The Journey So Far

After having an exciting, crazy, fun -filled Christmas and New Year with all our kids home from college, Memaw here from Texas and my brother from TN I thought I better take a moment to sit and give you all an update.


Our homestudy has been completed and approved. Our next step is to send that in to the immigration department along with some other paperwork and receive back appointments for fingerprinting and authorization to bring an orphan home from another country. 


Right after the time our homestudy was completed we became aware of 4 young girls in need of a home. Their parents had come out of a polygamous community, were in the process of a divorce, and not able to mentally or physically take care of the girls. Instead of putting the girl's in the foster system a Christian home was being looked for to take care of the girls. One other family along with us said we would take the girls in. We both met with the parent's along with a counselor, social worker and a couple of other people so the parent's could meet each of us. The other family was chosen (who already had girls :)) and they are becoming guardians of these girls. 


Through all this our eyes were opened to the need for foster parents here in the state of Utah and that there are children here already in system in need of forever homes and to be adopted.  We have been praying about if that is the direction we should take or continue on with Ethiopia. 
Also, going through our online training we learned that worldwide there are more people requesting healthy infants than there are infants available for adoption. The majority of orphans in need of homes are over the age of 5.  Although we are requesting a girl up to age four we are still struggling if this is the best way to make a difference (of course to that one child it makes all the difference in the world!). 
Because we have Micah who is 5 we want to stay in birth order and adopt younger than him.  After learning that we having been talking/praying whether we should adopt a child with some special needs. 
 Coming up with the finances for Ethiopia is a main concern as well but I am trying to think of creative ways to save, earn money and fundraise! 


With over 147 million orphans the need for them to have loving families is so great it can be overwhelming but we can all make a difference together one way or another! :)


So that is where we are at which seems to be in limbo : ) but God knows and we are praying He gives us clear direction. 

Have a wonderful beginning of your 2011!