tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65205896393195210822024-02-19T15:58:05.539-06:00Trusting God At Home"But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in your hand..." Psalm 31:14-15Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.comBlogger496125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-51796508374486957282023-02-02T10:56:00.002-06:002023-02-02T10:56:13.571-06:009 Ways to Help Your Child Process Adoption Throughout Their Lifetime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPCL_atCWsbpSLC2xv0QLw2oVcATXnld-q_8mQgiOIDd-6AP_tpKq-135qg1LSUvn_jn9-Avtbr41uQtIPHHirxkS7XS2Sdb07pFEcYFBQVylXFjXXL_c69OXxUQniS1DmdK8JYKGIpNV/s1600/jordan-ladikos-AzXvM3IoYMI-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPCL_atCWsbpSLC2xv0QLw2oVcATXnld-q_8mQgiOIDd-6AP_tpKq-135qg1LSUvn_jn9-Avtbr41uQtIPHHirxkS7XS2Sdb07pFEcYFBQVylXFjXXL_c69OXxUQniS1DmdK8JYKGIpNV/s640/jordan-ladikos-AzXvM3IoYMI-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Parenthood is beautiful and it is weighty, isn't it? As a Christian mama, I want to do all that I can to help my children learn what it means to find their identity in Christ. <b>And as an adoptive parent, I also must take to heart the reality that my kids have another identity as well: that of an adoptee. </b>When it comes to helping our children navigate and process their adoption, it's imperative that we provide them with tools to help them along the way. This takes intentionality and effort. But where do we start? The following is not an exhaustive list but is a great place to begin as you seek to help you child process adoption throughout their lifetime.<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>9 Tools For Helping Your Child Process Their Adoption</b></div><div><b><br /></b>
<b>1) Protect your child's adoption story</b><br />
As Christians, our spiritual adoption story is close to our hearts-God adopted us into His family and we love to share about it! But our child's personal adoption story is just that-personal. As their parents, we need to fiercely protect their privacy because it's their story to tell. (You can read more tips for protecting your child's story <a href="http://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2016/01/protecting-your-childs-story.html">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
<b>2) Don't Assume Attachment-proactively seek it</b><br />
Adoption begins with loss. Every single time. The effects of loss and trauma differ from person to person but as an adoptive parent, it's imperative that we don't ignore our child's loss or simply assume that they will attach to us. We must proactively work towards connection with our child. An excellent resource about this is Karen Purvis' work at <a href="https://child.tcu.edu/resources/#sthash.hWjoiqUG.dpbs">TBRI </a>and her excellent book "The Connected Child." Very practical steps towards fostering attachment when your child is a newborn are the following: babywearing, being the primary one to meet their physical needs (feeding, changing, holding), kangaroo care, talking to them/singing to them, and learning what "red flags" to watch for so you can seek further help if your child is struggling in this area. <br />
<br />
<b>3) Talk about adoption early, openly, and honestly with your child</b><br />
It's difficult to express how important this is. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/07/adoption-disclosure-study/594496/">It's imperative that your child know</a> about their adoption story from early on. Make sure you're talking with your child about their adoption; whether or not they are bringing it up, <a href="http://www.theadoptedlife.com/angelablog/2016/4/11/adoptees-fear-the-not-knowing-while-adoptive-parents-fear-knowing">they are most likely thinking about it</a>. Many adoptees share that they are afraid to ask their parents questions about their adoption because they aren't sure how their parents will react or because they've gotten the vibe that it's an "off limits" topic. Be the first one to bring up adoption with your child and do it regularly. <br />
<br />
<b>4) Listen to and support your child </b><b>without trying to dismiss their pain or "fix it"</b><br />
The thoughts and feelings that your child experiences as they process adoption will likely vary over their lifetime. Whatever they feel, sit with them in it. If your child expresses sadness or anger or confusion about their adoption, don't change the subject, downplay it, or argue. Be your child's "safe place" by showing them they can share whatever they are feeling and it will not change your love. It is gut-wrenching to watch our children hurt and even harder to know we cannot eliminate their pain. While we don't have the power to take it away, we do have the power to be their unwavering support.<br />
<br />
<b>5) Help your child develop a relationship with their birth parents if possible</b><br />
If you have the opportunity to stay in contact with your child's birth family, do it! Giving your child the foundation of knowing the people who share a biological tie with them can be so helpful. Valuable research has shown that some level of ongoing contact with birth parents in adoption is extremely beneficial for adoptees. Whatever level of contact you have with your child's birth parents, be sure to keep your commitments to them and assist your child in forming a healthy relationship with them if possible.<br />
<br />
<b>6) Listen to/and learn from Adult Adoptees</b><br />
It should go without saying that an adoptee knows much better what it's liked to have been adopted than someone who was not adopted! Seek out adult adoptees and <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/tips-for-creating-a-multiethnic-experience-in-your-home/">listen to their thoughts and experiences</a> about adoption. What adoption terminology do most adoptees find hurtful or offensive? What do you hear adult adoptees saying they felt their parents did well in helping them process their story? What do you hear adult adoptees saying they wish their parents did differently? Remember there is no "one-size-fits-all" perspective that every adoptee shares, but listening to their voices is invaluable.<br />
<br />
<b>7) Give your child opportunities to be with other adoptees</b><br />
No one likes to feel like the "only one." Give your child spaces where they can spend time with other adoptees. If you don't know any other adoptive families in your area, ask your adoption social worker or pastor if they can connect you with another adoptive family near you, look into an "adoption meetup group," and search for an adoption support group near you.<br />
<br />
<b>8) If you adopted outside your race, humbly learn about your child's culture</b><br />
This could be an entire post of its own and there are many excellent resources out there about this topic. Just to name a few ideas: search your heart for your own racial biases, learn from those who share your child's race, provide your child with racial mirrors, diversify your own life, confront racism head-on, learn how to care for your child's hair and skin, listen to the voices of transracial adoptees, advocate for your child. There is plenty of complexity to being a multi-racial family but there are also plenty of ways to actively help your child celebrate their racial identity.<br />
<br />
<b>9) Don't hesitate to pursue professional help if needed</b><br />
There may be times during your child's life when you or they need outside help from professionals to provide them with all the tools they need to process their adoption. Your child may benefit from professional help as they wrestle through the thoughts and feelings they have about adoption. There is no shame in pursuing counseling! A licensed professional counselor who is trained in adoption-related issues and trauma can be an incredible asset in helping your child. Ask your adoption social worker for recommendations, look into practitioners who have been TBRI trained, and ask fellow adoptive parents for recommendations. If you don't find help with the first practitioner you try, keep looking until you find the right one.<br />
<br />Let's take seriously the responsibility we have as parents to help our children process their adoption by providing them with as many tools as we can along the way! </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For more information about domestic adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</i></div><br />
<br /></div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-5453927248536828302021-03-10T13:35:00.004-06:002021-03-10T13:39:27.874-06:00Parenting and Transracial Adoption: 6 Helpful Questions For Growth<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrve3UBTnScVzt_cPbtdC_Wi1uSq7XgGc6x4Cc5oco8ckBCNIJsub4SMBZ6XoVm1ceSTrh5lZU3w3MUz0ioIuU1qlxyCM3RCCjn91nOfqCW8C8z__jQ-6mJfYbWib6l1Wq9-xNA5H-Os-/s2048/kelsey-brown-Tv_3OvF2EBM-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrve3UBTnScVzt_cPbtdC_Wi1uSq7XgGc6x4Cc5oco8ckBCNIJsub4SMBZ6XoVm1ceSTrh5lZU3w3MUz0ioIuU1qlxyCM3RCCjn91nOfqCW8C8z__jQ-6mJfYbWib6l1Wq9-xNA5H-Os-/w640-h426/kelsey-brown-Tv_3OvF2EBM-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>There are some people out there who simply love to learn; my husband is one of them. He gets energized by a syllabus, assignments, and pages upon pages of reading. Then there are those of us who are thankful we’ve put our school years and studying far behind us! But whether or not you are someone who enjoys learning, </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: 700; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">wisely parenting in transracial adoption requires willingness and commitment to pursuing growth.</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>Why? Well, for starters, the stakes are high. We’ve been entrusted with the life of a child whose life experiences as a person of color will not be something we can personally identify with if we are not a person of color ourselves. In addition, most of us don’t come to adoption with much knowledge or awareness of how racial issues can impact life because honestly, we haven’t needed to think through it before, but our child will not have that option. And here’s the thing: we won’t magically gain the insight, knowledge, wisdom, and tools we need as parents of a multi-racial family. It takes humility to admit that we are desperately dependent on the Lord to help us learn! Like everything in life, growth doesn’t happen without the work of cultivating. </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As an Adoption Consultant with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/" target="_blank">Christian Adoption Consultants</a>, I've been honored to pray for and walk alongside many couples eager to dive into this work of growth. And in my own life, I've seen that c</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ommitting to ongoing growth as a parent who has adopted transracially is crucial in the pursuit of loving my children well. </span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Here are 6 helpful questions for growth that we who have adopted transracially may benefit from asking ourselves regularly:</b></span></h3><span id="docs-internal-guid-18f6f4b6-7fff-3b03-2f50-b21883f61b46" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Do I appreciate and celebrate with my child God’s good design in creating people with many different colors all made in His image? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) As my child watches my life, do they see that I value those who look different than me through my friendships and my words?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) In what ways can I better honor and nurture my child’s cultural heritage?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4) How am I seeking to learn from those who share my child’s racial identity about what it’s like to live as a person of color in America? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5) What steps have I taken recently to grow in my understanding of ongoing racism in our country and how to work for change?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6) Am I relying on my own knowledge, or humbly going to my Heavenly Father to ask for His wisdom and help as I parent my child?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> Even though it's been over 8 years since we first brought home our son through transracial adoption, I'm not exaggerating when I say that we still have so much to learn. My husband and I are committed to ongoing growth. I</span>n fact, as I was writing this post, I was freshly challenged and I'm grateful for that! You and I will never reach a time in this life where we have nothing more to learn as a parent. Thankfully, there is an all-knowing perfect Heavenly Father, ready to pour out His grace as we look to Him. Let’s keep going to the Lord and faithfully continue the process of growth as we care for our multi-racial family!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">---------------------------------------------</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com.</i></span></p></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" />Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-8424135862309233132021-02-25T22:26:00.010-06:002021-02-25T22:45:25.949-06:00Diversify Your Child's Library<p style="text-align: center;"><b>"It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength." </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Maya Angelou</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">As an Adoption Consultant with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/" target="_blank">Christian Adoption Consultants</a>, pointing families to helpful resources is a passion of mine. Whatever color your family is or will become, diversifying your child's library is extremely valuable! This Black History Month, I'm thrilled to share with you 9 wonderful children's books written by black authors. Though this list is certainly not exhaustive, the treasure of children's literature written by black authors is abounding. I hope this short list helps point you to a few great books to make your own family library more richly reflective of the beauty and strength found in diversity. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DAFRab5KD2Hku27Z5SePI4hyphenhyphenBA7SY9bH0f4KlCKAPjCFd_1xoC1nCEVYk2oKf0yAEoVDm2ZTmKycv5Q3Pq4koDskszwDM__m-x31PKfvrsXdil0JEiHxEpowT0ksTIHtDHE6d3cXa2pq/s2048/IMG_6099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DAFRab5KD2Hku27Z5SePI4hyphenhyphenBA7SY9bH0f4KlCKAPjCFd_1xoC1nCEVYk2oKf0yAEoVDm2ZTmKycv5Q3Pq4koDskszwDM__m-x31PKfvrsXdil0JEiHxEpowT0ksTIHtDHE6d3cXa2pq/w640-h640/IMG_6099.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>1. "Love Gave" by Quina Aragon</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Author and spoken word artist Quina Aragon beautifully shares the most important message we can ever hear-the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The poetic language and the stunning illustrations draw little and big readers alike into the majesty of what the Savior has done for us on the cross.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTcI7lug2a9my0SzzveLidak56RvRaGsIKOnnWHfPUfjl8Qol2KgUD15WZqLUVIKMbQjndi-AnXSAqL9NcrAzD1D95HFB-MV_nL5EJLP1tTDVsSpYV56oH58hK7L4hHBy-30xgRp7XF-I/s2048/IMG_6396.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTcI7lug2a9my0SzzveLidak56RvRaGsIKOnnWHfPUfjl8Qol2KgUD15WZqLUVIKMbQjndi-AnXSAqL9NcrAzD1D95HFB-MV_nL5EJLP1tTDVsSpYV56oH58hK7L4hHBy-30xgRp7XF-I/w640-h640/IMG_6396.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>2. "God's Very Good Idea" by Trillia Newbell</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">The rescuing work of Jesus is on full display in this celebration of diversity by author and speaker, Trillia Newbell. Children are invited through these important words and vibrant pictures to discover God’s very good idea-to have lots of different people enjoying loving him and loving each other! </p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-OWLNmcizk1BG5OuGnhPsqBQH1AbeIsXeahKQpFItckPV4Wq5Btcos4HDKK-UedJ7ayM0-1g7BeDgs-_xONCqLWkAauZFmnVl3fmYBUzur4m2HoumsNVkgrTRZ-HpMUC74qcigIvqc1Lb/s2048/IMG_6398.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-OWLNmcizk1BG5OuGnhPsqBQH1AbeIsXeahKQpFItckPV4Wq5Btcos4HDKK-UedJ7ayM0-1g7BeDgs-_xONCqLWkAauZFmnVl3fmYBUzur4m2HoumsNVkgrTRZ-HpMUC74qcigIvqc1Lb/w640-h640/IMG_6398.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>3. "Colorfull" by Dorena Williamson</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Bridge-builder, speaker, and author Dorena Williamson's delightful story shows us that God made so many colors intentionally and beautifully. Come alongside the children in this sweet book to discover and celebrate afresh how amazingly colorful our world is. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_bFtiwcgUyE8ltr6RagD8I6z85rCDC2UQ6J9LQY4IqCgeAaZ_s9vagScIsxhfwiFe95J-HtsfGrqglDMxEPSu6sq65lKYfeiOicnzYYKmORS8-_Ur9C1_bK_RvfEwbp7TPzRM3PDACTW/s2048/IMG_6400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_bFtiwcgUyE8ltr6RagD8I6z85rCDC2UQ6J9LQY4IqCgeAaZ_s9vagScIsxhfwiFe95J-HtsfGrqglDMxEPSu6sq65lKYfeiOicnzYYKmORS8-_Ur9C1_bK_RvfEwbp7TPzRM3PDACTW/w640-h640/IMG_6400.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><b>4. "Little Leaders" series by Vashti Harrison</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Author, illustrator, and filmmaker, Vashti Harrison's Little Leaders series will inform and inspire. "Bold Women in Black History," "Visionary Women Around The World," and "Exceptional Men in Black History," share powerful stories of incredible history-shapers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpq61uuEGvTnHOxKtjQmbSJK0Fb8PmJfKqjJa3QWLCad-KVYN9FOfSj3Eh9eg8wU8ho_Kcdgq0NZiOYQonLwKTH8S5DmELs19bHo36FGJ9WMEFo7CDEBuZYQ5bKiGpailVQNuYCavMGv7o/s2048/IMG_6414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpq61uuEGvTnHOxKtjQmbSJK0Fb8PmJfKqjJa3QWLCad-KVYN9FOfSj3Eh9eg8wU8ho_Kcdgq0NZiOYQonLwKTH8S5DmELs19bHo36FGJ9WMEFo7CDEBuZYQ5bKiGpailVQNuYCavMGv7o/w640-h640/IMG_6414.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><b>5. "I Am Every Good Thing" by Derrick Barnes</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Best-selling author Derrick Barnes powerfully speaks to the beauty and brilliance of black boys. With every sentence and each scene, we see the priceless worth of their lives-they are truly every good thing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcz_EMRzusODO6Ydd0ZWyWSmzk5fcOeg6le-QYOjoP-tuTmt_EUvdS6C7LmCjlqqjXLhIsgsfjVrDobioUwGU9HuFJbobfXJ6pfvtbHEfM1VgDm8FgirwZFZjiNv9_2S_m4aBhxPC8YFg/s2048/IMG_6404.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcz_EMRzusODO6Ydd0ZWyWSmzk5fcOeg6le-QYOjoP-tuTmt_EUvdS6C7LmCjlqqjXLhIsgsfjVrDobioUwGU9HuFJbobfXJ6pfvtbHEfM1VgDm8FgirwZFZjiNv9_2S_m4aBhxPC8YFg/w640-h640/IMG_6404.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><b>6. "Hair Love" by Matthew Cherry</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">This heart-warming book is based on the short film by the same name that won an Academy Award in 2020. As the title suggests, beautiful "hair love" is on display in these pages, as is the faithful, devoted love of a father for his daughter.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM7U0g9J8Eqp6k_2cqnRB4gY5xf6CQmSHUKQpD6U9oNFz_IyEnf-u7ovzmBPvps5sG2d3Q4AA1uJ75BcPCic914QHEZvWNRkgz_CEV7XYWsaRgW_DLj-swAqavr4UHzYgok_iJtTmogde/s2048/IMG_6402.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM7U0g9J8Eqp6k_2cqnRB4gY5xf6CQmSHUKQpD6U9oNFz_IyEnf-u7ovzmBPvps5sG2d3Q4AA1uJ75BcPCic914QHEZvWNRkgz_CEV7XYWsaRgW_DLj-swAqavr4UHzYgok_iJtTmogde/w640-h640/IMG_6402.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>7. "Raising Dragons" by Jerdine Nolen</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">This is a sweet, magical tale about a young girl who has a special gift for training dragons. Jerdine Nolen beautifully takes children on an enchanted adventure that's sure to get their imaginations rolling!