. Hmm. I am not good at sharing joy or pain. This is another reason I believe God has his hands all over this adoption journey. Why in the world would we have been overwhelmed by the feeling that we were supposed to “share” this announcement/journey with all of you?! Totally out of my comfort zone. The timing of His assurance was perfect.

Ohmygosh! I was meaning to write about our photo shoot in that paragraph up there! Glad I shared that with you though. So, we took a road trip to Indy so my gorgeous sister-in-law could take some adoption journey pictures of us! Thanks Krista! We are so grateful to have pics of the beginning of this story.

Building Family

Happy Labor Day! We are blessed to be spending today with family….take time today to cherish yours! I am excited to get our story out and spread the news that we are hoping to adopt again. Would you please remember us in your prayers through this process? We need you 🙂

There are many ways to pursue the adoption call….we are choosing independent domestic adoption after much prayer and thought. We have recently been in contact with two different agencies and it just didn’t feel right for us. Here is a short breakdown of our options (in my own words) just in case you are new to adoption lingo 🙂

Independent domestic: pursuing a child through “our own efforts” using a private attorney and praying our family and friend base spreads to that special God appointed situation where we are called to adopt.

Domestic Agency: paying an agency to do our search and match. Can cost anywhere from 10,000-40,000 and on up depending on the agency and pregnancy.

Foster to Adopt: fostering with intent to adopt. Can be very financially appealing with the assistance that comes with the territory.

International: adopting from a foreign country. The most involved and expensive option.

Of course….each of these has several positives along with their own challenges. So much can be written about each option! We have felt overwhelmingly directed to independent domestic and couldn’t be more excited to begin. Love you all!

Nicole

 

 

Let’s Get it Started!

Thanks for stopping by to check in on our journey! Jon & I are beginning an amazing time in our lives as we seek to complete our little family through adoption. We are truly humbled and overwhelmed by this path God has called us to. I know we will have our ups and downs through this journey to find our little blessing…but in the end it will be more than worth it.

A little about how we got here…

Jon & I always wanted lots of kiddos running around and we were shocked at the different plan God had for us in building our family! We tried to get pregnant for over three years and came to a turning point in the spring of 2011. We had discussed other medical options….but it didn’t feel right or make sense for us financially. We were truly broken and decided the best thing to do was to surrender this situation fully to God. It was as if a weight was instantly lifted off of our shoulders. The grief is so hard to carry alone. Within two months, I received a phone call at work…..

A friend and former co-worker knew of a young girl who was pregnant and knew she wanted to place her baby with a family! I instantly said yes!! I knew Jon would be on board to pursuing the opportunity and I was right! Our little miracle was born 8 months later and our lives have been forever changed by God’s gift and our birthmom’s unselfish decision that made us parents! We have a wonderful open relationship with both Emerson’s biological mother & father’s families. We are so blessed to know them! I will make sure to post more details about Emerson’s adoption along the way and why we are such advocates of open adoption.

There is SO much to share with you all!

Nicole