A Week of Miracles

This week has been one of miracles:


1.  Ryan informed me that he has gained three pounds.  I am rejoicing.  (Can we say, O.F.U.R?)


2.  I am heading to El Sal in the morning, and I somehow managed to pack a week's worth of clothes, supplies for games and activities, and a rather large statue of Christ (gift for the nuns who run the orphanage) in a carry-on suitcase.  I am thoroughly impressed by myself.


3.  Okay, so this one is serious.  As I mentioned in my previous post, we were approved for adoption this week, and it feels miraculous and exciting--but also a little scary!  I mean, this is actually happening...we could actually have a baby sometime in the next year.  Wowza.


Our adoption agency, LDS Family Services, uses a system where the birth mother chooses the family to whom she would like to give her baby.  Some adoptive families are picked within a year—others are not picked for many years.  With that in mind, we need to get the word out to as many people as possible that we are interested in adoption. The agency told us to involve all of our friends and family in spreading the word because you just never know who might be able to help.  They told us that a family recently found their baby when a friend of theirs mentioned to her co-worker that she knew a great couple that was hoping to adopt; it just so happened that this co-worker’s best friend’s daughter was pregnant and thinking about adoption.  What are the chances? 

So go ahead and tell anyone and everyone that you know about us! :)  You could forward our information on to the people in your email list or mention us to friends and family; you could post our information on your blog or facebook page with a link to our adoption profile; you could also put a “button” on the sidebar of your blog that people can click on to find out more about us.  (Let me know if you are willing to do this, and I will send you the button.)  We want to spread the word to as many people as possible. The adoption agency is affiliated with our church, but the birth parents do not need to share our religion, nor do they need to live in New York.  Also, we would love a child of any race or background.

I’ve always known that there was a chance that I would need to adopt, and I’ve actually always felt excited about adoption.  What I have not felt excited about is this stage—the advertising myself stage.  I remember seeing the adoption buttons on people’s blogs and thinking, “That is just so sad.  Why can’t these good people have babies?  I never want to have to advertise myself in order to be a mother.”  Well, the time has come, and I'm learning to swallow my pride and do everything in my power to show the Lord how much I want a baby.  This journey is teaching me a lot about myself and about letting go of control and putting my life in God’s hands.  I sent a version of this blog post to many friends and family via email this weekend, and after I sent it, I felt a little bit ill.  Did I really just send an email which exposes some of my greatest trials and greatest desires to dozens of people?  Talk about vulnerable!

The good news is, everyone has been so supportive.  I am grateful for all of the words of encouragement and promises of prayer.  The love that we have received has been miraculous to us.  

I hope everyone has a great week!  I will try to check my email and blog periodically from El Sal, but you just never know about Internet access down there.  Wish me luck.  Hasta luego, amigos!