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWK8pNX1gWDTu2QlZylWofVJNzyILlYOa6zs3jydqM9kATz0sx6ZR40rs083Jnd_hRxR78_ZoyzSoCxU1ipBrgNmuF1zVUiTBgvx9HZ5xSmqVX9uz-1fDiTUxkzenzDuURDoGK1wYSPlI/s2048/IMG_6409.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWK8pNX1gWDTu2QlZylWofVJNzyILlYOa6zs3jydqM9kATz0sx6ZR40rs083Jnd_hRxR78_ZoyzSoCxU1ipBrgNmuF1zVUiTBgvx9HZ5xSmqVX9uz-1fDiTUxkzenzDuURDoGK1wYSPlI/w640-h640/IMG_6409.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>8. "So Much" by Trish Cooke</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Author Trish Cooke's award winning "So Much" is a joyful celebration of love and family. The fun characters and delightful repetition throughout the book will charm listeners.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg106vRLOYkVowLRiCn4cWwClRHl__cnwgSjmWiPg-vSQGmvjxuwpNJDj2-5e3vB9U19sLDBdmDVY1gmtcUXhz5bPTbj_6htnByTzJ6SAA8pjZZ5ScInXv0CheIbGmPsOR0IBdxxNnnF80n/s2048/IMG_6412.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg106vRLOYkVowLRiCn4cWwClRHl__cnwgSjmWiPg-vSQGmvjxuwpNJDj2-5e3vB9U19sLDBdmDVY1gmtcUXhz5bPTbj_6htnByTzJ6SAA8pjZZ5ScInXv0CheIbGmPsOR0IBdxxNnnF80n/w640-h640/IMG_6412.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><b>9. "Splash, Anna Hibiscus" by Atinuke</b></p><p>Nigerian author and storyteller, Atinuke, has created an incredibly lovable character in her "Anna Hibiscus." Readers will quickly find themselves connecting with this creative and energetic young girl as she learns about life and family.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsr_MBmFx8W76e56oin5F2L_FoytCoIcDmkJPd1lkyDuy1TnJ2WtA6eJCKuEFeMJNi91ZpJPDmcL9dkPzr00hwf8dPyj8qtQkmz0n9qYpa2XYZwZcbQM6aM-aBpkKjmeOKAn81XxuNI2-k/s2048/IMG_6416.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsr_MBmFx8W76e56oin5F2L_FoytCoIcDmkJPd1lkyDuy1TnJ2WtA6eJCKuEFeMJNi91ZpJPDmcL9dkPzr00hwf8dPyj8qtQkmz0n9qYpa2XYZwZcbQM6aM-aBpkKjmeOKAn81XxuNI2-k/w640-h640/IMG_6416.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>(Note: By recommending these books, I'm simply doing that-recommending these particular pieces of children's literature. I don't necessarily endorse everything about each author or all of their works.)</i></p>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-50404731951051287692021-01-29T20:55:00.002-06:002021-01-29T20:55:31.021-06:00Whitney and Chelsea's Third Adoption Story<p style="text-align: justify;">If you want to learn from adoptive parents who will teach you with humility and honesty, leave you feeling more encouraged, and point you to Jesus, look no further than Whitney and Chelsea. This precious couple has adopted three times and they have so much wisdom to share. I feel blessed to have walked alongside them during two of their adoption journeys and continue to learn from their faith. Their most recent adoption journey to their daughter wasn't easy, but as He always does, the Lord poured out His grace and His presence. Even when they walked through the challenge of an expectant mama they were matched with deciding to parent, they loved well and looked to the Lord with trust. I'm thankful that Whitney and Chelsea agreed to answer a few questions in this space. I hope you enjoy our little Q+A!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLpezoKobSDvUiTS5mxhXNEktGkh3TxpDihpVEyFbg4y3aC-apQrPRzu7V5Ak4asmN436AfbZL0wDps8P61FJgqoGQFx9ZBObftLpSOtNVRxChk-Ylc7BgqXoH9ShwNCjLLf3X1apB04h/s2048/DSC_2888+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLpezoKobSDvUiTS5mxhXNEktGkh3TxpDihpVEyFbg4y3aC-apQrPRzu7V5Ak4asmN436AfbZL0wDps8P61FJgqoGQFx9ZBObftLpSOtNVRxChk-Ylc7BgqXoH9ShwNCjLLf3X1apB04h/w640-h426/DSC_2888+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><b><span>As you look back on your most recent adoption and specifically the Lord's care, what comes to mind?</span></b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This adoption took 2 and a half years plus. It was long, it was difficult, there was a failed adoption, money lost, hearts aching. But God was always near, He was always leading us, always steadying us, giving us faith to keep going, keep trusting. We believe He called us to do it, and we know He equipped us for it. He grew our faith in a great way by showing us He can be trusted at all times, and we never regret trusting him. "Without faith, it is impossible to please God." Hebrews 11:6</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span class="im"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><b>As you walked through adoption loss during this adoption, what truths did you cling to?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i>God is sovereign and He can be trusted. If He is in control of all things, working for my highest good; we can trust His good hand even when we do not know why or how or when. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i>"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8: 32 He gives us His very best for us at all times, drawing us more near to Him and giving us more of Him-the greatest gift He can give. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i>We can trust Him when we don't see. We asked God for faith to trust Him completely in this hard time. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i>Habakkuk 3: 17-19 "</i></span><i> Though the fig tree should not blossom, </i><i>nor fruit be on the vines, </i><i>the produce of the olive fail </i><i>and the fields yield no food, </i><i>the flock be cut off from the fold </i><i>and there be no herd in the stalls, </i><i>yet I will rejoice in the LORD; </i><i>I will take joy in the God of my salvation. </i><i>GOD, the Lord, is my strength; </i><i>he makes my feet like the deer’s; </i><i>he makes me tread on my high places."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i>My heart also sang the hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness" daily. Over and over I sang it. He has always been faithful, throughout eternity. I know it full well. </i></span></div><span class="im"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLtTF27fTogXXIuYVNxfhgdVE3MzeLlF1oLsJtC-6zycwX0v_YpgnWdGHpd6frI_70fddSU6zF0pBnjYcEBwM-yceKQHg14YTsBiQ-maUInSTHrTdw9qdZB7H8E9Fne_28RehioWVew5I/s2048/20200419_071151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLtTF27fTogXXIuYVNxfhgdVE3MzeLlF1oLsJtC-6zycwX0v_YpgnWdGHpd6frI_70fddSU6zF0pBnjYcEBwM-yceKQHg14YTsBiQ-maUInSTHrTdw9qdZB7H8E9Fne_28RehioWVew5I/w480-h640/20200419_071151.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><span class="im"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><b>What did you appreciate about working with Katie at CAC?</b></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i>This is our second adoption using Katie at CAC as our consultant. Katie has been such a great partner in the adoption process. People often ask us if a consultant is with the extra fee, or if they could just apply to specific agencies. Hands down I tell them it is the most fruitful help we have received in any of our 3 adoptions. Katie is in our corner, she is on our team, she is for us. She has provided counsel, encouragement, prayer upon prayer. She was able to help us think well about adoption birth mother situations, how to proceed during a failed adoption. She grieved with us during that loss, rejoiced with us when we rejoiced. Even after our adoption was complete, she connected us with therapists who could help us! She just really loves her adoption families. We consider her part in our adoptions so valuable and would trust her again anytime. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><div><span face="arial, sans-serif"><b>What would you tell someone who is fearful about meeting their child's birth parent(s)?</b></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span class="im"></span></p><div><span face="arial, sans-serif"><i>God has grown our hearts over the last several years for birth family as we have walked through adopting our 3 children. At first it seems scary, there are other parents that love this child, what is the child loves them more? How can we share the responsibility of loving this child? But God has moved in our hearts and put great love for birth family there. It is an honor to know and love their family. We are so grateful for the love and care our children's birth family have for them, and know the true blessing of that for each child. Adoption plans are made with love for the child. They are considering the child's greatest good, like our heavenly Father does for us. </i></span></div><div><span face="arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, sans-serif">------------------------------</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, sans-serif">For more information about domestic infant adoption, reach out to me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com. I'd love to help!</span></div></span></div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-23925648563627122322020-07-16T14:10:00.001-05:002020-07-16T14:10:47.868-05:00Adoption Story: Dan and ElizaThis sweet couple. Wow! If you need a reminder today that endurance in the adoption process is worth it, look no further. Dan and Eliza had been in their adoption wait for almost four years when they called me, interested in learning more about <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a>. Almost four years! Yet, when they shared their story with me on that first call I heard no bitterness or anger from them; they were holding onto the Lord. More importantly, the Lord was holding onto them. I prayed specifically for God to bless them with a short wait with CAC given that they'd already been waiting for so many years. I won't pretend to understand God's time-table, but I do know that His timing in connecting this specific couple with the specific birth mama who chose them was absolutely beautiful and perfect. <b>They started with CAC in November, were chosen in December, and their daughter was born in March. </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCNJabVywFzqNjFvFmxPc1KbN6gVMpmPFaG3u4uT-wiKBYUrj0UuFF4wz2BL5yj91IHRsxdxPsBJMa7c0IiWmsyxk9BpJ6zLDacT374EyDtPq17HonPaHJpy8HhjZwpD7ht1c7MqAwS17/s1600/CAB_0259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCNJabVywFzqNjFvFmxPc1KbN6gVMpmPFaG3u4uT-wiKBYUrj0UuFF4wz2BL5yj91IHRsxdxPsBJMa7c0IiWmsyxk9BpJ6zLDacT374EyDtPq17HonPaHJpy8HhjZwpD7ht1c7MqAwS17/s640/CAB_0259.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Eliza shares:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Adoption wasn't part of our original plan. God used cancer to lead us to adoption. During our first daughter's C-section, the surgeon discovered cancer in Eliza's uterus, which resulted in a hysterectomy the following week. After two years of talking and praying, God gave us the desire to grow our family through domestic adoption. We began the process with a Christian adoption agency.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>It was one of the most significant tests of patience and trust we have ever experienced. After 3 1/2 years of waiting to be matched we were questioning if we wanted to continue the painful process. The emotional toll the waiting had taken was draining and had left us weary. In November 2019, we learned about CAC, and after one conversation with Katie, we knew that we wanted her help. It was a great encouragement to work with Katie who is adoptive mother herself. Her personal experience brought a level of understanding and compassion. It meant so much to us that she encouraged us with God's truth and pointed us to Him in the months that would follow. It also gave us hope knowing that we would have exposure through multiple agencies rather than just one. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We are so thankful we did not give up. <b>We were finally matched with a birth mother one month after beginning to work with Katie and CAC.</b> We know that every adoption story is different, but for reasons unknown to us, God chose this path for us and it was all in His timing. This is one major truth that was reinforced to us through our adoption journey: God's timing is not our own, but it is for our good. We have been amazed to watch God's story unfold. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We are so incredibly grateful to have adopted our daughter. We also have unspeakable love and admiration for our daughter's birth mother, and we consider her a part of our extended family. When our daughter was placed in our arms, we experienced firsthand the power of the gospel. A child was given to us, not because of anything we did to deserve her, but out of love. We will forever be grateful. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We are so grateful for CAC and for Katie, and for the irreplaceable role she played in our daughter's adoption story.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHiErV_xKLOe2Xbgww6Cu4Yd428gi6qF86doIN_5ArWgSdUf-gFSKV1f0RROKNpsx9h71gM5Ir7km0vft6X5xlA21Auu4sB3SH75zEMBD8uoFggO18GjPvsIz8QfQxNYI_4U78fnQ64Zs/s1600/CAB_0237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHiErV_xKLOe2Xbgww6Cu4Yd428gi6qF86doIN_5ArWgSdUf-gFSKV1f0RROKNpsx9h71gM5Ir7km0vft6X5xlA21Auu4sB3SH75zEMBD8uoFggO18GjPvsIz8QfQxNYI_4U78fnQ64Zs/s640/CAB_0237.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>---------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about Christian Adoption Consultants, email me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com. I'd love to help!</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-21474904583930169262020-07-08T21:44:00.000-05:002020-07-08T21:44:02.632-05:00Adoption Story: Jon and AnnetteI won't mislead you-this is a gut-wrenching story. Adoption is always born from loss but Jon and Annette's adoption journey to their twin daughters is absolute tragedy mixed with beauty. The compassion of Jesus was so powerfully displayed in them as they deeply loved their daughter's birth mama in the face of terminal cancer. This is what it looks like to step into devastating loss with eyes fixed on Christ and not on self. It was an honor for me to witness this adoption journey through <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> as I walked alongside Jon and Annette as their Adoption Consultant. They got started with CAC at the end of October in 2018 and were chosen by their girls' birth mama five months later in March of 2019. Annette so kindly shares a glimpse into their journey.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfQ2YqEK088UOHTKO3nLwDBX7tgfuJ7nNhk0dSJEdXwTzYinZxv8SU4ZLb47m5iVuXsdaf70r6jPyMw33mjt-lf9290IdTtQODeujYvFNT_jD-0A-CwIqrKR05zzOo5Dt4jqSTECrL-MJ/s1600/jonandannetteadopt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1030" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfQ2YqEK088UOHTKO3nLwDBX7tgfuJ7nNhk0dSJEdXwTzYinZxv8SU4ZLb47m5iVuXsdaf70r6jPyMw33mjt-lf9290IdTtQODeujYvFNT_jD-0A-CwIqrKR05zzOo5Dt4jqSTECrL-MJ/s640/jonandannetteadopt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Tragedy and Joy Unreconciled</b> by Annette<br />
<br />
<i>“It would be a good idea to write a letter to the mother introducing yourselves and expressing why you want to adopt her daughters.” I remember hearing those words from our adoption consultant Katie, and thinking “sure, we can do that.” I had no idea what a heart-wrenching challenge this would turn out to be for my husband and I. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Moments before, we had said yes to presenting on a situation we knew very little about. Twin girls, 18 months old, and the birth mother with a terminal cancer diagnosis. We knew she was just discontinuing treatment and had lost her job and had no place to live.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>It had been eight years since we had received the calling to adopt. God placed adoption on our heart in our first year of marriage. We decided we were going to adopt through the foster care system. That’s where the need was, that is the affordable route to go. We were just waiting on the right timing. October 2018, we felt the time was right. However, for some unknown reason we both, separately, felt God nudging us away from foster care and towards domestic adoption. We started switching gears and looking more into domestic adoption. For eight years we had been planning on adopting through the state and I was so confused as to why it suddenly did not feel right. I knew at that time that we were being asked to step out in faith. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We met Katie through a friend’s recommendation. She talked us through every step of the process and encouraged us to seek God. We prayed and felt a deep peace about pursuing domestic adoption. Throughout this whole process Katie was right by our side. Helping, calming fears, giving us sound advice and helping us wade through the sometimes-murky waters, her help was invaluable. Her constant reminders to pray about it and seek God, constantly broke through the chaos in our hearts and minds. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I smile when I look back and see God’s hand very clearly guiding us right to our daughters. Through our home study and other preparations, we excitedly began preparing for the child or sibling set we would soon welcome into our home. As we were preparing for a sibling set our social worker peered up at us with a puzzled expression saying “You realize you are doing a private adoption and will most likely get a single infant” We just smiled and said “yes.” Yet somehow, I knew deep down that this would not be the case. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Here I sat, with this daunting task before me. My lap top open and my fingers ready to type words that simply were not there. How do you tell a dying mother how much you would love to take her daughters? How do you express the joy at the thought of adopting her sweet girls in the light of this most horrific disease? </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The depth of this tragedy was in sharp contrast with the expectant joy of adoption and words failed me. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I cried out to God. My heart was so full of pain for this sweet mother and simultaneously overjoyed at the prospect of the most wonderful gift. Putting those thoughts and emotions to pen felt impossible. I put the computer down and went about tucking my three children into bed. Bedtime prayers, stories and songs were clouded as I tried to make sense of the swirl of thoughts and emotions coursing through me. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>With the deadline looming in the morning, my husband and I sat down once more to compose this letter. I turned to him and said “I think God wants us to offer to take her in as well as the twins” It had felt crazy in my head and even more so speaking it out loud. I was surprised when he said “Yeah, I think you are right.” It was unusual, but felt just. This woman, dying of cancer should have the option of seeing and being with her daughters in her remaining days. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A short time later it was finished. Our letter said that we were overwhelmed by the tragedy of her terminal diagnosis. We wrote that we were ready and wanting to welcome her sweet girls into our family and cherish and love both of them as our own. We invited her to come and live with us in an Airbnb across the street free of charge. We found several hospice centers available nearby for when the need arose. We explained that my husband was a doctor and I am a nurse and we were committed to giving her the best of care. