TODAY

When you are in the adoption process, it is easy to become focused on what WILL happen and not always appreciate what IS happening.  

We are so excited for Ryan to be part of our family.  We are so anxious about if this will all work out.

But I need to remember to keep a proper perspective.  Yes I can look forward to Ryan coming home, but I have to remember to enjoy my life right now at this point: 

 

1. The Lord has blessed us with 4 incredible kids, and I am having so much fun having them around this summer.  

2. Our oldest is going to be a senior this coming school year so I really want to treasure the time I have with her before she goes off to college. 

3.  As stressful as the adoption process can be, I have to remember what a privilege it is that we get to do this.  When you have a biological child, you go through 9 months of pregnancy.  With adoption, it is a different experience than pregnancy but filled with just as much wonder and excitement.  If you had told me 10 years ago that we would be adopting, I would have been shocked.  This was never in my life plan.  This is totally God's plan for us.  What a joyful journey to be on.

Thank you Lord that I have great yesterdays to remember, today to enjoy, and tomorrow to look forward to!

APPRECIATE YESTERDAY- good memories, blessings to be thankful for, and lessons learned

AMAZEMENT FOR TODAY- making good memories, experiencing blessings, and learning lessons

AWAIT TOMORROW- future good memories, blessings, and lessons

HOPEFULLY NEXT SUMMER

We had a beautiful and fun time at the beach yesterday with our 2 girls, Abigail and Lydia, and little Jonah (Stephen was up north with friends).  

As I watched Jonah splash in the water and play in the sand, I couldn't help but think that next summer, God-willing, Jonah will have a playmate.  Ryan and Jonah are only 2 months apart in age.    

So in the midst of thanking the Lord for the beautiful time we had at the beach yesterday, I also had the privilege of thanking Him for the opportunity we might have next summer. 

We can't wait little Ryan!
    

A BIG SIGH OF RELIEF!

As of today all of our doctor forms are completed and notarized!  We were then able to start scanning all the documents we have for our dossier to Cathy.  Here was Cathy's email to us at the end of the day:

You have done a great job. Sorry for so many emails back to you today.  I will check the financial statement against the home study when we receive it. I’m waiting for Silva’s input on the application. You have done everything on the dossier checklist that you needed to for now.

What joy those words brought to us!  After months of gathering information (aka bugging people to fill out forms!), we did it!  Thank you Lord!

I am not kidding myself because I am sure something will need to be redone, but for now we are breathing a big sigh of relief!  

Good way to start a weekend!

THE DOSSIER CHECKLIST IS ALMOST COMPLETELY CHECKED OFF!

Could it be?  Yes it could be!  We almost have all our paperwork gathered for the dossier checklist!

The problem is tomorrow is the day that could make or break that statement.  We meet with all 3 of our doctors tomorrow morning to have them complete the forms and have their signatures notarized.

I am busy praying today that the Lord blesses tomorrow and all goes smoothly.  I will be so relieved tomorrow afternoon if all of this goes as planned.  It will make us one step closer to bringing Ryan HOME!

GOD KNOWS OUR NAME

"But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."  Isaiah 43:1a  

When we received information on Ryan from Cathy at Open Door, we had the privilege of finding out Ryan's real name.  Ryan is just a screen name that Reece's Rainbow uses.  However, because of the confidentiality we must respect in this adoption process, we cannot share Ryan's actual name.  Us knowing that real name though was another way God used to connect our hearts to this little boy.  

If we have the privilege of adopting Ryan, we would like to honor him and his heritage by keeping his birth name as his middle name.  We are planning on BENJAMIN as his first name.

What a name means has been important to Andrew and I as we chose all of our children's names.  That is why we are so excited about the name we have chosen for Ryan:

Benjamin means "son of my right hand" and Ryan's birth name means "constant".  I think this is a beautiful combination.  The Lord has kept Ryan safe by his side as he waited for a family, and His love for Ryan is constant.  

EASY DOES IT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT

I just did a devotion on Jehosheba, the aunt who hid the young Joash who was next in line for the throne so he would not be killed by the wicked Athaliah (2 Kings 11: 2-3).   The devotion pointed out that not only did Jehosheba have an incredible act of courage when she help Joash escape the initial killing spree by Athaliah, she went on to hide this small child for 6 more years until he was able to be crowned king.  Those 6 years had to be filled with much stress and difficulty trying to keep the boy secret and safe.  After those 6 years though, she was able to see God’s plan when young Joash was crowned king.

This made me think about the fact that just because something is a lot of hard work doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it.  I think sometimes I like to make my walk of faith be about the things that come easy to me  like playing piano in church or teaching the young kiddos.  Those are good things to do, but they can’t be the only things I should do in the name of the Lord.  God also calls us sometimes to do things for Him that require much sacrifice and hardship.

Adopting a second child with Down syndrome is not going to make our lives easier or more relaxed.  I know that.  But God really showed us that shouldn’t be our reason (or excuse) to not adopt Ryan.

However, what many people do not realize about individuals with Down syndrome is that there are so many blessings in the midst of the hard work.  When our son Jonah smiles at me, it does something to my heart that I can’t explain.  His love and gusto for life (although sometimes out of control, hee,hee) motivates me to remember to live my life to the fullest and not let inhibitions or worries about what others will think of me stop me.  For this 2nd adoption, I can’t wait to experience the joy God has in store for us with the blessing of little Ryan to our family.

We are not taking the easy path by adopting a 2nd child with Down syndrome.  But we are taking the right path.  Easy doesn’t mean right.  Hard doesn’t mean wrong.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!

Today is Ryan’s 5th Birthday.  It is also Father’s Day which Andrew feels honored to share the day with this wonderful little boy.

Whenever one of our kids has a birthday, I am always happy/sad.  I am happy because I am so thankful they are healthy and happy.  I am happy because their birth days were 4 of the best days of my life!  But their birthdays also make me sad because I realize how quickly it is going- our oldest is going to be a senior in high school this fall.  Where did that time go?  I’m not ready for the little birds to leave our nest!

On Ryan’s birthday, I experienced happy/sad feelings also.  Happy because he is a healthy and happy little boy from all the reports I have heard from the orphanage.  But I was sad because he couldn’t be here with his family celebrating his special day.  I want him to experience the joy of having a special cake made just for him and having presents to open.  But most of all, I was sad because he didn’t experience the love of his family surrounding him and hugging him and telling him how much we love him and how happy we are that he was born.  Everyone needs to hear those things on their birthday.  I am praying that Ryan’s next birthday will be so very different for him…and us.

Happy 5th Birthday Sweet Ryan!