No...we have not forgotten our desire to adopt. It is talked about on the regular here. God has been working hard, just not how I expected(or asked) Him to!! Here is a recap of the last 8 months....
I prayed....I prayed hard. I asked friends to pray. How did that sound?? "God please change John's heart!" "God, please soften John's heart towards special needs." I prayed for John to be changed. I asked friends to do the same. Every time I would bring up adopting a child with special needs, John would shoot it down. Then I would get SOOO frustrated. How could this man that I love NOT share the same desire to help these poor children who will sit in orphanges for their entire life and die there?? HOW could he NOT go running to save them?? I prayed this for 7 months straight. Finally, one night in June, totally exasperated and frustrated, I prayed something different. "God if you won't change John's heart then why have you put adoption in mine??? Please show me, God, what am I supposed to do??" I fell asleep feeling hopeless.
I woke up the next morning and did my normal routine...coffee and facebook!! As I was scrolling there was a post on Reece's Rainbow facebook page. Reece's Rainbow is a Down Syndrome Adoption Ministry. The people on the fb page are truly God's hands and feet. This is the post I clicked on
http://jesus-loves-you.org/merediths-surprise-adoption-video/
This video had me in tears. I watched it 4 times. I had goosebumps every single time. I just watched it again and got all teary eyed. WOW what a moving video. Was this God?? Was God showing me what I was supposed to do?? I believe my first blog on here I even mentioned wanting to do older child adoption. But had only focused on young (birth-3yr olds) with special needs. Throughout the day I watched it and each time was moved by it. John got home that night and I asked him to watch it with me. We watched it together and I sobbed...like couldn't form a sentence sobbing. He looked like he got teary eyed. Through my sobbing I looked at him and said "Babe...THIS is what we are being called to do." He looked at me confused because all I had been talking about was special needs (HIV, DS). I knew, in my heart, that God had heard my prayers and answered them. He showed me. He had my full attention!
So what next???? I called the local department of social services and learned the next PRIDE class is Sept/Oct time frame. This is the class that needs to be taken to move forward in becoming Foster Family licensed. So I am excited for that. I have been on the AdoptUSkids website constantly. But what do I do until then? I have put our adoption jar on the table. This money will be used to prepare the room and get the child personal belongings when the time comes. OR if we use a private agency, it will be used to pay fees and such. But it is a constant reminder for our whole family.
Our child is out there. We are coming for him or her. We already love them in our hearts.
Until next time...which will be soon!! My next bog will be Finding God in Wal-Mart...stay tuned!!