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>She picked us. Our hearts were pounding when we met her. Lunch at the Olive Garden felt oddly normal, routine, as we got to know one another. She shared favorite childhood memories and we talked about how she would be remembered in our home. Several hours later we picked up the two most beautiful brown haired, blue-eyed little girls, identical twins. We fell in love instantly and it all felt like a dream. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>She chose not to come with us and I felt foolish for even offering. Did we mishear God? Were we so totally off base? Then she held my hand and told us how meaningful our letter was to her. With tears in her eyes, she told us that when she read of our offer, she saw our hearts and knew that she wanted her girls to be raised by us. She expressed the deep peace she felt knowing that her girls were going to a wonderful, loving family. She chose us because of our letter. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We spent several days together shopping and taking the most beautiful pictures of her and the girls, and all of us together. And then we loaded up the twins in our car and drove away. It felt wrong to leave her at the hotel. She was out of money and did not know where she was going for the night. We felt helpless.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I compiled our photos together in a small photo book and mailed it to her. We messaged back and forth regularly until her death two and a half short months later. We were surprised at her death. We were planning on doing so much more for her. How had she become such an intimate part of our family so quickly? The woman who had been forced by death to give us this most precious and perfect gift was suddenly gone. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The dichotomy of emotions still overwhelms me. We grieved the death of this sweet mother while rejoicing for the incredible gift of parenting these girls. The two emotions rubbed against one another and I struggled to make sense of it all. </i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1mVXwG37F3cz88oYwQL9KeCCX2-V4jQ8sP2j8sNcbP_PSwATv9olOqD4BPsUHEt0gzo6nNC_t4-W5chYbT32sndzUKjN0EhwHLxu6L5efgIgXww0GdxWoTOECVkJynKFFHd7cpC7kcPx/s1600/jonandannetteadopttwins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1030" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1mVXwG37F3cz88oYwQL9KeCCX2-V4jQ8sP2j8sNcbP_PSwATv9olOqD4BPsUHEt0gzo6nNC_t4-W5chYbT32sndzUKjN0EhwHLxu6L5efgIgXww0GdxWoTOECVkJynKFFHd7cpC7kcPx/s640/jonandannetteadopttwins.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Honestly, I still struggle. I should have done more. I should have figured out a way to love her better in her dying days. The deep tragedy of her untimely death is still felt profoundly, and yet if she hadn’t died, I would not have my daughters.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>It feels strange and uncomfortable to grieve the circumstances that led to the adoption of your children. Shouldn’t you just be thankful? Shouldn’t you say “God works all things for the good?” </i><i>No. I am heartbroken at her death. A mother was forced to make a decision she should never have to make. My girls lost their mother at a very young age and that is tragic. Simultaneously, I am overjoyed to be their mother. This is a gift that brings me indescribable joy and I thank God for it daily. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Does the joy of being their mother make the tragedy of her death any less? No. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Does the tragedy of her death take away from the joy of being their mother? No. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The two cannot be reconciled. The joy and the tragedy exist together.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Adoption is a beautiful picture of redemption. Through this experience I can see a little more clearly the heartbreak caused by sin and separation. I can see the Father’s love as he fought for us, even unto death on a cross. I can see his joy as we turn back to him and he claims us as his newly adopted children. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>This is what adoption is: joy and tragedy existing together, bringing about new life. </i><br />
<i>Redemption. </i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QXnkvbMQG-kAUObqdWqeWyQN7ulxbwUbhu9YA7IvRj-kgN4uZ3PaumajnIFC7MCyxaXqTe8Tvp9HKV7pSi_ntcNSNzHOA5c0aNY_rUEZ-0yYG1Jk-oC7c20J8P22Gnd035y-XHqccj8L/s1600/jonandannetteadopt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1030" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QXnkvbMQG-kAUObqdWqeWyQN7ulxbwUbhu9YA7IvRj-kgN4uZ3PaumajnIFC7MCyxaXqTe8Tvp9HKV7pSi_ntcNSNzHOA5c0aNY_rUEZ-0yYG1Jk-oC7c20J8P22Gnd035y-XHqccj8L/s640/jonandannetteadopt2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<div style="text-align: center;">
----------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about Christian Adoption Consultants, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com. I'd love to help you!</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-81846109829864484522020-07-02T21:13:00.000-05:002020-07-02T22:38:39.126-05:00Brian and Jenn Johnson's Adoption Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8uiwWVdLltrZWDJsd3pvW-fbODwGtxBpyPOoA-tuI6pDBaWioRTX9kN4M9m43SEcXdM8S_WvmffWCjM6T0KnVCLOqm-0W2ccIQ8LOJ_bK_msTyV91AZzNhxJ-LveGGbiSroIWyFeiP38/s1600/brianandjennjohnson.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="472" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8uiwWVdLltrZWDJsd3pvW-fbODwGtxBpyPOoA-tuI6pDBaWioRTX9kN4M9m43SEcXdM8S_WvmffWCjM6T0KnVCLOqm-0W2ccIQ8LOJ_bK_msTyV91AZzNhxJ-LveGGbiSroIWyFeiP38/s640/brianandjennjohnson.png" width="510" /></a></div>
<br />
A global pandemic. Quarantined at home. Travel halted. Unrest and anxiety hovering as Covid-19 spread. Devastating racial injustice. Protests. Rising racial division and grief. Rioting. A nation desperate for peace. These were not the circumstances Brian and Jenn Johnson of Bethel Music expected they’d be in during their second adoption journey. And yet, for such a time as this their son Malachi would enter the world. As an Adoption Consultant with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> who has walked the Johnsons through both of their adoption journeys, I’m honored to share some of their most recent adoption story today.<br />
<br />
Brian and Jenn brought home <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2019/04/brian-and-jenns-adoption-video.html">their son, Ryder,</a> in 2017. They have beautifully shared God’s heart for adoption and desire to walk out 1 John 3:18 (NLT) <i>“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”</i> In February of this year, the Johnsons got in touch to let me know they were considering adopting again.<br />
<br />
Like every couple thinking about adoption, they faced an inescapable reality: unknowns. Anyone interested in adopting will encounter this same impasse: in faith, will you take the step that’s visible in front of you, even though you can’t see all of the twists and turns ahead? Or will you stay put, held back by the inevitable uncertainties and potential challenges that could await you? Brian and Jenn chose to move forward, trusting the One who already knew what lay ahead, even though they did not. And no one could have predicted the storm that awaited them.<br />
<br />
Almost as soon as they began working on their adoption home study (the process that legally approves you to adopt), Coronavirus began spreading in the U.S. Offices quickly began closing around them. If they couldn’t complete all of the necessary background checks and licensing process prior to businesses closing, their process would be stalled. Brian and Jenn raced to complete all of the paperwork and clearances required. And as He loves to do, God made a way where there seemed to be none. Incredibly, they became licensed to adopt in the middle of March right before everything officially hit pause from the virus.<br />
<br />
At Christian Adoption Consultants, an important service we provide families with is a multi-agency approach. As a home study approved family, the Johnsons were officially ready to show their adoption profile book to expectant mothers making an adoption plan. I created a customized agency and attorney list for them to help them apply with multiple vetted offices across the U.S. in March. We sensed the Lord might be centering their story in Texas so we shifted our focus primarily to Texas agencies, open-handed to what God might do. But the question marks continued. How long would they wait to be chosen? Given Covid-19, would they even be allowed in the hospital when the time came for them to adopt? I prayed for the Lord to clearly lead them and asked Him to make a straight path through the obstacles.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Almost exactly two months later in May, one of the agencies they had applied with contacted Brian and Jenn about an expectant mom due soon who was choosing to place her baby for adoption. They were the perfect fit for this expectant mom and she was the perfect fit for them. This was exactly what they’d been waiting for. Chosen! To make it even sweeter, the hospital where the baby would be delivered had just opened back up to allow adoptive parents entrance. With every unknown, God was paving the way to their son.<br />
<br />
On May 12, in the midst of a world swirling with suffering, precious Malachi Judah (meaning “messenger of praise”) was born. In God’s kindness, Brian and Jenn were able to be there for his first breaths, supporting his courageous birth mom with their love and watching again the miracle of adoption.<br />
<br />
It’s been such an honor for Christian Adoption Consultants to support and guide Brian and Jenn as they welcomed Ryder and now Malachi home forever. Despite the uncertainties and difficulties, they stepped out in faith with their “yes” and trusted God’s heart. He was so very faithful. Jenn’s words on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jennjohnson20/">her Instagram</a> convey it well: <i>“Welcome to the world son. You were born for such a time as this. You are the sweetest and a gift from God.”</i> Amen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVB__IXSs5vNJqobcKpiGijhkILkKhLE-biWvBZFjlopEbRNpsXXNwvN1MFS98ba190TCvP1w9QhzlkZt4TOFKmeFM3cFo3z87n1_an1SDhYdYd7xc9iz_wjlV3aCB3p0rVNv9SAyByW4z/s1600/brianandjennadopt6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="591" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVB__IXSs5vNJqobcKpiGijhkILkKhLE-biWvBZFjlopEbRNpsXXNwvN1MFS98ba190TCvP1w9QhzlkZt4TOFKmeFM3cFo3z87n1_an1SDhYdYd7xc9iz_wjlV3aCB3p0rVNv9SAyByW4z/s640/brianandjennadopt6.png" width="638" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkq9yNyfuIeN3LgOxMEdJLYx1naB4ZNCZ8-Kxpxhzd4Wjqt7XexNnNWpZj1A6ysaC1XzEh0x6-ZJOXX7QtHx4csls4GvxCqGGQT5CPDZxUmnfz2tP5FLBKky9d4wRP7c5XwZyX6wjopQ2/s1600/brianandjennadopt5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="556" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkq9yNyfuIeN3LgOxMEdJLYx1naB4ZNCZ8-Kxpxhzd4Wjqt7XexNnNWpZj1A6ysaC1XzEh0x6-ZJOXX7QtHx4csls4GvxCqGGQT5CPDZxUmnfz2tP5FLBKky9d4wRP7c5XwZyX6wjopQ2/s640/brianandjennadopt5.png" width="604" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6-Yj31BO0lfO3cWwY3PUjfj741Xe9ETS1k_tpeQYs5rNdKJm3_HsoxkgG_oke_LJFYzJ9U0ofiig9cMgJ-X93I0XIdHNS_jGBaE5B7E7Jq7dKKQ3F97tQ_7PRGPeEXUfzrXsH-O7TlPK/s1600/brianandjennadopt4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="585" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6-Yj31BO0lfO3cWwY3PUjfj741Xe9ETS1k_tpeQYs5rNdKJm3_HsoxkgG_oke_LJFYzJ9U0ofiig9cMgJ-X93I0XIdHNS_jGBaE5B7E7Jq7dKKQ3F97tQ_7PRGPeEXUfzrXsH-O7TlPK/s640/brianandjennadopt4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmCNrnc_Td3ujvL0Gk2bhiZ43pgrMo33ng5aE6SUknpM0CrVPXoqnTLZs6CeD5OxrAkxQA7OgmFfb4HGO6JQb4po4wH3qdCqfx_D35uM_mcr12yA4cA0seF3qS46jpist7XqdBHUlv0Ue/s1600/brianandjennadopt1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="472" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmCNrnc_Td3ujvL0Gk2bhiZ43pgrMo33ng5aE6SUknpM0CrVPXoqnTLZs6CeD5OxrAkxQA7OgmFfb4HGO6JQb4po4wH3qdCqfx_D35uM_mcr12yA4cA0seF3qS46jpist7XqdBHUlv0Ue/s640/brianandjennadopt1.png" width="568" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
---------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>What's a CAC Adoption Consultant? Read <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/p/christian-adoption-consultants_15.html">here</a>.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Why choose Christian Adoption Consultants? Check <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2020/02/why-choose-christian-adoption.html">this</a> out.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Questions? Shoot me an email at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-91351480694064036832020-05-28T20:06:00.001-05:002020-05-28T20:12:41.989-05:00Brent and Leslie's Adoption Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;">One of my favorite things about being an adoption consultant with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">CAC </a>is getting a front row seat to the deep work of faith growth that God regularly does in hearts along the way. It inevitably challenges and strengthens my own faith as I watch God speaking to the adoptive parents that I work with. Now about three years after Brent and Leslie brought home their daughter, I continue to give thanks for the ways they sought God in the midst of questions and difficulty. Leslie reflects back on their adoption journey:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLic2YmBa66HbdGqup6BwlbfXeT4tjqQGz0qdNn-ItJSnv3w14-zl4QRAlRg5kWJIX5ekqNOaCKie8qZ5ByUg1tZopkrEFPmbaM7SLxdnHHOo0bEYtpYAjYLVOBu2AaTbr7D_THWt4Ofwg/s1600/baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="355" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLic2YmBa66HbdGqup6BwlbfXeT4tjqQGz0qdNn-ItJSnv3w14-zl4QRAlRg5kWJIX5ekqNOaCKie8qZ5ByUg1tZopkrEFPmbaM7SLxdnHHOo0bEYtpYAjYLVOBu2AaTbr7D_THWt4Ofwg/s640/baby.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Never say never. I vividly remember sitting in our church around ten years ago listening to a visiting pastor talk about he and his wife’s adoption story. I thought to myself and even told my husband that adoption was just something I could never do.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fast forward some years and a house full of boys later....after experiencing complications in my pregnancy that made any further pregnancy extremely risky, we knew that God closed that door so that we could see Him swinging the one to adoption wide open.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thus beginning our adoption story, that was nothing like I had planned, but thanks to the faithfulness of God exactly what we needed- both in the journey and the result.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">To be very honest, when we started the process my “plan and expectation” was that we would be matched extremely quickly with the momma of a baby girl who would want a semi-open to closed adoption, and I would have leaned more in the direction of closed.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then God... </span></b></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">First, during our home study process God used the experiences that adult adoptees shared to begin to crack open my mind and help me see the benefit in open adoptions. My heart began to change and we began to present to a wide array of situations, expecting to match quickly. And then we got one “no,” then two, and then three. And then we got a “YES!” We were so so excited! A baby girl due to be born in 10 weeks. We made our plans, began to buy plane tickets and book our lodging. A week later we got the call that everyone fears. She had changed her mind. Failed adoption.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We all just cried together and suddenly, my oldest stood up and yelled out, “WHY?!?!? Why did she change her mind? I wanted that baby girl so much! I WOULD DIE TO HAVE HER!” And in THAT moment, I knew the heart of Jesus like I had not known before. His willingness to go to the cross so that He could have us in eternity with Him.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">A failed adoption was one of the most painful experiences of my life, but one of the most teaching. It was through that experience that I drew closer to God than maybe ever before. He wouldn’t “waste” this trial. He would turn it for our good and His glory! We were totally reliant like we never were before, because this deep DEEP longing for a daughter was FULLY dependent upon His provision of her. And so I would sit praying with both desperation and expectation. Waking up every day and think, “Is today the day?” Presenting to situation after situation, both forcing myself to be vulnerable enough to risk the heartache of another “no” again, and trusting the Lord enough to wait on Him. They were long, hard, faith testing days.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was the time when we saw the infinite value of having Katie!!! It was beyond words helpful to have someone who had both walked the adoption path themselves, but also walked it with so many others. She had watched and could testify about the faithfulness of God in people’s story- EVEN in the hardest times. She sent me articles and books to read, one with the quote I will never forget—“That which makes us pray more, is for our good.” She was many times our Godsend, working as His hands and feet to make sure we kept our focus on Him. I don’t know how we could have done it without her!!!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then one day Katie called. She was calling about a situation that was complex. There were some medical unknowns, even some potential concerns, and the financial situation would be more of a stretch for us than we had planned it to be. We got some more information about it and decided to present. And then it was silence for days. Late on a Saturday night, on our 11th anniversary, we got a call saying it was a YES!!!! Baby girl was due in 20 days!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the hospital, we watched as her birth parents held and kissed her in awe and love. The time we had getting to know them more was incredible. And then, the next day, a tiny, beautiful, 5lb 4oz baby girl was now our daughter. Our baby girl! All our waiting, all the heartache, all the unknowns, it was all worth it at that moment. She was ours. God had given us this amazing gift. A daughter!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And it was simply all God. All of it. Him changing our hearts towards open adoption. Him closing all the doors to all of the other situations. Him allowing the failure, to create in our hearts a longing for a daughter so that we would consider a situation that we might not have otherwise. Him bringing us to this family, to this beautiful baby girl. All of it was God and may it all be for His glory! Always! </span></i><i style="color: #222222; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">I cannot even believe we have a little girl who is almost three. She is a beautiful, spunky, sweet, opinionated little thing, who we love more than words can express! She truly has completed us! </i><br />
<div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And now, almost three years later, our continued experience with open adoption continues to be a complete blessing! We have a closed Facebook page with her birth mom and dad, her birth grandmother, two aunts, and one uncle and we share pictures and videos, which allows them all to watch her grow. We FaceTime with her birth mom every six months or so at least, but we message back and forth weekly. Upon occasion, we are able to message with others in the group as well! I know this will be SUCH an important thing for our daughter as she grows, understands more about adoption, and can know more about her birth family. What I once feared, is something I now cherish so deeply and am forever grateful for! </i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXwEOjj_-htCpePzvC-t2VQnmcpC1hfaRJK-Eh9K3GLg3RRz7ZJTNhlrI11U_HrqfsrMdUkFhCAAEPpv4Lw8mVwNsUWoNjarNtG1okDVKTG4caPtTqW3z98ZWUEGJ3Cij5CaBAcjGsvOv/s1600/IMG_5695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXwEOjj_-htCpePzvC-t2VQnmcpC1hfaRJK-Eh9K3GLg3RRz7ZJTNhlrI11U_HrqfsrMdUkFhCAAEPpv4Lw8mVwNsUWoNjarNtG1okDVKTG4caPtTqW3z98ZWUEGJ3Cij5CaBAcjGsvOv/s640/IMG_5695.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
