Hopeful Days

I know some of you are dying to hear more information about my short update, and our hopeful adoption.

In July we began working on updating all the necessary paperwork in preparation to hopefully adopt a baby girl. All the necessary background checks: Criminal, sex offender, and child abuse. Plus a home-study update, physical assessments...
Steady progress was being made and I expected to have everything complete within eight weeks, making the date about Sept. 15.

On Sept. 2nd we got a phone call about a baby girl, bi-racial (Caucasian/African American) and within the state. The birth mother is now somewhere between 37-39 weeks pregnant, and has been hospitalized twice with preterm labor during the last three weeks.
We could have placement any day or not for another two weeks. As with any adoption, nothing is for sure until you hold the baby in your arms, though this scenario is extremely positive for several reasons.

Needless to say, life has been a flurry of activity as we try to tie up all the loose ends with paperwork and make baby preparations.

From our previous experience we had expected to finish our paperwork and make contact with several sources, and attorneys and begin the waiting process. During this waiting period we planned to prepare for a baby and continue saving each month toward the expenses involved with adoption. Plus, work on getting a second vehicle that would actually accommodate six people. (currently we only own a truck, which seats five).

We really were not ready, in the physical sense. It has been five years since we had a baby and all our baby things have been passed on to other people who needed them. So I had next to nothing by way of baby things and furniture. We just didn't expect it to happen this fast.

It has been an amazing experience to see God putting things together for us. Many generous friends have blessed us with baby items, clothes and even financial aid. We still do not have another vehicle and the finances for the adoption aren't all together. It has been another faith venture, a bit stretching and exciting and crazy. Through it all, I have a peace that things will continue to work out and fall into place as we have need.

Though this has been exciting it has also been stressful, and busy. We expect that the initial weeks after placement could prove to be a bit rough also. She has had some drug exposure and may have withdrawal issues in relation to this, along with nicotine withdrawal.

Keep us all in your prayers, the mother, the baby and our family too.