Drum Roll......

I have not once questioned God's hand on our adoption process. Not once. BUT, time and time again He proves to be holding our hands and helping us through this journey.

Here is a snippet of the letter we wrote when we were granted a $4,000 matching grant from Lifesong:

We believe families need to have the monetary needs to care for another child once they are home; but the cost of adoption is overwhelming and too much for almost any family to bear alone. Our goal from the start was to break our funds in thirds: 1/3 from our personal funds, 1/3 through grants/loans, and 1/3 through fundraising/family & friends. Through God’s help we have already spent $33,996 on our two adoptions. We are expecting to have $11,000 more in expenses to get Addy home (visas, passports, travel fees, etc) and about $15,000 left for our Ethiopian adoption.

Will you please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us pay the remaining $11,000 in adoption expenses to bring Addy home? (our family will continue to save each month for our ET child and believe we can pull the funds together on our own when that adoption becomes a reality).

Our goal date to receive donations was May 22nd (but Lifesong will continue to take donations for us until our children are home). On May 23 I received an email stating our total funds raised thus far. Being it was a $4,000 matching grant, we had really hoped to meet the $4,000.

BUT....

We didn't only meet our goal, it was exceeded. Not only was it exceeded, but it was perfectly planned. If you recall in our letter, we are expecting $11,000 in costs left to bring Addy home......

Our donations total was.....

$6,959

add that to the $4,000 matching grant......

$10,959!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AGAIN God has provided for us and shown us that He is with us. He called our family down this challenging, hard, long, expensive process and He is taking care of us to do the work He has called us to do.

Last week (the same day we got our total) Eli was in the bathroom chatting with me while I got ready for the day. He saw Bobby's wrist band lying on the counter…

"Mommy, what does that say."

"It says Adoption"

"Do you guys want to adopt Addy because she will be cute and make you laugh?"

"Well that will sure be fun, but we are really adopting because God wants us to and the Bible tells us to care for orphans."

"Mom, the word 'orphan' is not in the Bible."

"Well Eli, actually it is. It's in James, Isaiah, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Hosea and many more."

"What does the Bible say about orphans?”

“In a nutshell it tells us to care for orphans just as God cares for us.”

“Oh. Well, if it's in the Bible why doesn't everyone adopt?"

Good question, Eli.

I'm NOT saying I think all are called to adopt and adoption is for everyone. BUT, if you call yourself a God fearing, Christ loving, Bible reading person, you must know where God's heart lies concerning orphans and you must see the importance of Christians standing up to care for them.

IT IS OUR RESPONSIBLITY.

Why do I say all this?

The number one response I get from people about them not choosing to adopt is the monetary concerns.

YES, the money is HUGE.

Yes, it's not easy.

BUT, our story is one amongst thousands in which God has provided to care for an orphaned child.

We fell into that "trap" when we were called to our concurrent adoption.

"God, there is NO WAY we can afford TWO adoptions right now. Its' just NOT POSSIBLE"
"I will be with you." is the response we heard over and over again.

Here we are just 4 months down the road and that funding is not stopping us. Our Addy will be home soon thanks to the support from so many. Some it was $20, some $50...for others it was $200, $500, $1,000 or $5,000. No matter what your contribution may have been, YOU are making a difference.

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.

Our hearts ache and I mean ACHE for the fatherless. We are going to do anything we can to make it our family's mission to care for children who otherwise may have no hope....

After all, our only hope is through Jesus. An orphaned child's only hope is through US, bringing them home and showing them the hope He has shown us.

We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.         1 Ch 29:15

We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.          1 Th 1:3

Love from our family to yours!