Friday, April 24, 2015

Grateful

I have had  a long history of being stubborn and trying to be independent, and to NOT need anything from anyone.  I have had almost as long of a history of being humbled, shown my weaknesses, and NEEDING others in my life.  It's been an uncomfortable journey, but I am learning how God never intended us to walk alone on this journey of life.  He created us for community, and to be there to help each other.  Somehow I feel like I have been on the receiving end way too much - but again it's humbling (which apparently I need).

We knew when we set out to adopt, or pretty soon after, that it would be a hard road, we had NO idea how incredibly hard.  I had heard adoption was expensive with all the fees and such, but I had no clue how expensive it was going to be for us.  Most people that I know who have adopted outside foster care, have had auctions, fundraisers etc. It's uncomfortable.  The apostle Paul talks about helping others in Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burden's and so fulfill the law of Christ."  The Bible also says that if one doesn't work he shouldn't eat - alluding to the fact that no one who is unwilling to work should be mooching off of those who ARE hardworking.  It's a balance that is often misunderstood and uncomfortable.

When I came home from surgery that December 10 years ago I was given the first gift toward our adoption fund by my sister.  She had knitted me a baby sweater (which is pink so I guess we need to adopt a girl next!) and the money was enclosed in the gift.  It was only 10 days after my major surgery, and I broke down crying when I saw her loving thoughtfulness and the hope she had for my someday babies, even before I could fully comprehend what I had lost in that operating room.  After that I started saving all my change in a jar marked "For the Babies".  

The gifts started slowly coming in as people heard that my dream was to adopt.  Some of the girls in my Bible study would save their coins too, one day we found $500 in my car after church ... When my Farmer Boy and I got married, we decided to ask for gifts toward our adoption account instead of registering for tons of household gifts.  

We have been overwhelmed time and time again by the generosity of our friends and family.  We had one friend offer to give us a huge amount which was a part of an inheritance.  We were floored.  There is NO way we could have adopted baby Genesis without her generosity, without every one of the dollars given to help us get here.  We had another person offer to give us a private loan for the lawyer and birth mom fees that were due the day we found out he was going to be ours.  Again, without that we would have had to walk away.  When we began getting closer last year I started 2 extra home jobs on top of both of us working 60+ hours a week teaching to try and earn the money needed to adopt.  We wanted so badly to be able to afford this adoption without any more help!

We took out 2 loans on top of all the money we were given, and still that wasn't enough.  Since we lots baby Judah after we had entered into an adoption agreement we lost a hefty lawyer's retainer and birth mom expenses (almost the entire first loan amount), we literally had no idea how we would be able to cover this adoption.  We thought about the potential of not being able to cover the adoption and considered saying no (shudder), but we just felt like he was placed in our radar for a reason, and we should step out in faith that all the details would fall into place.  

On his one month birthday we were flown via private jet to a bigger hospital because he was in respiratory distress from the RSV virus.  His insurance hadn't gone  through yet - but we prayed and filled out the insurance formed.  Thankfully his insurance went through, but the co-payments for 5 days in the hospital plus emergency services were enough to push us over the top with absolutely no way to even make payments on top of the loan payments.  Again, we were given gifts to help cover many of the fees and we are so grateful!

I guess I just wanted to take this opportunity to shout out to every person who has given from $5 to thousands!   It is uncomfortable and brings us to our knees in gratitude to accept the help for what we COULD NOT do on our own.  You have (and are) helping make our dream of having a family come true.  You are part of our miracle!!!  "Thank you" doesn't cut it, but it's what I will be saying until the day I die.  THANK YOU!!!  Every morning I wake up and see the smile of the most beautiful child on earth - because of YOUR faithful sharing and loving!  We are overwhelmed.  

Here are some pictures to let you see how you have helped changed our life!






Here is a link to see the beautiful giving record:  Adoption Fundraiser