Answers

As many of you know, we are embarking on a new chapter in our life, one that is unchartered for our family, but one that God wrote before time even began.  As our story is unfolding, we are realizing that it is a true love story.  And with every great romance, there is adventure and heartache, and ours is no exception. 
So here's our story...

I've had quite a few people in the last few months say to me, "Oh, you're adopting?  That's wonderful!  My husband and I have been praying about doing that."  To them, I say, "Oh, you're praying about it?  That's wonderful!"  And I truly mean that. 

You see, we haven't gone about this adoption the traditional way, if there is even such a thing.  Neither Brian or I had spent late nights discussing adoption.  We had never gone to the LORD asking his advice on how to proceed with adoption.  I had never dreamed of an almond eyed beauty that would one day be mine, or a little African boy to cuddle and teach to swim.

Let me be clear though- we support adoption 110% and I think it's amazing - but it wasn't for us, it was for other families...that is, until this August.

In July, I was on a wesbite for Asian children with special needs that desperately need loving homes.  I was on there trying to find out some info on a 13 year old Chinese girl that had less than 4 months to find a forever family or she would be turned out on the streets.  For in China, at 14 you age out of the system.  And that leaves a little girl very desperate and very vulnerable to being trafficked as a sex slave.  I had a vested interest in helping to find her a home - fast.  I never did locate that little girl.  But I did find Isaiah and Ruth, neither were they Asian or were they special needs.  But there they were anyway.  A brother and a sister.  A boy and a girl.  An 8 year old and a 5 year old.  My children - in another country.  I saw our 8 year old son in Isaiah and I saw our 5 year old daughter in Ruth.  And it that moment, I felt God's heart towards each and every 147 million orphans on this earth.   And in that moment, our family of 4 grew to a family of 6. 

I would be absolutely lying if I told you it has been a bed of roses since that first phone call in July when we found out they were still available.  There has been many tears and many heartaches.  But there has been joy.  Not instant gratification happiness, but true sustained joy.  I have seen ordinary people become angels and I have seen hearts transformed in a way that is not humanly possible.  I have seen the ugly and selfish side of humanity, but I have also seen tenderness and compassion in strangers that have left me weeping. 

I pray that over the next few weeks and months, I will be able to write all of the amazing stories - the good and the bad that have come as a result of this adoption.  I want to share our journey to meet them.  I want Isaiah and Ruth to be able to read this one day and understand what we went through to be able to love them and take care of them for the rest of their lives.

"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you."  John 14:17