Welcome!

This blog is for the purpose of keeping our friends and families updated on the status of our adoption of a little girl from China. For those of you who do not know what has been happening over the past several months, here is a quick update:

Jason and I have known for a long time that we wanted to adopt someday. Jason's heart had always been geared toward international adoption, whereas I originally thought we would have foster children, and then follow the path towards domestic adoption. However, after praying about adoption and going to a seminar together last fall, as well as witnessing several of our close friends adopt from China, God made it so clear that international adoption was what we should pursue. I find it so awesome that God changed my heart to line up with my husband’s heart, so that we were of one mind in this great adventure.

Last winter, we began obtaining the necessary paperwork but placed everything on hold until we moved into our new home. We did not want to have to duplicate any parts of the home study process. We moved in May and in July, officially 'signed on' with America World Adoption Agency, an amazing Christian adoption agency that we learned about through our church. (www.awaa.org). At that time, we began the 'paper pregnancy,' as it is called and are now ready to turn in our home study packet.

The home study process itself has been amazing. I never knew how many documents were necessary, not to mention disclaimers, agreements, autobiographies, child abuse reports, references, physicals...just to name a few. Although the process has been a lot of work, the listmaker/organizer in me, has loved every minute of it. Jason teases me because although the agency does a fine job of giving us checklists and timelines, I find it necessary to make my own checklists, spreadsheets, and databases.

By next Tuesday, we will have all forms necessary for Step One of this process, and will mail our form to our agency here in Kansas City. We will then wait to have the actual home visit, which should occur mid-September. We will keep you updated during the process over the next several months, and we anticipate flying to China next Spring or early Summer. In the meantime, we would ask for your prayers in terms of finances and patience with all the paperwork. Most of all, we ask that you would pray for this baby, wherever she may be at this time. We have requested a 6-18 month old girl, and we'll name her after my Great-Grandmother, who was such a wonderful role model and one of the Godliest women I've ever known. Her name will be Leila Grace, and we can't wait to meet her!