Our decision to adopt

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is...Stop...Let me try again, and this time with much less Holden Caulfield. 

I think the topic of adoption first started during our courtship.  The conversation was probably light and extremely hypothetical:

Laura: Do you want to have kids someday?
Adam: Sure.
Laura: Care to elaborate?
Adam: Sure, I'd like to have lots of kids someday.

and on it would go, how many kids, do you want boys or girls, would you want to adopt?  I think we both agreed that, sure, as 20 year olds finishing college, adopting a child and having children in general probably sounded like a lot of fun and something we would do after we had all the fun that a young couple in love could have.


Fast forward a few years, and we had Garrett and somewhere between changing diapers and wondering "why, again, did we choose this?" we hypothetically discussed adoption, but only briefly since life felt overwhelming. 

We revisited this conversation after Kathleen was born and again when we were expecting Eli. The only difference was that after our third child, Laura's answer to the question "do you want to adopt" was a resounding NO!

Still, I, Adam, couldn't quite shake the feeling that adoption was a God honoring and important life decision.  Simply because I continually thought about it affirmed that adoption was something serious I should consider.  And so I prayed.  My prayer was simply: "God, my wife and I are on different pages when it comes to adoption.  I don't want to stress her or worry her or add to her already full load as a mother.  So I leave it to you.  If adoption is something you want for my family then you will work in her heart and get us on the same page; I leave it now with you."  And that was the last I thought about it.  Until Laura brought up adoption and suggested we seriously consider it.  

Consider my mind blown by this answer to prayer.

Thus began a year of prayer, research, and thoughtful conversation which eventually lead to action.  And now here we are, just a few months into the process and our whole family is totally committed.  Garrett even regularly prays for the "little kiddo we're bringing into our family." 

We feel so blessed in so many ways we simply want to be able to bless a child who has no family.  We want to love and care for a child who has no one to love and care for her.  That is our heart, may God bless our efforts.

Yes, we are still around.

January?  That can't be right?  We haven't posted since January?  Whoops. 

Actually, I'm not all that torn up about it.  We have about 1 1/2 regular readers of our blog, so there aren't depressed and broken hoards waiting out in the blogosphere waiting on pins and needles for us to post again. 

The truth is, we haven't had anything particularly exciting to share.  We've just been living.  Trying to keep 3 kiddos alive and well.  Working.  Baking.  Watching season 2 of Mr. Selfridge.  Sleeping when we can, which never seems to be quite enough.  So, your average, (awesome!) American lives.  I'm happy.  I'm more than that.  I'm satisfied and content.  I'm fulfilled.  I am blessed by my wonderful family. 

So, why again, are we going to do something crazy?  It feels crazy.  It feels overwhelming.  And stressful.  And right. 

Laura and I have decided to grow our family once again, and this time we plan to adopt. 

So, we are officially announcing to the world that we are in the beginning stages of the adoption process.  We don't know the child yet, but we are praying for her.  We don't know when she will be ours, but we are preparing for her.  We are terrified.  And excited.  And doing our best to follow God's leading plan in our lives. 

Stayed tuned.  We'll try and update you regularly.  One reason I feel compelled to share is that while it seems that we only know people who know people who have adopted, we don't actually know anyone in our circle of acquaintances and friends that has adopted.  Thus, if you are thinking, considering, or even wondering about the process - well, you know us, so let us be a resource (albeit totally untested) for you. 

That's all for now.  You may continue about your business.