On July 13th we sent in all our paperwork to become an active family. We received our first adoption case at the end of July.
Our friends and students came together in September to shower us and Baby M with so much love!
We have been an active waiting family for 3 months! We are very thankful to be in this stage and also naturally wondering when we will be matched with an expectant mother and baby.
When our adoption consultants (FAC) are notified of an expectant mother who is hoping to make an adoption plan, they will forward all the information they know of the situation to us in an email. It is then up to us to pray and discern if this expectant mother and baby is a good fit for us. If we decide to move forward with the case, then our profile book will be shown to the mom. It is then up to her to pick which family she believes are the right parents for her child. On average she is looking at 15-20 profile books if not more.
Deciding whether to present or not to an expectant mom has been very challenging. So much goes into the decision. There are intense emotions, hard and honest conversations, and many other factors that help us decide whether or not to show our book to a mother. Practically, each case can cost a different amount, so if it is outside of our budget we automatically have to say no. We have presented to 17 moms in total. 15 of those moms have moved forward with a different family and we are currently waiting to hear back from 2 moms. Our consultant always reminds us that receiving a “No” from an expectant mom is really just God saying, “Not yet.”
Waiting has been without a doubt the hardest part in the adoption process thus far. We ran around like crazy to get alllll the forms filled out and everything in order to be deemed ready to adopt. But now that every box has been checked, there is nothing we can do but wait in hopeful anticipation as God’s plan for our family continues to unfold. Rather than only thinking to the future, we are striving to be aware of the purpose in our waiting. Through this, we are being refined, strengthened, and increased to FULLY enjoy what’s coming ahead.
Would you please pray for us? Pray that we would continue to place our confidence in His plan so that our hearts will experience true peace during this time of waiting. Some days the wait is very hard and seemingly never ending, but we trust that Our Father is good, hears our prayers, and knows our hearts. We are so thankful for everyone who has been praying for us and for those that have reached out to encourage and ask us how we are doing. If there is anything that we can offer up this time of waiting or be praying for, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
-Katie & Joe
“Patience isn’t just meant to make you wait. It’s meant to prepare you. You cannot be content with where you are when you are more focused on where you’re not. You rob your own joy. But no matter what season you are in, God has a plan for where you are. Your purpose isn’t just waiting for you in the next phase of life. Your purpose is present right now. In every season it is God’s will that we are matured and equipped for the next. So instead of sitting around in your bitterness about where you are, use this time to grow, to mature and to make the most of what God has in front of you.”