Which Answer Do You Want?

The most frequent question I have been asked regarding our adoption process is "How long will it take?" or... "When do you think you will get a a baby?"

My response? Well, that depends. Do you want my "fact" answer or my "faith" answer? In the interest of giving you the whole picture, allow me to give you BOTH. They are pretty interrelated anyway.

FACT: Once our home study is complete (and it almost is,) we will be free to submit our album/profile and officially enter into "contract" with our agency. Of course, this requires us to actually have the album done (it's getting there) and the $2,000 fee (God has already provided this). I fully expect that we will have submitted our album by mid to late November. After THAT, our agency will match our profile with birth moms who are making an adoption plan. Those birth moms will view our album/profile and determine whether or not they would like to interview us. Typically, birth moms interview several prospective adoptive couples before deciding what family they feel is best for their new little one.

FAITH: Only God knows which birth moms will "match" us, which ones will like what they have to see in the pages of our album, and which one will decide we are "right" for their baby. Only God knows how long this will take. Only God knows how He will provide the $15,000 fee we are responsible to pay at the time of placement, even though we have no idea when that will be. Only God knows. Only God.

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Another thing I thought I would post today is the most frequently searched words that cause people to land on my blog. I've been thinking of doing this for some time now. I find it very interesting to see how some of the things I write bring people to visit us! Maybe sometime, I'll post some more unique ones, but the one that is most frequent is a song that tells me that people all over the world are hurting and that people realize their need for God...

Made Me Glad
I will bless the Lord forever
I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
He has set my feet upon a rock
And I will not be moved, and I'll say of the Lord

You are my Shield, my Strength
My Portion, Deliverer
My Shelter, Strong Tower
My very present help in time of need

Whom have I in heaven but You
There's none I desire besides You
And You have made me glad
And I'll say of the Lord

You are my Shield, my Strength
My Portion, Deliverer
My Shelter, Strong Tower
My very present help

You are my Shield, my Strength
My Portion, Deliverer
My Shelter, Strong Tower
My very present help in time of need

My very present help in time of need

My very present help in time of need

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Finally, and yes, I realize this is all very random, but if you are praying for us and would like to pray specifically, here's how...

Please pray that God would:

1. give us strength, wisdom, and perseverance as we complete our album
2. preserve our health and protect our marriage during all this chaos
3. draw us closer to Him and continue to prepare us to be parents
4. help us to fix our eyes on Him (Hebrews 12:1-2) and not our circumstances

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...