“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.” - Matthew 18:5

Since we made our BIG ANNOUNCEMENT on Friday, we have had LOTS of questions and I LOVE answering them (the ones to which I know the answers, anyway... HAHA)!  The first question that I want to answer is WHY we are choosing adoption to expand our family.  


Honestly, we haven't really "chosen" adoption.  We were called to adopt.  God called us to adopt in a way that was so clear that it became obvious that we were supposed to grow our family in this way!


We knew even before we got married that we wanted to have children some day.  It was really just a matter of when.  We began seriously talking about starting our family about three years ago.  Those of you who know me very well, know that I have very annoying chronic migraines (At some point, I may have had to cancel some fun plans with you because of one.  Like I said... SUPER ANNOYING!) and I have to take daily preventative medication for those.  Well, that medicine is not safe to take during pregnancy, so I had to discontinue that for a while.  I think I lasted about 2 1/2 - 3 years without the medication.  I had to start taking the medication again this past November because I was having migraines way too frequently.  We discussed adoption and prayed diligently about it during those months of trying to decide whether or not to start taking the medication again.  We prayed for God to give us guidance and He definitely did!


After several months of discussions, unending prayer, and seeking guidance through God’s will, we received clarity that we are being called to pursue adoption. We really feel that God has led us to adopt, and this is how He desires for us to grow our family.  Matthew 18:5 has been an ever present reminder since making this decision.  “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.” 


Since I was a little girl, I have always dreamed of being a mom.  I am also a second grade teacher; children are my life and they always have been.  Over the years, I have had several children in my classroom that have found their forever families through adoption.  Every child in my class has a life story; all of them are special!  I was always, however, been emotionally moved by the life journey that my adopted students had to tell.  Even at such a young age, my adopted students knew how to express their adoption journey, and God’s will for them to be with their forever families.  I cannot explain it like I wish I could, but God is always speaking to me when I hear each and every adoption story.  My heart is always filled, and my desire to adopt even more resolute, with each precious child’s story.


Even when I was a child, I was fascinated by families who had adopted children.  As we have been reflecting and answering questions and such over the past few months about adoption and why we want to adopt, I kept reflecting back on one very special family from my hometown.  This family fostered and adopted the most beautiful children!  They were (and still are ;0)) just precious and their family was filled with so much love!  I think this was my first experience with international adoption and it was simply incredible and inspired me even when I was a little girl myself!  I'm sure they never imagined that their little second grade "following student" would be inspired to adopt one day herself because of the amazing examples that they have been! :0)


I never could explain why until now, but I have always gotten a little more of an emotional feeling when family and friends would announce that they were expecting a child through adoption.  Now, I know that God has been preparing my heart all these years for my own child!  There are just so many things that are making sense now that I couldn't really explain before.


We are both very excited and humbled about the adoption journey.  Although we are still in the early stages, it has already been the most amazing experience of our lives!  We know that God has granted us the strength, desire, and love to provide a forever home and family for a beautiful child.  We are humbled in knowing that it will be our responsibility to raise a child, showing that child God’s way and providing a loving, fun, and Christ-filled home for our sweet baby!