For CAC's free Adoptive Parent Information Packet and more info about domestic adoption please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com!</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-31563428574569431502020-05-16T14:06:00.000-05:002020-05-16T14:06:43.472-05:00Adoption + The Sibling Perspective: Katie's ThoughtsThough our temptation can be to simply focus on how adoption affects our lives as adoptive parents, there are many more people's lives intricately connected and impacted when someone adopts a child. Most importantly, the adoptee themselves, as well as the child's birth parent. But another important person in the equation is a sibling whose parents have chosen to adopt. Katie was almost 15 when her family adopted the first time and 17 when they brought home her sister through adoption. I'm so glad you get to hear today from Katie about her "sibling perspective."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVUXSApnsSXuL7tleQrxHUcKbpmTgsqDCpdgRB57oJIWtZOzq-BZS7oxNYKR6gZtFME-5fG96JyOHJj131PJ8WQWHv8KtQ2gvGqBdpR2FqBSu4zeXnwrOspwPt8XacrA4m4Or-5b2eDW3/s1600/KPic.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVUXSApnsSXuL7tleQrxHUcKbpmTgsqDCpdgRB57oJIWtZOzq-BZS7oxNYKR6gZtFME-5fG96JyOHJj131PJ8WQWHv8KtQ2gvGqBdpR2FqBSu4zeXnwrOspwPt8XacrA4m4Or-5b2eDW3/s640/KPic.JPEG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Did you have any fears or concerns while your family was in the adoption process waiting before your siblings were born? How did the Lord meet you in those?</b><br />
<br />
<i>When we first began the adoption process, I was honestly really excited. We did a lot of fundraisers as a family and so the excitement and momentum was high. However, in both adoption journeys, once we reached the part where our profile was being shown to birth families, I struggled with different emotions. After a few situations didn’t work out, I wrestled with the question: “Would we ever adopt a baby?” I remember a specific moment, after we had received another “no,” that my heart became angry. The tears fell and I cried out to God, “Why are you making us wait so long?”</i><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><i> </i></span><br />
<i>As I look back at that moment, I am reminded how raw those emotions were. They came from a real place of pain in my heart, but it was met in the most beautiful way, as God revealed Himself faithful again and again. Now, as I look into the eyes of my brother and my sister, I realize over and over how perfect God’s plan was and is. All of those matches that fell through, all of those phone calls we missed, and all of the babies that didn’t “work out," they were all just stepping stones to the two He had for our family. And I wouldn’t trade my siblings for anyone else.</i><br />
<br />
<b>What are some things that you love about adoption and how God brought your siblings to you?</b><br />
<br />
<i>Even before we started on this journey, God placed a love for adoption within my heart. But it wasn’t until we started the process that I began to see what a beautiful picture it is of God’s adoption of us. We are orphans, who have no hope whatsoever in the world, but God comes and makes us His children. </i><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><i> </i></span><br />
<i>“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:4-7</i><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><i> </i></span><br />
<i>I also love how adoption brings people together. It can be the most amazing bridge of hope for men, women and children in need. It allows mothers (families) who are in desperate situations to be able to give life and a future to their child. The birth moms (and families) who give up their children are some of the strongest people. They are giving their flesh and bone to someone else, entrusting their child into someone else’s family. Their selflessness and love in how they choose to give their child hope is something I admire every time I hear an adoption story.</i><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><i> </i></span><br />
<i>Ultimately, I stand in awe at the hand of God; you truly can’t deny that His goodness is in each and every situation. My brother’s life was on the brink of being ended through abortion, but God had a different story. My sister was unwanted, and her only hope was a life of instability through the foster system. But God had different plans. And He protected my siblings and brought them into our family in the most beautiful way. </i><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<br />
<b>What do you wish people knew about adoption?</b><br />
<br />
<i>If I was sitting down with someone to talk about adoption, I would love them to see that adoption is so much more than giving a child a family. It is a tangible picture of the gospel, by which God gives you the opportunity every single day to share His love with these children, who otherwise would have no hope. Because adoption is, in one sense, a rescue mission, it is hard. There may be a lot of obstacles to overcome. There may be a lot of pain and heartbreak involved. It can be an emotional roller coaster and the financial mountain keeps growing year after year. Trauma will be involved, no matter how young the baby is when adopted. There will be people who won’t understand. However, all of this just makes the grace of God more evident. For it is the only thing that is constant in all of the ups and downs of the process. And when the time comes when the child is called by your name, it makes every tear, worth it. </i><br />
<br />
<b>What has God taught you about Himself through the adoption in your family?</b><br />
<br />
<i>God has taught me so many things through adoption. I have witnessed His faithfulness over and over again. There were so many things that could have happened, so many outcomes that could have come into play, and so many circumstances that could have deterred us from adopting, and yet, God brought us through every valley. He provided every single penny of the $90,000+ it cost us to adopt both my siblings. He protected both of their birth moms during their pregnancies and births. And even when things went different than I had expected them to go, I can see now, that all of His ways were/are perfect. He cares for everything we walk through, even down to the tiniest details. </i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at: katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-60652439943009346002020-05-11T14:43:00.003-05:002020-09-10T13:43:06.027-05:00How To Tell Your Child That They Were Adopted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJnPnKTykkW93xYzTWn_3PXcLnrLd4kCSxEtaN7OoH8Fg-RMEtiuknIQ1Z111PKjdKwMKw6u3psPwzTY50qAz4aC5ibqkqIX2oiHg2ZvJoXV0HURJXHybvJa8rjG4Vlo5kihyh1BeDpcU/s1600/twinsfisch-nBcOnMoP18g-unsplash+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJnPnKTykkW93xYzTWn_3PXcLnrLd4kCSxEtaN7OoH8Fg-RMEtiuknIQ1Z111PKjdKwMKw6u3psPwzTY50qAz4aC5ibqkqIX2oiHg2ZvJoXV0HURJXHybvJa8rjG4Vlo5kihyh1BeDpcU/s640/twinsfisch-nBcOnMoP18g-unsplash+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Few things can strike fear in the heart of a newly adoptive parent like the thought of talking with their child about their adoption story. We know that it's so very important and we don't want to get it wrong! So how exactly do you tell your child that they are adopted? After walking with many adoptive parents as an <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Adoption Consultant,</a> studying informative adoption research, listening to the voices of adult adoptees and adoption social workers, and caring for my own children that were adopted, I've seen 9 important components that are essential to telling your child their adoption story.<br />
<br />
<h2>
How To Tell Your Child That They Were Adopted: 9 Essentials</h2>
<b><br /></b>
<b>1) Talk about it from the very beginning</b><br />
One of the best pieces of advice we ever received during our home study process was this: start talking to your child about their adoption from Day One. I remember thinking,"Wait. You want me to talk to my teeny infant about their adoption? They can’t even speak yet!” But yes-that’s exactly what adoption professionals encourage parents to do! Talking about adoption from the very beginning gives your child the foundation of knowing their adoption story. It also gives you the chance to gain confidence in learning how to share your child’s story with them. Of course, your little baby won’t understand it initially, but as time goes on, you'll find that even young children can comprehend much more than we give them credit for. When you talk about adoption from the very beginning, your child will never have a life altering “moment” of discovering they are adopted. Instead, they will grow up knowing the truth about their story. By talking about adoption right away, you are giving them a strong foundation to build upon as they form their identity.<br />
<br />
<b>2) Use pictures</b><br />
If you have pictures of your child’s birth family, hang some in their room or make a book with the pictures. Some families have found that creating a “birth book” or "life book" that tells the child’s adoption story with pictures can be a great resource to use as they talk with their young child about adoption. Even if you don’t have pictures with your child’s birth family, show them pictures that you do have of your child when you first met them. Use those photos as a springboard to share with them about the first moment you saw them, about what they looked like, about the time you spent with their birth family (if that pertains to you) and use words like "birth mom" and "adopted" to begin familiarizing your child with adoption terms.<br />
<br />
<b>3) Read books with adoption themes</b><br />
There are some wonderful books for children about adoption. (There are also some pretty confusing and unhelpful ones so make sure to read through any book first to make sure it’s a good fit for your particular child!) Books that use accurate and positive adoption language, convey both the beauty and brokenness of adoption, and highlight how loved the child is by their birth and adoptive families are particularly helpful.<br />
<br />
<b>4) Speak positively about your child's birth family</b><br />
Speak words about your child's birth family that are positive and kind. Weave these thoughts into every day conversation. Does your child share some physical features with their birth family? “I love your beautiful brown eyes. They look just like your birth mom’s beautiful brown eyes.” Are there things you know about your child’s birth family that your child has in common with them that you could share? Maybe you don’t know much at all about your child’s birth family, but you do know they loved their child so much that they gave them life. In some extreme situations involving neglect or abuse, finding something positive to say is not easy. Don't make something up! However, no matter what type of situation your child is coming from, there is typically something good that you can share with them about their birth family-people made in God's image..<br />
<br />
<b>5) Share honestly with age appropriateness</b><br />
Adoption is filled with brokenness and loss. While adoption might be one of the greatest blessings in your life as adoptive parents, it has come at an enormous cost for your child and for their birth family. Don’t sugarcoat your child’s story; be honest. Depending on their age, the details you share with them will be different. As your child grows, so will the amount of details you tell them, but make sure that you’re always telling the truth. As an adoptive parent, this point can be particularly scary because we want to protect our children from pain. Yet, by not telling them the truth about their story, we’re actually causing them more pain and giving them reasons to question our trustworthiness and potentially tempt them to imagine worst case scenarios. So start with the general foundation of their story and build upon it with age appropriateness, sharing more details as they grow.<br />
<br />
<b>6) Be your child’s safe support </b><br />
As you talk about adoption, acknowledge your child’s feelings and let them know it’s ok to feel however they do. Hold them, sit with them, remind them of how loved they are, let them know that you will always be there for them. Listen without interrupting and remind them that they can tell you anything. Remember that this isn’t about you. When they ask questions or share their thoughts, ask follow up questions to understand more where they are coming from instead of assuming. Remember, even if they say things that are hard for you to hear, your child needs your support. Sit with them in their grief or anger or whatever they feel at the moment; don't dismiss or make them feel as if they shouldn't be feeling the way that they do. Let them know that whatever they are feeling or thinking about adoption, their feelings will not take away your love.<br />
<br />
<b>7) Keep talking about it</b><br />
Talking with your child about their adoption isn’t a “one and done” deal. You need to keep talking about it with them throughout their lifetime. Your child should not need to be the one to bring up adoption. It’s your job as the parent to keep the conversation going. Let me assure you-just because your child doesn't bring up adoption doesn't mean they aren't thinking about it. If you don’t continue to bring up adoption with your children, they may feel like it’s an “off-limits” topic and never bring their thoughts and questions to you. Adult adoptees often share that they were afraid to voice questions about their story because they didn't ever want their parents to feel hurt or to perceive those questions as a lack of love for them. Invite your children's questions and even if they don't share any, continue talking about adoption. Help them feel secure and free to talk with you about their adoption by being the one to bring it up regularly.<br />
<br />
<b>8) Seek professional help</b><br />
If at any point you find you need additional support in talking with your child about their adoption, please don’t hesitate to seek it out. There is no shame in needing professional help. These are complex things that are sometimes difficult to work through, both for you and for your child. Loving your child means giving them tools to help them process their story and a licensed professional counselor familiar with adoption and trauma can be an invaluable tool to help your child.<br />
<br />
<b>9) Trust your perfect Heavenly Father</b><br />
Seek God's face as you have these conversations with your child. We often simply don't know what to say as we share about adoption with our kids, but we do know that God promises to give us wisdom as we ask. We can confidently go to Him in prayer with that request for wisdom and help. <i>"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5</i> There are no perfect words that will magically take away the hard aspects of your child's adoption. You don't have the perfect words to share with your child about their adoption story but you do have a perfect Heavenly Father. God is able to help our children find comfort and peace in their hearts as they navigate the details of their adoption story. We can trust His care. Ultimately, He is the one who will carry your child through the ups and downs of processing adoption throughout their lifetime.<br />
<br />
(Note: I highly recommend <a href="https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/store/adoption-ebook/positive-adoption-conversations/" target="_blank">this ebook </a>for more detailed information about what to share at what age, specific helpful children's books related to adoption, how to speak to "tough topics," etc.)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic infant adoption and <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants,</a> please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-36230107658445955902020-05-08T10:30:00.000-05:002020-05-16T14:07:40.699-05:00Guest Post: To The Waiting Woman Who Longs To Be A MotherIn my role at <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> as I walk with hopeful adoptive parents, one of the things I hope to spread is the importance of listening to all members of the adoption triad: birth mothers, adoptees, and adoptive parents. As Mother's Day approaches, I'm sharing some letters from members of the triad. As I thought about who I wanted to ask to write a letter to the mamas in waiting, my friend, Kim, immediately came to mind. The Lord has given her a gift for words and she so beautifully shares them below. Thank you, Kim!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5vjmvoPiqqIrmvSspNY0Fhb_aWf6KGHrLQaHaxy5FwLf9C0pjpP75ff7JBiv2VoIuENxgA0g9Ap2f93gMtl4LK6I8guL1ooJyd6KP7-lWaO4B0GqMeSNzekwxhXaCVVyQOsEFJ_ja-Ez/s1600/andrew-dunstan-qdUDnCjo7e0-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5vjmvoPiqqIrmvSspNY0Fhb_aWf6KGHrLQaHaxy5FwLf9C0pjpP75ff7JBiv2VoIuENxgA0g9Ap2f93gMtl4LK6I8guL1ooJyd6KP7-lWaO4B0GqMeSNzekwxhXaCVVyQOsEFJ_ja-Ez/s640/andrew-dunstan-qdUDnCjo7e0-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>To The Waiting Woman Who Longs To Be A Mother</b><br />
<br />
<i>Hello friend,</i><br />
<i style="text-align: justify;"><br /></i>
