I am falling for someone I don’t even know…

Three years ago, when Jay and I had Wyatt, we started to think about adoption. It was hard for me to think how I could love someone (another child) as much as I loved my son (my own flesh and blood). As time went on, I asked the Lord that if this was the way He wanted to grow our family, He would grow the love in my heart for a child I didn’t even know. In the past few months He has done just that.

The only way I can describe it is like the bond you begin to develop with your child when you are pregnant. As your child grows, your love for them grows even more. Today I can truly say, even though I may not be physically pregnant, that my heart is over flowing with love for a child that I don’t even know. I may not be carrying our child or know what he or she looks like, but I do know that our child is out there. God is truly an awesome god. Please continue to pray for our child’s safety, health, and care.

Dear Friends and Family,

We want to share with you what God is doing in our lives. We just celebrated Wyatt’s birthday in December and can't believe that he is already three. It is so fun to see him grow and discover all the things that we take for granted. Jay is still serving at CIU as the Associate Director of University Admissions and taking classes to get his masters. Amy is currently working with the Wednesday night children's program at our church and staying home with Wyatt. We have been at Grace Church for a while now and are enjoying the fellowship and opportunities to serve. As most of you know Amy developed HELLP Syndrome during her pregnancy with Wyatt. This was a very scary and life threatening complication for both of them. There is not much research about HELLP Syndrome and it’s causes. Therefore, doctors can give guesses but no definitive advice about another pregnancy. After much prayer and seeking God, we feel that he is currently going to grow our family in a different way.

We have been researching adoption for about two years now and feel that God has given us confirmation that we are to step out in faith and begin the process. We have looked at many different adoption agencies and are still seeking the Lord on which adoption agency best fits us. From international adoption to domestic adoption, and all the variables of race and gender, the possibilities of how God wants to grow our family seems infinite. We truly are learning that his ways are higher than ours and his thoughts are higher than ours. As we have researched international adoption, we have found a healthy appreciation for cultural differences and are reminded of how grand a God we serve. Please join us in prayer as we make many decisions.

As we ponder adoption, and all of the implications that are involved, we are beginning to realize that it may be the greatest earthly illustration of what God has done for us. We once were lost without hope bound in darkness. Even though we had nothing of worth that we could give, God still loved us. He demonstrated this love by dying for us to free us from our bondage and bring us into sonship. We now can rejoice that we are sons of the One True King! This is what we long to see in a child’s life. That they be given hope here on earth but more importantly hope and a future for eternity. After speaking with adoption veterans, we know that the blessings will be ours as well. Without your support we will be lost in this process. We know that this process can be very trying, but the reward at the end will be much more than what is seen here on this earth. The reality is that adoption will change the course of our lives forever.

We are very excited about what God is doing, but we would be lying if we said we had no fears. With the state of our economy and pay cuts at work, etc… it almost seems impossible to pursue adoption at this time. BUT we know that God has placed this passion in our hearts and we long to see him glorified in it. With Wyatt we are realizing the truth in the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” From his family, friends, and teachers we see the value that you all have in his life. As you begin to pray with us you will be investing in the life of our next child. Thank you for your support already. We love you!