The beginning of a journey...

Well this is an entirely new direction for our blog. We are going to share our journey through the process of adoption. Here is how our story began...

When Scott and I were thinking about getting married we discussed what we wanted our family to look like someday. We both have been on overseas missions trips, and loved the experience. We were both open to the idea of adoption...after we had a few kids of our own.

Fast forward two years later...our church is offering a missions trip to Haiti. I don't really want to go to Haiti because they don't speak Spanish, and I don't like the idea of not being able to communicate at all. But we didn't have any other opportunities to serve over seas in 2012, and we felt like the Lord was really calling us to go. We joined a team from our church that was going to do evangelism and medical work. Neither of us have any medical training, but we were willing to help wherever we were needed.

While we were in Haiti Scott was great with the medical team. He did triage for all the patients, and was really good at it. I, on the other hand, felt kind of useless. I couldn't help with medical procedures, I couldn't talk to or understand the people speaking Creole. What I did do though was hold babies. The Haitians love for Americans to hold their babies, and I was more than happy to do it. I knew that it was my opportunity to show a little of God's love to these precious children, and just pray over them. The more babies I held the more it just felt 'right'.

Scott and I knew we wanted to wait several years before trying to have children, but I felt like the Lord was creating in me the heart of a mother. At the same time I did not want to bring another child into the world after seeing what those children had to live through every day. God was really working in my heart, but I did not know where He was leading me. I just kept praying that God would do something 'big' in me after returning from Haiti. I even felt like He might call Scott and I to go overseas. I would love to go overseas and work with orphans someday, if the Lord calls us to that.

So that is where I was at when we returned to Haiti. The next Sunday at church (Scott was already in Dubai on business) our pastor preached a sermon called "If you can't do it for all, just do it for one." And I thought so if I can't take care of all the orphans does that mean I should just take care of one? And then our pastor said, "For some of you that might mean adoption", and it just hit me. I felt like that statement was spoken just to me. But I wanted to make sure Scott was feeling the same because I wanted him to lead in a big decision like this. When he returned to Dubai we talked about Haiti, and what it had done for us. We talked about adoption, and it felt like we were right in the center of God's will. What an awesome feeling that is.

In December we went to an informational meeting with Bethany Christian Services, and were super excited to get all the information. The only disappointment is that one of us had to be 25.

Fast forward to March 23rd...Scott turns 25! So we have finally submitted our formal application for adoption. I have done some reading, and I know it's not always an easy road to travel. We know the Lord is guiding us, and has some awesome things to teach us along the way. I hope you enjoy sharing this journey with us! We appreciate your prayers, and we begin the process.