<i style="text-align: justify;">I rolled out of bed in a bad mood and reluctantly dressed for church. This act of putting on my “Sunday best” was even more unbearable on this ominous day. I scowled aimlessly at the floor and imagined the women who would don matching dresses and the little girls sporting big pink bows. “I’m sure all the little boys were up early picking wildflowers while their fathers made breakfast and let their mommies sleep in”, I muttered mockingly to the empty room. Alone, in my little bathroom, I looked up to put my makeup on - getting the first real glimpse of my angry look and tired eyes. Suddenly, with fierce intensity, my fake bravado melted into body shaking sobs as I realized I was not alone. The God that made me revealed in an instant the deepest recesses of my heart and beckoned me to Him with undeserved patience and grace. As I cried, I could imagine his gentle embrace inviting me to unleash the full weight of disappointment and confusion into his capable hands. I sent up a desperate prayer, “Lord you are the God that weeps with those who mourn. Can you handle my pain? Can you take some of this burden? Can you impart your strength on this day of all days?”</i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>I imagine, dear one, that you would prefer to spend this morning hiding beneath your covers in a dark room. Perhaps if you stay there long enough you can pretend this day never came and the longing you feel to be accepted would wait to wash over you another day. The dread and sadness feel palpable and you wonder if you accidentally put that on instead of the dress you pulled from the closet. Running into all of the perfectly coifed women with their darling little bundles would only cause the inevitable barrage of heart questions you work hard to stifle on a moment by moment basis. And you wonder if this is what you are pregnant with. Questions. Heart-wrenching questions. Is there something wrong with me? Did I do something to deserve this? Does God want good things for me? Does He see me?</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Will I ever be a Mom?</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Love, I have been there. I can walk into that memory as if it’s a panorama that preserved some of my darkest moments. It’s an exhibit I never wanted to visit and I’m deeply sorry that you have been given a ticket to the show. But, I’m happy to sit with you and allow you to cry on my shoulder as you ask the questions that I could never supply a satisfying answer for. Because I learned that this gift of infertility did not give me answers but people. People who tried not to offend, people who tried to understand, people who wept with me in silence, people who bound up the broken places, people who fought beside me in prayer. It was the people God gave me, that led me to understand that my longing to be a mom would only be satisfied in the arms of Jesus. If He wasn’t enough, no child would ever be able to fill that pit.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>It would be easy to stay home this week - and you can. I get it. But if you can muster the dependence it takes to bravely walk into the world, I believe you’ll find hope lies within the body of believers the Lord is preparing you to encourage. Because while infertility comes at a significant cost, what you buy with your heartache is a gift I would never return. This gift led me to deeper relationship with my husband, a more dependent faith in Christ, an ever-expanding village we call family, and, eventually, six amazing children who grew in my heart. These six jewels in my crown were knit together with providence and foreknowledge. They were on my Savior’s mind as he calmed my sobs and listened empathetically to my burdensome questions. He always saw me. And He sees you too, beloved.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>So this year, your arms may be empty but I’m praying your heart will be full. If you’re feeling left out try sitting up straight so everyone can see your crown.</i></div>
<i> </i><br />
<i> His, yours,</i><br />
<i> Kim aka “Mama”</i><br />
<br />
<br />
(You can read other writing from CAC mama, Kim, here: <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2016/12/rick-and-kims-adoption-story-depths-of.html">Depths of Love</a>, <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2016/01/guest-post-cost-of-infertility.html">The Cost Of Infertility: 10 Reflections</a>, <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-broken-crown-guest-post-by-kim.html">A Broken Crown</a>.)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</i></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-63240860428033849692020-05-07T16:50:00.002-05:002020-05-16T14:08:22.309-05:00Guest Post: To The Woman Considering Adoption <br />
Today's guest post is a beautiful letter from the perspective of a baby to his/her birth mother. As a Christian, wife, mama, adult adoptee, and pro-life advocate, Sarah is uniquely equipped to write this. Her voice is one that we can all learn from. Check out more of her story <a href="https://sarahzagorski.com/">here</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjia9cpOM1Bp50FCx8ZMnjhnpBuJvWxvqKcW2k0VfbzJhUPYnfTbnFDSSU9cYLHsVuVHI5ZH5ivWVNwSmyP3_Sz3j5LQ-gzj9Mz4Fu4OfdQgMyUYi45G2MN-IiiEUbK7mrur6hrJEjJZwHo/s1600/seashell-in-love-kristin-TkFzFeuPbBc-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjia9cpOM1Bp50FCx8ZMnjhnpBuJvWxvqKcW2k0VfbzJhUPYnfTbnFDSSU9cYLHsVuVHI5ZH5ivWVNwSmyP3_Sz3j5LQ-gzj9Mz4Fu4OfdQgMyUYi45G2MN-IiiEUbK7mrur6hrJEjJZwHo/s400/seashell-in-love-kristin-TkFzFeuPbBc-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
To The Woman Considering Adoption This Mother’s Day</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by <a href="https://sarahzagorski.com/">Sarah Zagorski</a></div>
<br />
<i>Dear Mom, </i><br />
<br />
<i>I know you can’t see me quite yet, but I can see you. No, not with my eyes, silly. I can see you with my heart. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Remarkably, your actions allow me to see who you are without even getting a glimpse of your face. From where I’m at I can hear your voice and detect the sound of your heartbeat as it races rapidly in conversations with the numerous, impossible voices around you. I am so impressed by your strength. I’m impressed by your courage. </i><br />
<br />
<i>I know God chose you to be my birth parent. He chose you to house me in your womb, and this will assure that our connection is forever. I think it might be important for you to hear from me as you consider your adoption decision. I want you to know that while it feels like your heart is breaking, placing me for adoption could be the very act that puts your heart back together again. Let me explain. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Right now you may feel consumed with grief at the idea of not being there when I take my first step, go to my first day of kindergarten or make my first friend. You may be sad that I will call someone else mom, and you might be scared I will hold your decision to place me for adoption against you. But one day, when I’m a bit older and when my own feet have traveled through life’s challenges, I will understand. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I will understand that your love for me was so great and so selfless that you examined your life and your current situation, and you decided you wanted to give me a future you didn’t think you could provide. I will be amazed that you had the maturity to see past the pain and confusion you are feeling right now.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>In the meantime, though, can you be patient with me, Mom? It may take some time for me to appreciate your decision once I’m out there in the world. It may take some time walking in my own shoes before I can understand what it was like to walk in yours. Until then, know your heart will become whole again once you realize you did exactly what the best moms do: Protect their children and give them the best future possible.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i> Love, Your Daughter </i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about becoming parents through domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-10138816303534434312020-05-05T19:52:00.002-05:002020-05-16T14:08:44.384-05:00Guest Post: To The Woman Who Made Me A Mother<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each guest post you read here this Mother's Day week was prayerfully written directly from the heart. Thank you to this <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> mama who so beautifully shares today. I'm grateful to know you, Sarah.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-340O3DLbGxr39hJTXzZiukDPAUwKbRzzZBk1MMKgcQlZHY9Gs3_z45Ak_RM6Onjd_GJfvkusq9CZSSpQ7DqrcpL1S0cICgdvmrTjlQ-7nOTsDd0g0MrRPGYwyBDf_ZjfOWWdXsYjr0FL/s400/carolyn-v-TiIvuqNnT4Y-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></span></div>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #343434;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #343434;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To the woman who made me a mother,</span></i><br />
<div class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I first heard your name and knew you carried a child for whom you were choosing parents, I didn’t know how to connect my heart to yours. It would have seemed presumptuous or somehow greedy, to ask something of you or to force a bond that wasn’t there yet. I had prayed for a child for so long and, forgive me, I didn’t know how to pray for her first mother.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>After we knew your name and knew we would be a family of three because of </i><b><i>your</i></b><i> courage and selflessness, I began to approach God in prayer — timidly at first, because I couldn’t presume to put myself in your shoes. But as we collectively waited for the birth of our daughter, I fell to my knees again and again, asking God to be near - to be your comforter. You faced circumstances not of your choosing and you faced impossible decisions and you did it — whether you felt brave or not — you </i><b><i>did</i> </b><i>it, courageously. You bore a daughter and you kissed her nose and gave her a name and then gave her a new family, as you chose us to parent her.</i></span></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I get to go into this weekend celebrating my own motherhood, which was born in tandem with yours. I don’t forget this for a moment. When my little girl looks at me, I see your hazel eyes and scrunchy nose and I am overwhelmed again with gratitude that your choice to make an adoption plan changed all our lives. You are the first mother our daughter loves and, by God’s grace, you are the woman who made me a mother. I don’t know what it’s like to be on your side of this adoption triad, but I am so very thankful for the abundance of love we share for this daughter.</span></i></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Mother’s Day is as nuanced and complex as motherhood - we both know this. And so in case no one remembers to say it: </i><b><i>happy Mother’s Day</i></b><i>. We celebrate you today, you who carry the mixed grief and peace of adoption with such grace. We are grateful for your life, your courage, and your selfless love.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">with love and gratitude,</span></i></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">sarah</span></i></span></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-58239626015397033482020-05-04T13:16:00.000-05:002020-05-16T14:09:03.397-05:00Guest Post: Letter To My Children This Mother's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm thankful for the opportunity to feature this letter from a <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> mama today. Below she shares her heart for her children as they navigate the complexities of Mother's Day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfm9256WDmp9N0jAunR8F1TlGPhhfwraKnki0n3FYkI6qG1-6lcPFjgoLmxYuMWZBR4m-EgwFcuUmvAglTkfpHAYTypaBaU0nNz9EmmA9PF1yZZ7DwwBiveVeAjOgBj9KefvVgaNU4kd05/s1600/rinck-content-studio-rMuBASHufwo-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfm9256WDmp9N0jAunR8F1TlGPhhfwraKnki0n3FYkI6qG1-6lcPFjgoLmxYuMWZBR4m-EgwFcuUmvAglTkfpHAYTypaBaU0nNz9EmmA9PF1yZZ7DwwBiveVeAjOgBj9KefvVgaNU4kd05/s640/rinck-content-studio-rMuBASHufwo-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">CAC</a> Mama Guest Post:<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>To My Children This Mother’s Day,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>This week the world celebrates “Mother’s Day” but for you it’s more complex-maybe sort of like eating a dessert while simultaneously pulling the bandaid off an open wound. There’s nothing simple about it-this coexisting sweetness and loss. Celebrating with me is sometimes a reminder for you that you aren’t celebrating with her. You love me with all that you are and tell me that repeatedly throughout each day. Yet right alongside that deep love for me, there is a deep love in your heart for the mama that you don’t get to hug today.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>So this Mother’s Day and always, I want you to know that whatever you are feeling, you can go right ahead and feel it, even if you can’t quite explain what’s on your heart and mind. I’m right here with you. I wish so badly that I could take away the hard...that somehow I could keep you from experiencing any pain ever. But I know that the reality is this: love is big and messy and unexplainable and deep. And the love you feel for me and for her is all of those things. These are complicated things...I won't pretend otherwise.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>My hope and prayer is that you wouldn’t ever think that loving well means only loving one of us. Love is big enough for us all. You love us both well, at the very same time. That’s undeniable. Your heart has such a beautiful capacity to love; you amaze me with the unmistakable tenderness and kindness and forgiveness you extend to us every single day. Please extend those same things towards yourself as you feel the complexity of this day.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="white-space: pre;"><i> </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>On Mother’s Day (and any day) when your feelings are too big to categorize, I pray that you will look to Jesus. He is your compassionate Savior who knows your thoughts before you think them. He saw you before you were born and all of your days were written in His book before even one of them came to be! He says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. And He says that you are oh so very loved.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Love, Mommy</i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-60702443000052515512020-05-04T08:00:00.000-05:002020-05-16T14:09:24.438-05:00Adoption Story: Vernon + RheaGod loves to work through community. Vernon and Rhea's adoption journey with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> so clearly reminds me that He often chooses to encourage and challenge our hearts through His people. It was such a joy for me to walk alongside this sweet couple as their Adoption Consultant. (And goodness, isn't their daughter adorable?!!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Gl576SfaOxXZBnMflqAIPdQ41eu2MxzOkvhx1fYLsKW9xVdDfu_b9Nr8puhPlKbX98V5bhNEUqyn6DiP7q1YPeqQ4bbOR3sewjgDDpSR1tDUi1VWkVHYzj2Wea0PFgjqxzfh5idSSJRL/s1600/EJ9A1663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Gl576SfaOxXZBnMflqAIPdQ41eu2MxzOkvhx1fYLsKW9xVdDfu_b9Nr8puhPlKbX98V5bhNEUqyn6DiP7q1YPeqQ4bbOR3sewjgDDpSR1tDUi1VWkVHYzj2Wea0PFgjqxzfh5idSSJRL/s640/EJ9A1663.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
Rhea shares:<br />
<br />
<i>A family friend of ours referred us to Katie with Christian Adoption Consultants in October 2018. We are so thankful we were able to connect with Katie and start our adoption journey with her. I had never heard of an adoption consultant but now it is my #1 recommendation to anyone considering adoption.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Our home study was complete at the end of 2018 and by January we were being sent situations about expecting mothers. We were so nervous to present our profile that we spent the first month just waiting and reading and not feeling the need to rush.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We presented our profile for the first time late January and quickly learned another family was chosen. We continued to present in the next few months to a couple expecting mamas - hearing the same news. My husband and I stayed optimistic but it was getting harder to think we would ever be chosen. Of course, looking back, our adoption happened pretty quickly.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>In July we presented to a mama that was due any day. This is when I started packing a bag – we just never knew what could happen! She chose another family but we continued to see several more situations each week. It was quite a roller coaster!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>It was early August when we heard again we hadn’t been chosen. Another situation had been sent during this time and I reached out to Katie to ask her thoughts on it. This situation felt riskier and a lot was unknown (which really always is true). When we started our journey, this may have been a situation we would’ve possibly not presented to. While my husband and I were deciding what to do, I read a blog from an adoptive mom telling what seemed to be our story. They were beginning to feel defeated and wondering if they would ever be chosen but took a leap of faith and presented even though they had fears. Her final thoughts were, “God will never let you miss your child.” I read the post to my husband with tears in my eyes and asked him again if we should present. It was so clear in that moment that it wasn’t up to us. It was out of our hands and we had to trust God knew what was best. That he wouldn’t let us miss our child.. Based on renewed inspiration from someone else’s journey – we presented. And we heard yes.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Less than nine months after our home study was complete our daughter was in our arms. We were able to share some time with our daughter’s birth mom and met some of her family during the hospital stay. We send updates and pictures often and even had the opportunity for a visit when our daughter was four months old. We know she will cherish the photos with her biological grandmother, aunt and sister when she is older and hope we can see them again soon.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We are so grateful for the guidance from CAC and Katie as we navigated our adoption journey. I honestly do not know where we would be without their help!</i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-34700366627641991392020-04-29T14:29:00.001-05:002020-05-16T14:09:38.026-05:00Adoption: 8 Ways To Love Well At The Hospital<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xNnKpjaJDUMuZRaQYrObP8uAI4kAU-fKvErXgPbxge1TzLOqgH0eJzw9FUdK98LLDIqOq-jTCj1jt_GAIhppcHUULb0jnGO10erIKY-SqigSwZh2AEAgY1YdvWuf1LqHngJA5WFDIohQ/s1600/678a90f4-eb02-41a6-966a-7f210bd5964d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xNnKpjaJDUMuZRaQYrObP8uAI4kAU-fKvErXgPbxge1TzLOqgH0eJzw9FUdK98LLDIqOq-jTCj1jt_GAIhppcHUULb0jnGO10erIKY-SqigSwZh2AEAgY1YdvWuf1LqHngJA5WFDIohQ/s640/678a90f4-eb02-41a6-966a-7f210bd5964d.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
We drove to the hospital in the dead of night, the freeway wide open and our hearts spilling over with nerves and hope. The moment we'd been waiting and praying for had finally arrived; the baby was coming! My heart beat wildly as I tried to remind myself: "The hospital time is not about us. Whatever happens, God is always trustworthy and love is always worth it."<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<h2>
<b>8 Ways to Love Well At The Hospital When You're Adopting</b></h2>
<br />
The hospital time is intense for everyone involved. As an adoptive parent I have learned hard lessons through our two adoption hospital experiences. And as an Adoption Consultant at <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> who has walked many adoptive parents through their own adoption hospital days, I am convinced of this: <i>we as adoptive parents have a responsibility to reflect God's heart of love at the hospital.</i> Here are 8 practical ways to love well during the hospital time.<br />
<br />
<b>1) Put the focus on her</b><br />
You have been waiting and dreaming and hoping for this day for so long. You will likely be filled with a myriad of thoughts centered on one thing: the baby. That's to be expected! But the hospital time is not about you. In all that you say and do during the hospital time, you want to keep in mind the mama who is making this adoption plan. This is her time and it's essential that you honor that. She is the one enduring extreme physical and emotional pain. She is the reason that you are here in the first place! Show her compassion, kindness, and patience. What does she want? What does she need? Make sure that she is the focus of your words, your actions, and your prayers.<br />
<br />
<b>2) Respect her decisions even if they differ from your preferences</b><br />
Before consents are signed, she is this child's mother (not birth mother). And as this child's mother, all decisions about the baby's care are hers to make if she wants to make them. She isn't going to do things exactly like you will because she is her own person with her own set of life experiences. It's likely that she will make a decision at some point during the hospital time that you wouldn't have chosen but that's ok. She gets to make whatever choices she wants to make about caring for the baby during this time. Vaccines? Circumcision? Breastfeeding? Whatever the topic-it's her choice. This can get tricky because sometimes doctors or nurses direct their questions to the adoptive parent. Always defer back to her:"That's her decision to make."<br />
