I remember the beginnings of the surreal conversations initiated by Jon about adopting again. So odd. Those talks were completely unexpected. Neither of us could have fathomed going down this path again, yet amazingly, we both just knew.
Still weary from the last fundraising/paperwork/red tape/emotionally-up-and-down process, there was definitely shock on our part. But from the beginning of our prayers and thoughts about starting again, there was no doubt this was God's plan.
I vaguely recall computer research and phone calls, determining if we can even qualify this time. (That is an ongoing prayer request, because we are asking for an exception to the income requirement.)
What I do remember is the moment Jon showed me the faces of two precious sisters in Taiwan. Two sisters whose faces still bring tears to my eyes and tug at our hearts. Ultimately, we were not approved to adopt them due to the number of children we already have. So the roller coaster ride of emotions that are inevitable in adoption started immediately. Despite our brokenness and disappointment in the decision regarding the sisters, we have to trust God has a plan for those girls, and someone is going to respond to His call and bring them home. *Someone with less than 3 children at home. You can read more at the bottom of this post.
That hits the main points of the past months. After continued prayer and discussion, we are moving to adopt again through China's special needs program for a daughter or daughters somewhere in the age range of 6 to 9. As we did with each previous adoption, we explored all the options available, including the foster care system and other countries. Only God knows the exact reasoning, but He has placed a burden on our hearts for children in orphanages.
This whole thing is crazy . . . yet it isn't. The daunting task of paperwork and fundraising make me want to puke. Seriously. It's scary in a hundred different ways, but we're okay with that. Here we grow again!!
*The orphanage assigned to find their family prefers adoptive families with no more than 3 children at home. They claim they will allow exceptions in the case of older children or sibling adoptions, and these girls are both at almost 8 and 9 years old. A few large families before us had been turned down, but we did not let that waiver our commitment. There was a great flurry of effort on our part to adopt these girls. It took a while, but we found an agency who worked with us to implore the Taiwanese orphanage to allow our family an exception. At the point where at least three families before us were turned down, we kept fighting. Long story short, the orphanage said "no". This from the orphanage who has these girls in two separate foster homes, one with 8 total people living in the home and the other with 7. This from the orphanage who sent these girls for a 2-week visit to America through a hosting program to advocate for their adoption, and placed them with a family larger than our own. The host family has at least three children/grandchildren who are almost the same ages as three of ours, and the girls THRIVED!! Please pray for these sweethearts. If you would like information on the beautiful Taiwanese sisters who need their forever family, PLEASE contact me!!
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