<br />
<b>3) Be flexible; reality rarely looks like she/you have planned</b><br />
As you've likely already seen in your adoption story, things rarely go exactly according to plan. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the adoption, the expectant mama you match with will likely discuss her hospital plan with the agency. She may have detailed thoughts about what she wants the time to look like and what she wants your involvement to be, or she might not know what she wants. As emotions rise and circumstances evolve, plans change. Expect it and try to go with the flow. That can be extremely hard, especially if it means you won't be getting time with the baby. Does a shift from the hospital plan mean she's changing her mind about the adoption? Don't assume. Most likely it just means that she's making a decision about what seems best for her hospital experience now that she's actually in the experience. Flexibility is imperative. Again, respect her preferences and focus on her.<br />
<br />
<b>4) Be her advocate</b><br />
In an ideal world, each labor and delivery experience would be a positive one with the highest level of care possible. But sadly, that's not always the case. Some nurses and staff are not compassionate or respectful of a woman's decision to place a child for adoption. As wrong as it is, sometimes a patient is treated differently depending on their ethnicity or economic status or health history. If you are there with her, be her advocate; speak up for her if you see that she's not getting what she needs. Let your agency know if there's something going on that needs addressed so that they can advocate further as well.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>5) Look for ways to encourage and bless her</b><br />
It's impossible to understand just how gut-wrenching this entire experience is for a birth mom. Look for any ways that you can to encourage her with your attentiveness and your words. It's likely that her pregnancy hasn't been filled with positive words and support. Your encouraging words matter; let her know how much you care about her and appreciate her. Depending on the guidelines from your agency, look for ways to make her hospital time better. Could you bring her something to pass the time at the hospital (card game, snacks, magazine) or offer to pick up some food for her?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>6) Seek help from the adoption professionals you're working with</b><br />
When feelings are big, it's especially beneficial to hear input from someone a little further removed from the emotional picture. Stay in touch with your placing agency and your adoption consultant to keep them in the loop. If you have a concern or aren't sure how to handle something that comes up, make sure that you talk with your adoption professionals. Often your agency will have a feel for how you can best approach a situation if something complex arises.<br />
<br />
<b>7) Remember you aren't invincible</b><br />
You still need to eat, drink water, go to the bathroom, and rest. If you can, take a walk and get a little fresh air. Call home and talk to a friend. Time some time to pray with your spouse if you are married. In order to think clearly and love with your whole heart, you've got to take care of your own basic needs. That sounds like a no-brainer but in actuality, it's really easy to forget when you're in the moment.<br />
<br />
<b>8) Love with open hands</b><br />
Will she sign consents? Will this precious little baby come home to you? This is the very real and weighty issue on every adoptive parent's heart at the hospital. Fear of the unknown and "what ifs" can paralyze you if you let them. Don't let fear steal from you the chance to show love. You have been given the opportunity to support, encourage, and advocate for someone going through an unthinkably difficult time. Whatever happens, this woman is made in the image of God and she is worthy of your love. Love her well even as you recognize that you don't yet know the end of the story. Love is never wasted.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
--------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</i></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-59236143046077970422020-03-30T11:20:00.000-05:002020-05-16T14:09:51.220-05:00Adoption + The Sibling Perspective: Cosette's Story<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here in this space, I'm currently sharing some posts about Adoption and the Sibling Perspective. (Don't miss Gianna's thoughts <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2020/03/adoption-sibling-love-giannas-thoughts.html">here</a>!) For families who enter domestic infant adoption with children already in their home, they wisely consider, "How will this affect our other kids?" I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to share with you some thoughts from a few siblings of my <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">CAC</a> families.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cosette was almost 13 when <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2019/01/joel-and-jamies-adoption-story.html">her family</a> brought home their baby through adoption. Thank you, Cosette, for sharing your thoughts about adoption!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPk5HjaRcYA7ganRVrw4gnl-nTyRfYx3aqjDp2uINLbcaOSM496dWx5dyecrlhLJa7a2LIXwG1NojMAgoKSu73M7ImUyuDGsDbmV2J1KdpBL6q5SpJSkM0vZVGrODn2fYiuaeQGG0I2-E5/s1600/curtis+family_2019-55-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPk5HjaRcYA7ganRVrw4gnl-nTyRfYx3aqjDp2uINLbcaOSM496dWx5dyecrlhLJa7a2LIXwG1NojMAgoKSu73M7ImUyuDGsDbmV2J1KdpBL6q5SpJSkM0vZVGrODn2fYiuaeQGG0I2-E5/s640/curtis+family_2019-55-1.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">1) Did you have any fears or concerns about adoption while your family was in the adoption process waiting before your sibling was born? How did the Lord meet you in those?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Yes! Absolutely. I think my biggest fear was that once we finally were placed, that something would happen to the baby, or that the mom would change her mind. I think that God met me in that He gave me reassurance after reassurance that we were under HIS care throughout the adoption. We were never in control. He had us in the palm of His hand and His plan was the best for us.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">2) What are some things that you love about adoption and how God brought your siblings to you?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>One thing that I specifically love about adoption, and every adoption as its own entity, is that God makes every adoption unique for the needs of the mom, child, and receiving family. In both of my family's adoptions, it was clear that God had built the circumstances for our family. Whether difficult or simple, every situation was made with us in mind.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">3) What do you wish that people knew about adoption?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>It's not taboo!...or, doesn't have to be. It's alright to talk about adoption and to ask questions. Most of the time, we are MORE than willing to share.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">4) What has God taught you about Himself through adoption in your family?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>God has taught me that He is SO much bigger than what I'm seeing in front of my face. He has a plan in mind. I am much better off when I step out in faith in His plan, whether that means stepping into good or "bad."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">5) Anything else you'd like to share?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>It's perfectly alright to share about your struggles with adoption. They are just as valuable as your good times. The wave is ok. The wave can even help others in their journeys.</i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</i></span></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-4050033376203779782020-03-28T11:05:00.002-05:002020-05-16T14:10:02.519-05:00Adoption + The Sibling Perspective: Gianna's Thoughts<div>
<br /></div>
When families who already have children in their home consider domestic infant adoption, it's not uncommon for them to grapple with the question, "How will this affect our other kids?" As an Adoption Consultant with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a>, I've been so blessed to watch God knit families together through domestic infant adoption. One of my favorite things as a Consultant is hearing about the love and bond that God grows between siblings through adoption. I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to share with you some stories this week from the perspective of siblings!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Below are thoughts from Gianna, a high schooler who went from being an only child to being a big sister a few years ago <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2020/03/adoption-story-chris-victoria.html">when her parents</a> were clients of mine at CAC. Thank you, Gianna, for sharing your heart with us!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 453px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 558px;"><img height="453" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_XwIor2GbOSRlTeG-XNczXitBwunN7xTMU55YRj_r_UZOmiM89bO3G7GpUxuCiNVtXBUABfaUb42wxZsoIupYXaFflGnqb4DBfR0utOsSFm-Nlu3fTD7XEM1M9jflnEosl6qTuiWx8-BJf9boQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="558" /></span></div>
<div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-6773a823-7fff-5f7e-29e0-e0a903b8f9c1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"></span></div>
<div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-d3ad731c-7fff-6fa2-0ba5-c6beb6546793" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-d3ad731c-7fff-6fa2-0ba5-c6beb6546793" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-d3ad731c-7fff-6fa2-0ba5-c6beb6546793" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">
</span>
<br />
<div>
<div>
<b>When you learned that your parents planned to adopt, what were your thoughts/feelings?</b></div>
<div>
<i>"When I found out my parents were planning to adopt, I had mixed emotions. On one hand, I was ecstatic because I had always wanted a sibling and could not wait until I had a little brother or sister. However on the other hand, I had doubts that my family would never get picked, or the birth mother would change her mind once we were picked. I did not want to get my hopes up for something that may never happen until it was legally finalized. I tried to contain my feelings because I knew I would be devastated if the adoption did not work out. However, once the adoption was legal, I was the happiest girl in the world and filled with more love than I knew ever was possible."</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>How has adoption surprised you?</b></div>
<div>
<i>"Adoption has surprised me in many different ways. First, I never thought that adoption would affect me as much as it has. Adoption has made me a much stronger pro-life supporter than I was previously. I could not fathom my life would be like without William. If William’s biological mother had an abortion instead of giving him up for adoption, I would have never known him. The thought of this makes me a fierce fighter for the end of all abortion. I cannot wait to attend the March for Life 2020 with my school’s Respect Life Club to fight for the end of abortion and instead the “growth of adoption.” Secondly, adoption has made me softer, more patient, and more loving. It has shown me a whole new type of love. I was an only child for 13 years, and I felt a sense of emptiness in my heart. However once we adopted William, I experienced a whole new type of love that I had never felt before. William has made my heart feel full, and I am so thankful for that. There is nothing like hearing the pitter patter of little feet coming into my room to wake me up in the morning, and the big hug and kiss he gives me. The sibling bond we share is unbreakable. Every time I look at him I think how lucky I am to have him for my brother, my forever buddy. Lastly, adoption has made me a more gracious person. I am forever thankful that adoption has given me a sibling, and I owe it all to God’s plan. William truly is the greatest blessing, and I am reminded of the blessing of adoption each and every day when I hear his laughter."</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrIjv9aeum32AusmAJ_qPk3BHoSgWccL-m99XN_f3TpuyLNwHmJW7NgUT5IBMn0U4gnzZrNlrhEZ955iT6vFmD1Y8STiTaYxS3KIWD51Fwh6lviMMa8_NjEQqd3QOdeB7h379CtOiz7nF/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrIjv9aeum32AusmAJ_qPk3BHoSgWccL-m99XN_f3TpuyLNwHmJW7NgUT5IBMn0U4gnzZrNlrhEZ955iT6vFmD1Y8STiTaYxS3KIWD51Fwh6lviMMa8_NjEQqd3QOdeB7h379CtOiz7nF/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>What thoughts do you have for someone who isn’t sure that adoption will be a positive thing for their family?</b></div>
<div>
<i>"I would share my personal experiences with adoption and tell them how much brighter, fuller and complete my life has gotten since adopting my little brother. He truly was the missing piece to our family puzzle. I often felt lonely when I was an only child, but now I have a lifelong best friend that will always be by my side. Adoption has been nothing but positive for my family, and I am a better person because of it. Before Will, I always felt loved as I still do, but now I can show MY love to him. I am so grateful every day that my family was chosen to be Will’s forever family. We even celebrate his “forever family” day with a party. Because of my experience, I am now a firm supporter of adoption. I believe that more and more people should adopt because it truly is the greatest blessing. It is the BEST thing my family ever did!"</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>What do you wish more people knew/understood about adoption?</b></div>
<div>
<i>"I wish that more people understood that just because you are not biologically related, does not mean the connection and love is any different. I love my little brother with my whole entire heart, and it never even crosses my mind that he is not my biological brother. I also wish people would not fear an “open” adoption. It’s not as scary and intimidating as people may think. I see it as a positive with more people loving Will. It will actually make everything smoother once he can fully understand and he will never wonder through his childhood who his biological family is. I am just so very grateful that they chose my family. Adopting my brother has changed me in ways that are indescribable. I used to wonder what it would be like to have a little brother, now I can’t imagine life without him. His smile is infectious and makes me smile more. His laugh is contagious and makes me laugh more. His love is something I’ve never felt before. Will has brought so much happiness to my family. I am truly blessed to call him my brother, my forever friend and thank God every day for him."</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com. I'd love to connect with you!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-67356122076528991472020-03-25T14:43:00.000-05:002020-05-16T14:10:11.741-05:00Adoption Story: Darin + Lois<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not easy to hold fast to hope, stand on the truth about who God is, and keep trusting He is working even while you wait during your adoption. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It IS easy to become discouraged, question if you'll ever be chosen, become frustrated, and want to give up while you're waiting to be chosen by an expectant mom making an adoption plan.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Darin and Lois blew me away by their consistent trust in the Lord during their difficult adoption wait! The grace He poured out on them while they waited was so beautiful to see. I'm so happy to share some thoughts from Lois today about their adoption journey with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">CAC</a>!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3H2Za9_YmKliMatDLQFp7-cghfF0UVYwPVZWwVFAXdPnSFYp0KiqzA6hinRiLbIS6_RN3ywBCXafmXDqGTw5s_3eoaxsdxPkDPe45-QoTYLpprnSHcEfDoY0sP-JvomQgJ-gPjkwgDWGE/s1600/Image+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3H2Za9_YmKliMatDLQFp7-cghfF0UVYwPVZWwVFAXdPnSFYp0KiqzA6hinRiLbIS6_RN3ywBCXafmXDqGTw5s_3eoaxsdxPkDPe45-QoTYLpprnSHcEfDoY0sP-JvomQgJ-gPjkwgDWGE/s640/Image+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>This journey of bringing home our baby girl has been a long, beautiful, and hard road. It began in May of 2018 when we first spoke with Katie and began our home study. We had thought we prepared ourselves to wait… and wait… and wait to hear a “yes.” There were many times, after hearing “no,” we had to remind ourselves that God is writing this story. And while the waiting and wishing were so hard, He did give us peace. It wasn’t always easy, but we truly knew we were doing what He wanted us to do. While we waited, we focused on enjoying the days of “just us two.” We spent a lot of those “just us” days dreaming of when it would be “three.” And yet we found ways of filling these days with fun and happiness and doing things we knew we wouldn’t be able to do with a child; building a better marriage and relationship with each other and with God.</i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>We were officially home study approved in the beginning of July 2018 and were excited to be able to present to a mom who was due in just a few months. This was the first of many times we heard “she chose another family.” In spite of the disappointments, we continued feeling that we were on the right path. We knew God would someday bring our baby home. In July 2019, almost exactly a year after being home study approved, we finally heard the long-awaited “YES!” After hearing no so often, it seemed unreal to us that we were chosen. In the next few days, reality began to sink in and we began to get so so excited. She was due in November and that seemed so far away.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In the months of waiting for our baby girl to be born, we saw the heart of love in our daughter's birth mom for her unborn child. The courage she showed and the love she had for her, showed such a sacrificial and brave spirit. We truly felt God’s hand in this match and the long wait to hear a “yes” was worth every "no" we had to hear first.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>We see God’s fingerprints over and over in our journey to bring home our daughter. We are grateful that He led us to Katie and her prayers, encouragement and advice have been invaluable. We treasure the memories Darin and I made during the many months of waiting, and we see how it brought us closer together and created a better marriage. And learning more of God’s love and His care through difficult times has deepened our relationship with Him. </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEoV5pf-6Gy1RYnwpm1AG9CCbxaFpJN7pMVpVB0xIUXcT9KcTR-anhQCXnEguCHHCsuHSkxSfXYKi6ahIT3ORl5wuESQj7b9tCjeIKJGh_htxmmT71WQqICHvKwET6nJLw7kEtLaWMKiK/s1600/IMG-0252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1195" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEoV5pf-6Gy1RYnwpm1AG9CCbxaFpJN7pMVpVB0xIUXcT9KcTR-anhQCXnEguCHHCsuHSkxSfXYKi6ahIT3ORl5wuESQj7b9tCjeIKJGh_htxmmT71WQqICHvKwET6nJLw7kEtLaWMKiK/s640/IMG-0252.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com. I'd love to help you!</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-6897159811411460072020-03-20T12:59:00.000-05:002020-05-16T14:10:30.748-05:00Uncertainties in Adoption<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the very beginning of your adoption journey until the day your adoption is finalized, there will be uncertainties. But the current situation in our country stirs up some unique unknowns. And let's face it-we hate uncertainty. We want to know what's going to happen, how it's going to happen, and when it's going to happen. As an Adoption Consultant with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">CAC</a>, I know there are many questions right now. But here's the thing: the uncertainties in adoption, no matter how hard they are, are also opportunities for us to look to Jesus and proclaim the trustworthiness of God. What does that look like for us right now?</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbedg9aNpbm2BGXBRZmlASlnNVPXWxlPcS06nskf5oisLglU-0Q58yzleMgNKbKlxYbBDyYUoKYtQ7NSw3WBCkqRTSacF3df7y52I8r-LPDeas0nUs-ImRl7YCfoBcVqWHTRSntm5M5d5/s1600/andrew-seaman-Y3WEhjQivTI-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbedg9aNpbm2BGXBRZmlASlnNVPXWxlPcS06nskf5oisLglU-0Q58yzleMgNKbKlxYbBDyYUoKYtQ7NSw3WBCkqRTSacF3df7y52I8r-LPDeas0nUs-ImRl7YCfoBcVqWHTRSntm5M5d5/s640/andrew-seaman-Y3WEhjQivTI-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b>1. Remember who God has been in the past.</b><br />
<i>"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8</i><br />
<br />
Let's start at the Gospel: when you were far from Him, God sent Jesus to die in your place and take the punishment for your sin<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">s. In His great love, He made you His child forever! He loves you so much that He sacrificed His Son for you. That is who God has been in your past. He has met your greatest need by sending Jesus! Now, let's look more specifically at your adoption story: how has God shown you His love, His provision, His presence so far in your adoption journey?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2. Remind yourself of who God is in the present.</b></span><br />
<i><b>"</b>But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-23 </i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>"God is our refuge and strength, </i><i>a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1</i><br />
<br />
God is the God of steadfast love and it's a love that will never stop. God is the God of a mercy that does not end. God is faithful; nothing will stop His faithfulness. God is our refuge and our strength. God is a very present help in trouble. This is all because of Jesus! Remind yourself of these truths of who God is right now. What about during your adoption journey today? How have you seen Him showing His steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness today? How have you seen Him be your refuge, strength and very present help today? Call it to mind and thank Him for who He is.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Remind yourself who God will always be.</b><br />
<i>"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:9</i><br />
<i><br /></i>Whatever comes, nothing will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Unchanging, full of love, your provider, with you, steadfast in love and mercy, faithful, your refuge and strength, your present help in trouble: God will always be these things! Whatever uncertainty you have right now in your adoption journey-remind yourself of who God will always be.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4. Wisely do your research and take recommended precautions.</b></span><br />
The directors at CAC <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/our-commitment-during-covid-19/&source=gmail&ust=1585245027925000&usg=AFQjCNH8ExAF8TDDTgu953hwerhn-wUNDw" href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/our-commitment-during-covid-19/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">recently shared this statement</a> regarding families considering traveling for an adoption: <i>"In the current environment, it’s important for all of us to remain vigilant and take the recommended safety precautions including adoption travel plans. We are recommending families with pending travel plans consult with your agency/attorney and frequently check/follow the health authorities (such as your local health officials, CDC, State Department, etc) guidelines and restrictions for travel as well as check with your airlines for up to date travel information during this time." </i>Regarding any other questions you have right now about uncertainties pertaining to your adoption, check with the adoption professionals (agency/home study provider/attorney, etc) connected with your adoption for guidance.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><b>5. Prayerfully seek God for direction and help.</b><br />
<i>"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:5,6</i><br />
<br />
God wants us to come to Him with the concerns on our hearts. He is here with us and wants to give us His peace. Bring to Him the uncertainties you're walking through right now. Seek Him for guidance and help. God loves to give us wisdom as we ask. He is able to guard your heart and your mind.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Adoption is stressful enough without adding in a pandemic! But even in the midst of uncertainties, we can look to Jesus and find peace. God loves adoption and that has not changed! Let's go to Him and remind ourselves who God has been in the past, who He is right now, and who He will always be. Let's wisely do our research and take recommended precautions. And let's prayerfully seek God for wisdom and help.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"<span style="letter-spacing: 0.25px;">You keep him in </span><span style="border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: 0.25px;">perfect</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.25px;"> </span><span style="border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: 0.25px;">peace</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.25px;"> whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3</span></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-62580153391576213112020-03-17T10:36:00.000-05:002020-05-16T14:10:40.819-05:00Adoption Story: Chris + VictoriaWhen you hear those hard words, "She chose another family," it's difficult not to take it personally. Doubts can easily creep in. "Will we ever be chosen? Are we too old? Is there something wrong with us?" Continuing to wait on God's timing without giving up during the wait is just plain hard. I'm so very glad that Chris and Victoria held on and kept believing that God knew what He was doing. When I think back on their adoption journey with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a>, what most stands out in my mind is the incredible and beautiful open adoption God formed. From the moment that they heard about their son, they not only opened their hearts to him, but opened their hearts to his entire birth family as well. I'm so grateful to Victoria for being willing to share their story below:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPXAgr57cnz9k2MmDBVrDU22auNMSmpQxy9vzxx7GgDJYw0Jjh35PAzViKizo0NsafOeagtxai8e5-qIg2l8nYmb4fofR0YmBR02rsLtr_4Q1q8amxngFJlTt3mrfm59k_zYE347IDoKX/s1600/image0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="737" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPXAgr57cnz9k2MmDBVrDU22auNMSmpQxy9vzxx7GgDJYw0Jjh35PAzViKizo0NsafOeagtxai8e5-qIg2l8nYmb4fofR0YmBR02rsLtr_4Q1q8amxngFJlTt3mrfm59k_zYE347IDoKX/s640/image0.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdCDKwy2K2jh3qf0RZU0I2GbCr-5HSr2ihQU1vm5rXjQO5YTWITSZzMKTRzX0j18cailgUODlg-_9UWWAlcvk6T8-PzOk3JeV6oUtS2TD1Mnlq8p-Ko4-jF67KQmAdMXABIwwmnITfQc1/s1600/image5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="750" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdCDKwy2K2jh3qf0RZU0I2GbCr-5HSr2ihQU1vm5rXjQO5YTWITSZzMKTRzX0j18cailgUODlg-_9UWWAlcvk6T8-PzOk3JeV6oUtS2TD1Mnlq8p-Ko4-jF67KQmAdMXABIwwmnITfQc1/s640/image5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Adoption can be scary and overwhelming at times but it is all worth it in the end! All the moments of uncertainty, doubt, and anxiousness from the journey just become a memory when we finally met our son. When you fall in love with your child, you will truly forget about the struggle and long journey it took to bring you together. If you're considering adoption, I want to encourage you: <b>everything you endure is all worth it, so do not lose hope or give up on your dreams. </b>Each person's journey will be different. <span style="color: #222222;">As you're waiting to be matched, remember, God is working! Maybe you haven't been chosen yet because the child God has for you has not yet been born.</span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know my son was chosen for us by God. We heard about our son 3 months after he was born. <span style="color: #222222;">When we were chosen we found out that his biological mother had named him</span><span style="color: #222222;"> "</span><span style="color: #222222;">William." We knew it was meant to be! You see, this was the name we had planned to name our son all along (if we ever had one) because it was my deceased father’s name. Coincidence? No! It was clearly God’s doing. We are so thankful that God brought us together and for the beautiful relationship we have with his birth family.</span></span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnsplazOulyKWdZ1O9iXVjvlj1Vt3d8lDOTx6XDbeFWBZnq3a8EHmz0P4eOpu8cdOsNL-EfMHstlBDsg63BeYOVYvfURasklaieL1yCJX85dgnAR0-rH3dubrIDr-M6YWsvQuD-3bVEA_/s1600/image3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="750" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnsplazOulyKWdZ1O9iXVjvlj1Vt3d8lDOTx6XDbeFWBZnq3a8EHmz0P4eOpu8cdOsNL-EfMHstlBDsg63BeYOVYvfURasklaieL1yCJX85dgnAR0-rH3dubrIDr-M6YWsvQuD-3bVEA_/s640/image3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOHX874ZFeWNYSFnNUaEGWS3TWMcxPD6r2UVnEotkMclpVqZ9YvHsXgSr89VQm8v-LhPnAM0mY1YcB_mmT23XHIxviQia2BC_yHgl5NtaWV8_RxXgC4EG8m7PEd8fEGTsLdP9YQLhqSoB/s1600/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="725" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOHX874ZFeWNYSFnNUaEGWS3TWMcxPD6r2UVnEotkMclpVqZ9YvHsXgSr89VQm8v-LhPnAM0mY1YcB_mmT23XHIxviQia2BC_yHgl5NtaWV8_RxXgC4EG8m7PEd8fEGTsLdP9YQLhqSoB/s640/image1.jpeg" width="470" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Times;">
<i>For years we were skeptical of an open adoption. Frankly, that probably stopped us for many years with proceeding with the adoption process at all. It was scary and intimidating to me because I didn’t know what to expect. However, after taking classes for our home study and learning more, openness started to be less scary. My extreme desire to have another child trumped any other reservations I had. <b>Once we met our son's birth family, the sense of gratitude just overwhelmed me. If it wasn’t for them picking us, I would not be holding this precious child. </b>We could not thank them enough. I have nothing but gratitude towards our son’s biological parents and family. They did one of the hardest and selfless acts that one can do by choosing to place their child for adoption. I can’t fathom how hard that was for them. <b>I will forever be thankful and grateful that they chose us to be his forever family. </b>Since adopting William, we have stayed in touch with texting, pictures and annually seeing the whole extended family. We have been down to Florida a few times and they have visited us as well. They send Christmas, birthday and Easter presents. Now, three years later, there is still a very deep sense of gratitude in my heart for them and I honestly don’t see this feeling ever changing. We believe that the open adoption will make it a more natural way of explaining his adoption story to him. Throughout his childhood he will never wonder who his biological family is, or where he was born. We see open adoption as a win-win for everyone but especially for my son because he is loved by so many!</i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Times;">
<i><br /></i><i>I would highly recommend Katie Fenska with Christian Adoption consultants because she always believed God had a plan for us and convinced us to never lose hope. She stayed positive when I had terrible doubts and fears of never being chosen because of our age. She never once felt that age was an obstacle and convinced me there were many positives to being an older mom that expectant moms would appreciate. She stayed in contact regularly, and always prayed for us during the waiting time. <b>At one point, when we were almost ready to give up, she reassured me that God had a plan and urged us to hang in there. Miraculously, we received the call a week later that we were chosen.</b> Katie was compassionate, caring, insightful, spiritual and positive throughout the whole journey. If anyone is thinking of adopting, I would highly recommend working with Katie! She will have your best interest at heart and put all your doubts and fears to rest.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com. I'd love to connect with you!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-63741024602109507612020-02-22T20:54:00.001-06:002020-05-16T14:10:51.013-05:00Adoption Story: Dave + GwenAn adoption process began after years of surrendering and waiting on God's timing. Her heart stirred with the dream of twins. Just when it looked like that dream would become a reality, the tables turned and dreams shattered. But God is the best Author and His stories are better than what we imagine. <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">CAC </a>mama, Gwen, powerfully shares below about their family's adoption journey:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNK5ysg80KNzMb6SLZPn12ApgGiVwzVPb-Zkpoiclo3FOoILGfTIPO8JjrwOdl3jqYKluPNHdIX_1ypU36IqpqkF_vOFCW8smWXldQWbE1lk0_-1L9VDC12e4hz-bs7n9FYJvfMvDPOS4/s1600/gwen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNK5ysg80KNzMb6SLZPn12ApgGiVwzVPb-Zkpoiclo3FOoILGfTIPO8JjrwOdl3jqYKluPNHdIX_1ypU36IqpqkF_vOFCW8smWXldQWbE1lk0_-1L9VDC12e4hz-bs7n9FYJvfMvDPOS4/s640/gwen1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>As a child, motherhood wasn’t something I dreamed of. Marriage, sure. Travel and a career that involved nature and adventure, definitely. But motherhood… it just seemed distant and vague and not something that I could see for myself. So how in the world, you might wonder, did I come to the place in life where I am the mother of not one or two, but FIVE amazing little people? Well, some days I survey the beautiful chaos that is our house and wonder the same thing! As with so many of your amazing stories, ours is one with twists and turns, hopes and heartbreak and the work of the God who knows the deepest dreams of our hearts.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Though the “career” wasn’t one I had anticipated, by the time I turned 25, I had filled a passport traveling to countries in Africa, Asia, India and Central America, engaging with widows and orphans and those overlooked by society. Those trips in my early 20s wrecked me in all the best ways. God used them to open my eyes to His heart for people of all nations and His passion for the plight of the oppressed and downtrodden. And while I am most certainly still on a journey of learning His heart, it was in those years that God opened my heart to motherhood and adoption. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>So when I met Dave on a blind date in April 2007, adoption was part of our very first convo. I know, it’s a bit much for a blind date!!!! But we look back and realize it was a divinely orchestrated conversation that set the stage for what God wanted to do in and through us in the days to come! Much to our surprise, we found ourselves expecting our oldest within our first year of marriage. My sister had given birth to fraternal twins a few months after our wedding, so part of me very much expected to find two little heartbeats at that first OB visit. But twins were not the plan this time around and we welcomed our first little love in 2009. After Aden, we asked God whether to keep having biological children, start the process of adoption or stop altogether. We felt like God said to keep trying for biological kids, so we added Carson to the mix in 2011 and then Callen in 2012. Right around the time Callen was born, we felt strongly that for the first time, God was saying to “stop and leave space.” </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>So we did. We took permanent measures to prevent a future pregnancy and I began researching international adoption agencies. Less than a month after Callen came home from the hospital, I handed Dave a packet of paperwork to get us started on the road to adoption. He took one look at it and handed it back, emphatic that with three kids 3 and under, this month was NOT the time to start a home study. So I let it go for a bit and then brought it back up. Again, it wasn’t time. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Several times I approached the subject, yet every time Dave gently pushed back. I wrestled with God, afraid that we would lose sight of our desire to adopt in the midst of the craziness of having three little boys, afraid that if we grew too comfortable as a family of 5 that we wouldn’t have the courage to rock that boat. Our hearts' desire was to follow Jesus no matter what He asked of us and yet I was letting fear dictate my expectations and drive me in a direction God wasn’t going in. One morning, in the way that only He can, God asked me to surrender it, to put it "on the shelf” in my heart, to trust Him with my dreams and to stop pestering my sweet husband about starting something before we were ready. So I did. And it hurt. But I have found there is always freedom in surrender. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The days rolled into years and still God said to trust Him, to keep my hands open and my heart surrendered. One year, two years, five years went by before the Holy Spirit whispered that it was time. Time to dust off a dream, time to rock the boat. When I brought it up to Dave, to my surprise. he too felt like it was time. We talked and prayed and processed our thoughts with other adoptive families and quickly realized that while we had always thought the plan would be to adopt internationally, that God was directing us toward private infant adoption. Our youngest was 5, we had given away all our baby gear, it felt totally left-field and yet rang true in our hearts. A college friend and fellow adoptive parent pointed us to CAC and we began the process. We knew we wanted to adopt a baby girl, as Dave had always wanted a daughter, but when it came time to check boxes on our home study paperwork, I felt this strong desire for twins rise up in my heart. We went ahead and checked the box for multiples and then laughed about it, because we remembered how difficult it was for my sister when her bio twins were infants and figured that one infant was crazy enough, much less two! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We began submitting books to baby girl situations and were passed by for several, when, out of nowhere, an acquaintance approached us about a local non-agency twin situation. I hadn’t told anyone about my growing desire for twins and was floored when she mentioned it to us. It was not with an agency and we knew some of the risks involved in such a case, but we prayed about it, sought counsel and felt strongly that we were supposed to go ahead with it, despite the risks. We invested our hearts and our prayers into the birth mom, the woman who brought it to us and the beautiful babies we hoped to bring in our family. As their due date drew near, we assembled cribs and bought carseats and diapers and made space in our home and our hearts for these little ones. So naturally, we were devastated when we received a call a few weeks before Christmas letting us know that the twins had been born, but that the adoption was not going to go through. To add insult to injury, we found out a few weeks later that the acquaintance who connected us to the situation, a woman I had considered a friend, hadn’t been entirely honest about the dynamics at play. Heartbreak, betrayal, confusion, loss. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>In my pain, I struggled to understand why in the world God would’ve directed us into this situation, why He would’ve led us into this knowing what the outcome would be. Did we hear Him wrong? Did we overlook something crucial that could’ve saved us the heartache? Like the Israelites at the Red Sea, I saw only the churning waters, not the path forward. Many mornings, I spent my time with God laid out on the nursery floor, sobbing into the carpet as I laid all my questions and emotions at His feet. I would put “King of My Heart” on repeat and alternate between wailing and whispering “You are good, You are good, You are good.” It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t poetic, but it was powerful. In the snotty mess of my pain, He met me again and again. Not with answers as much as with peace and assurance that He is truly good in all things, even when my heart is hurting and I don’t see the way forward. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Christmas and New Years came and went and after a time, we felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit to get up and get back in the game, to start seeing situations again, to risk with our hearts again. Only now we knew that what our family wanted, what our family needed wasn’t just one baby. It was two. And that felt scary. How long would it take to see twin situations? How long would it take to get picked? What if we never got picked? All the doubts, all the thoughts rolled around in my heart, vying for my attention. It was a daily fight to keep my thoughts surrendered, anchored in the truth that God loves me, He knows my heart and He gives me what is best. To our surprise, we quickly received word of a twin situation (through CAC this time!) and with shaking hearts, submitted a book. Soon thereafter, the agency called to let us know that the birth mother had chosen us! We were elated, overwhelmed by the kindness and faithfulness of God. At our lunch with her a few weeks later, the twins’ amazing birth mom said that one of the reasons she picked us was because "we were ready, we had all the stuff already.” </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The twins came by surprise a few weeks after that meeting and our family stepped into a treasure greater than we could’ve imagined. Camden’s name means “from the winding valley” for that is what this journey has been. We could never have anticipated the way this story would unfold, the way God would navigate us through the twists and turns to bring us into spacious places and give us what our hearts had barely dared to dream of. Camden, Blakeley and their birth family are a gift we didn’t know we needed and couldn’t imagine life without. He knows us, He loves us and He delights to give us what we need. </i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWajjoUEYMllYlshwqtZdvrEn5H0qwBmPgMwxLNLpAtwGxldvgXGd4lL1hXe6vR9hhjPAnFonxFcYrIl9-TzcoPR_UCyHXEEPLH421Mv9YErLVuDwHFE1mQmkwoSmc62m_dqEOTAuIEHN/s1600/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWajjoUEYMllYlshwqtZdvrEn5H0qwBmPgMwxLNLpAtwGxldvgXGd4lL1hXe6vR9hhjPAnFonxFcYrIl9-TzcoPR_UCyHXEEPLH421Mv9YErLVuDwHFE1mQmkwoSmc62m_dqEOTAuIEHN/s640/image1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_zk_xkMIfHBs_wVAQRJW5DruAwft4lzgQRFt6zw7F1ry_6L9-Kz1TkMwAKPyIF_dFpgiNIlhaBKO-WKHnACwvADK0DffM6LaCyD6CpKMeqaQN50FhW8ImmQ6D4hq91YBXDe7ix4cHOJX/s1600/Gwen2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_zk_xkMIfHBs_wVAQRJW5DruAwft4lzgQRFt6zw7F1ry_6L9-Kz1TkMwAKPyIF_dFpgiNIlhaBKO-WKHnACwvADK0DffM6LaCyD6CpKMeqaQN50FhW8ImmQ6D4hq91YBXDe7ix4cHOJX/s640/Gwen2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com. I'd love to help you!</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-76896583855723602482020-02-11T13:59:00.003-06:002021-01-13T22:21:28.649-06:00Why Choose Christian Adoption Consultants?If you're considering using an Adoption Consultant during your adoption journey, it's imperative that you do your research. How can you be sure that <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> is worth your investment? Here are six essential attributes that make us stand out:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLN8ttYW45eTVG6oURj5fLLjSLAWEOwFT52I4RhRyISjsTc_Nrvf6VZD00C0PsC1yOXk3-PgBVtVEdYm1TlV3PowFCr1Ca9-7VQ3Z18iWgob14jLD1bNdDBzRf8XLTEhGXcZM3bv0KCMRn/s1600/christian-fickinger-MDIGo4Ez-0g-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLN8ttYW45eTVG6oURj5fLLjSLAWEOwFT52I4RhRyISjsTc_Nrvf6VZD00C0PsC1yOXk3-PgBVtVEdYm1TlV3PowFCr1Ca9-7VQ3Z18iWgob14jLD1bNdDBzRf8XLTEhGXcZM3bv0KCMRn/s640/christian-fickinger-MDIGo4Ez-0g-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>1. We aren't just adoptive parents-we are professionals.</b> Think with me about this for a minute. If you need surgery do you want someone operating on you who has had the surgery themselves or do you want someone who has been trained to perform the surgery and is surrounded by a team of highly qualified medical professionals with a variety of expertise to weigh in on your situation? There are many consulting companies out there but I'm not aware of any with the level of expertise that CAC has. Our directors founded CAC in 2006, have adopted both domestically and internationally, have served as Founders and Directors of licensed adoption agencies, and have now assisted over 3000 families on their adoption journey. Our team comes with incredible combined expertise and experience; we hold degrees ranging from masters to bachelors in the counseling, social work, child welfare, and human services fields. Our team is comprised of licensed social workers, Certified Parent Trainers with TCU Institute of Child Development, two birth mothers, an adoptee, ministry leaders, as well as adoptive parents. At CAC your Consultant will not only draw from their own experience and training to serve you with excellence, they will be linked together with other adoption professionals on our team to provide you expert help.<br />
<br />
<b>2. We take adoption ethics seriously. </b>Pretty much any adoption entity out there is going to say they are ethical. Please don't just take their word for it. At CAC, we don't just want to help you adopt-we want to help you have an adoption process that honors and respects each part of the adoption triad and glorifies God. We equip and educate you from the foundation that each part of the adoption triad matters and believe that each should be honored. On our team, we have both an adoptee and two birth mothers who share their invaluable experiences and view points. Though our job is to specifically work with hopeful adoptive parents, adoption isn't just about adoptive parents. As we walk you through your adoption process, we strive to reflect God's heart, not only for you as an adoptive family, but also His heart for birth parents, and His heart for adoptees.<br />
<br />
<b>3. We empower you to make knowledgeable decisions in your adoption journey. </b>We believe that your adoption process is yours, not ours; we are there as your guide and support. An important part of what we do is point you to resources, research, and information to equip you. We don't pressure you or guilt you into any decisions; we want to help you make your own wise choices. You have the freedom to choose your adoption preferences (gender, budget, exposure level, ethnicity) and to make decisions based on your own comfort level. As a CAC client, you will always know the name of the agency or attorney for each adoption situation you receive. You are never required to present your profile book to any expectant mother that you don't feel comfortable with; there is no limit to the amount of times you can pass on presenting your book to situation you're sent. From helping you identify potential risks factors, to helping you think through specific ways to honor and respect your child's birth mom, to informing you how to protect your child's adoption story, to educating you about different levels of openness, we will equip you with what you need to make informed decisions during your adoption process. The heart of what we do is not about speed or numbers-it's to honor God while we equip families to walk wisely through their adoption journeys.<br />
<br />
<b>4. We are accessible. </b>All of our clients have our direct phone numbers and email addresses. Our company standard is to respond to all emails within 24 hours (except on the weekend) and we are always available in the case of an emergency situation for our active clients. Most of us on the team have been through the adoption process ourselves and we know first hand how imperative it is to have your questions answered quickly! The consultants on our team are not working as an adoption consultant "on the side"; CAC consultants' primary employment is serving our adoptive families in this capacity.<div><br /></div><div><b>5. We create a personalized agency and attorney list for you. </b>After you have shared with us where the Lord has led you in the specifics of your adoption preferences, we make a customized agency list based on those preferences from agencies we have evaluated. This multi-agency approach helps you broaden your reach and enables you to learn about more expectant mother situations than you would with only one agency. Full decision making rests in your hands regarding which agencies you choose to apply with. All situations that you receive are sent to you directly from an agency, attorney, or forwarded on to you by your consultant. At CAC you are not a part of a Listserv or merely a "resource" family. <br />
<br />
<b>6. We care about your story. </b>We don't see you as a number. Your personal story and your specific adoption process matters to us. We carry our CAC families on our hearts and feel the weight of brokenness and joy co-existing in each adoption journey. We pray for you, anticipate with you, rejoice with you, and seek to point you to the God of Hope. Coming alongside adoptive parents is a privilege that we don't take lightly.<br />
<br />
If you're considering using an Adoption Consultant, please do your research! Make sure the consulting company you choose is comprised of adoption professionals, takes ethics seriously, empowers you to make your own wise decisions, is accessible, creates a personalized agency list that meets your adoption preferences, and cares about you as a person. If you decide that CAC is what you're looking for, we would be honored to be a part of your adoption journey!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic infant adoption, please contact me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com.</div>
</div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-48722292119594710672020-02-10T14:43:00.001-06:002020-05-16T14:11:17.019-05:00Adoption Story: Tom + Deanna<br />
This is one of my all-time favorite photos that I've ever received from one of my families at <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a>. I'm not sure I've seen an adoption picture that better captures the joy of a mama meeting her child for the first time better than this one from Tom and Deanna!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWbY3DHtYl6JChyphenhyphencdod-VfKk3M0r4anM9xZ71wfrK_CUKWZgRX3nvL4AMT_hsdbuxtYjnfD-atYMVygqhQGckk7YySJh4iL7bvU_8O9BeRNtYHU3L0xKAPkjpAfrjE544wvI8CzjKDHHv/s1600/Dk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWbY3DHtYl6JChyphenhyphencdod-VfKk3M0r4anM9xZ71wfrK_CUKWZgRX3nvL4AMT_hsdbuxtYjnfD-atYMVygqhQGckk7YySJh4iL7bvU_8O9BeRNtYHU3L0xKAPkjpAfrjE544wvI8CzjKDHHv/s640/Dk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This sweet couple came to me after being a waiting family with their local office for 18 months. I know it's a big leap of faith for someone to branch out and use a consultant after being home study ready and waiting locally but there are <a href="https://trustinggodathome.blogspot.com/2019/01/im-already-home-study-ready-why-use-cac.html">so many benefits to doing so</a>. I love it when God uses CAC to drastically change the wait for someone who has been in the adoption process for a long time. <b>When Tom and Deanna got started with me, they quickly jumped in and were chosen by the first expectant mama who they presented their profile book to! </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq6pvsJDM4iUQvo7998JYcZ2eTaJFJ2c6keyKtKHLVkvR_AraogFawUpKrYKAFbPXmn-yJOAIFaKqH3YjDX1i_0TtLdEONfCeIulcFJcLizVNUjlZrrQ1CfOuu9EvZ18-p9eODEEzXcNq/s1600/DK2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq6pvsJDM4iUQvo7998JYcZ2eTaJFJ2c6keyKtKHLVkvR_AraogFawUpKrYKAFbPXmn-yJOAIFaKqH3YjDX1i_0TtLdEONfCeIulcFJcLizVNUjlZrrQ1CfOuu9EvZ18-p9eODEEzXcNq/s640/DK2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Here are some thoughts from Tom and Deanna about their adoption journey with CAC:<br />
<br />
<i>We’re so grateful to be able to share our experience. It has been an unbelievable journey and we are sure it will give hope, comfort, and joy to anyone seeking adoption placement!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>God taught us to trust Him during this journey. In our minds, we waited so long and felt that we were never getting closer to growing our family. In fact, God was just telling us to “wait just a little longer”and placed the greatest gift in our lives - our daughter. Our trust in God has grown so much over the last year. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Katie, from the first contact we made with her, was extremely helpful, not only in the technical aspects of adoption consulting, but also in providing hope and care for us in the midst of our journey. This is adoption consulting done right. In a field where many people may want solely a transactional relationship with their adoption counselors, attorneys, or birth parents, it is places like CAC that stand out as missionaries of God seeking placement for children with faithful families.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3sUrOSoeAiSQoetQPrm-lS6iQmb3H40_W4KOv5JC5yP7dFWsDekMLucSfHCY0QQ8c-R5WbGu_d3svJ56w4BJ0B85XCFUl4ls8p4-cFZFyoaKerjJ8C87I6yr8wuAi0b3JfRmOFa9dZj09/s1600/DK%2523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3sUrOSoeAiSQoetQPrm-lS6iQmb3H40_W4KOv5JC5yP7dFWsDekMLucSfHCY0QQ8c-R5WbGu_d3svJ56w4BJ0B85XCFUl4ls8p4-cFZFyoaKerjJ8C87I6yr8wuAi0b3JfRmOFa9dZj09/s640/DK%2523.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Our daughter’s birth mom placed the greatest gift we couldn’t even fathom into our arms and will forever be a Saint to us. She has always been so loving to us and continually reaffirms the choice all of us made to proceed with an adoption. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>For anyone considering adoption, just know that there is an incredible support network of people who have adopted in the past and want to share in your struggles, frustration, stress, hope, and joy. The “ups and downs” are seemingly common to everyone who has gone through this process and it therefore creates a tight-knit community of people who have shared the same life-altering experience. </i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information about domestic infant adoption, please email me at katief@christianadoptionconsultants.com. I'd love to help you!</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6520589639319521082.post-105600707811555522020-02-03T21:45:00.000-06:002020-05-16T14:11:27.777-05:00Adoption Story: Peter + Kate<br />
Walking alongside Peter and Kate during their adoption journey with <a href="https://www.christianadoptionconsultants.com/">Christian Adoption Consultants</a> felt like an honor. They held firmly to Christ during the unexpected and hard. With each decision they made, they went to Him. As they were waiting on God, He was at work behind the scenes as He always is. And then one winter day they got the call that changed their lives forever; they were chosen for a precious little girl. Below, Kate shares a transparent look at the juxtaposition of brokenness and beauty in adoption through her poem, "Wildflowers."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IVOkPHbYzB3V5Dcr9SHn7qVOp2PT4iRuoRFkqavfN2wzM6HqbyF8bRNLVzYFmv9AxYSduO88qXRiCdVrC0zOmVaFubv2didlFeHEGMgizeYSX72F_bKFHnghDGKichJXQ4TONosYaE8c/s1600/Kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IVOkPHbYzB3V5Dcr9SHn7qVOp2PT4iRuoRFkqavfN2wzM6HqbyF8bRNLVzYFmv9AxYSduO88qXRiCdVrC0zOmVaFubv2didlFeHEGMgizeYSX72F_bKFHnghDGKichJXQ4TONosYaE8c/s640/Kate.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Wildflowers (by Kate)</b><br />
<br />
every morning i open the door to your coos and babbles.<br />
i see two little hands and two hazel eyes just barely peering above the crib rail.<br />
i see a three-and-a-half-toothed smile behind a pacifier.<br />
welcome to a new day.<br />
those hazel eyes are not like mine.<br />
your strawberry blond hair is not like mine.<br />
i did not give you life from the moment of your conception.<br />
but you are no less mine.<br />
<br />
for the first nine months of your being you were loved and you were protected.<br />
and i did not know about you.<br />
for the first five months you had breath you were loved and brought into a caring home.<br />
and i did not know about you.<br />
but you are no less mine.<br />
from the beginning of time you were always going to be ours.<br />
but you will always be hers too.<br />
<br />
she gave you life and breath.<br />
she gave you her nose and her smile.<br />
she gave you pieces of herself to carry with you always.<br />
she loved you so much she gave you life.<br />
and then she let her heart be broken because she didn’t want yours to be.<br />
but you were always meant to be.<br />
and you were always meant to be ours.<br />
<br />
i bring you downstairs for bananas and cheerios.<br />
you have your morning bottle among your brother’s oatmeal, your sister’s waffles, and mama’s coffee.<br />
we start our morning together.<br />
<br />
sometimes I see the parts of you that are pieces of her,<br />
and it breaks my heart for her.<br />
it breaks my heart to think of the wake of pain that follows behind your beautiful soul.<br />
<br />
my dear girl, you are a constant reminder of how God can take the brokenness of this world and make all things new.<br />
<br />
you have been given a new name.<br />
you have been made ours.<br />
i pray as you grow you will know the one who ordained your life before there was time.<br />
that you would know the only one who can make the sad things come untrue.<br />
until then i hope you’ll let the wildflowers grow through all the cracks.<br />
<br />
i wipe leftover breakfast from your face and hands amidst raspberry-blown protestations.<br />
we get dressed and get ready for the day while you find all of the things you shouldn’t have.<br />
and you are so very proud of yourself as you show me each dryer sheet, sock, tissue, water bottle, and shoe.<br />
smiles, giggles, and screams of delight accompany all of your treasure-hunting – along with the fastest crawling getaway one has ever seen.<br />
<br />
my littlest love, i hope you know how abundantly you are loved.<br />
i hope you know that you will always be hers, yes.<br />
but you are no less mine.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956619640495060352noreply@blogger.com0