Scriptures I've been living by through the adoption process

"And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me." Matthew 18:5

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8

"And the Lord answered me: "Write the vision....For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end-it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay." Habakkuk 2:2-3

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declaires the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" Isaiah 55:8-9

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait on Him.'" Lamentations 3:22

Heartbeat!

Just got back from a baby check up. We heard Tessa's heartbeat and the doctor said everything sounds and seems perfect! Thankful for a healthy pregnancy so far and that I get to be a part of it! We have another appointment next month and then we start the every 2 week check-ups. She's going to be here before we know it!

Lindsay

I want to tell you about our birthmother, Lindsay.

Lindsay is a beautiful young woman with a quiet strength. She is a single mother who loves her children and wants the best for them, including what she is doing for this new baby girl! She is kind, polite, and incredibly selfless. I am in awe of her strength. She has willingly been including me in things regarding this baby. Yesterday we went to the ultrasound together, today we went to her prenatal check up. After the check up she and I went to lunch. I am so thankful that I get to spend this time with her. I'm learning what kind of music she listens to, her favorite tv shows, cravings and things she hates about being pregnant! I'm learning about her job and what she'd like to do in the future. I'm learning that she is consciencous and frugal. I'm learning the things she hopes for the children she is raising, and what she hopes for the baby girl she is giving to us. I'm learning that she has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, and yet I have never heard her complain. I'm learning that she has a great laugh, pretty eyes and a beautiful smile! I'm learning that she really wants to do the right thing, and is very proud of the fact that she is giving us this baby girl. Most of all, I'm learning that I care about her far more then I thought I would. I love her for the gift she is giving us, and I want God's best for her and her life. Most of all, I'm learning I want Lindsay to fall in love with Jesus.

My friends, please commit to praying for Lindsay by name. Pray that she will be blessed beyond measure. Pray that she will feel NO shame or condemnation through this process, but feel honor and praise through her selflessness! Thank you!

Answered Prayer - Adoption Update

Exciting things have been happening in our world since Labor Day weekend. We had received a call about an expectant mother wanting to make a plan for adoption and willing to choose us if we wanted. We met with her that week and it's been amazing ever since! She has filled out the necessary paperwork at our adoption agency, everything is set and we are thrilled that she has agreed to be our birthmother!!!!!! She is an amazing, selfless young woman and we are so thankful she has become a part of our lives.

I (Christie) was able to go to the ultrasound with her today. As soon as I saw the baby on the screen I teared up. A few minutes later she told us "It's a GIRL"!!!!! The tears kept falling!
A girl.....we're having a baby girl! Our birthmother just turned to me and said "congratulations". She was happy for US! This whole situation feels God ordained. The director of the adoption agency called me last week and said "you must have a LOT of people praying for you!" And I said We sure do!!! We truly do, and we so appreciate it. Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for this little girl, for her health and for our birthmother! We are just SO BLESSED and SO EXCITED!!!!

So, get prepared world for baby girl Moore! She's due Feb. 26th!

Romans 8:25

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:25

This is my verse right now. I am hoping for what I do not yet have and waiting patiently for it! The birthmom we had been talking to in Texas has decided to keep her baby. Of course we were sad, but we pray nothing but the best for them and their family. We continue to feel at peace and are just excited to see what doors God opens up for our family and future children! Right now we are choosing to love where we're at, enjoy the blessings we already have and WAIT PATIENTLY!

Please continue to pray for our future birthmom (whoever she is) and baby! It gives us so much strength knowing so many people are lifting our family up in prayer! If you or someone you know of is thinking about making an adoption plan we'd love to talk with you!

Update

I know everyone has been asking for an update on how the adoption process is going. SO, here it is :-)

While on our family vacation to Texas the last couple weeks we spent time with a wonderful expectant mother. She is considering adoption and chooses us if she chooses adoption!! She is due September 23rd and it is a little girl! We really enjoyed the time we got to spend with her. She is an extremely brave and strong woman searching out the best thing for her family and this tiny, baby girl. We were able to share a few dinners together, meet her family and even see sonogram pictures.

We ask you to join us in praying for her and the decisions she has to make. I can't imagine how hard a decision like this would be. Please pray for God's wisdom and leading. Pray for peace for her in whatever decision she chooses for this baby. If she chooses to make an adoption plan, pray that everything will come together (paperwork, etc.) so that we may bring the baby home as soon as possible. Above all, we just want to pray blessings over her and her family. We feel very at peace about the situation and know that God has a little girl for our family, whether it is this baby girl or another one. We are cautiously optimistic and grow more excited about growing our family through adoption all the time!

Thank you so much for praying for her and for us! We can feel the prayers and the love! We are so blessed!

While I'm Waiting

WHILE I'M WAITING - John Waller

I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Adoption Glossary

Here is a link to commonly used adoption words and terms. It's pretty helpful in understanding "adoption lingo"!

Unplanned Pregnancy - Choose Adoption - Glossary

Choosing Adoption

This is a link to our adoption agency's website. There is a ton of great information here for anyone thinking about making an adoption plan for their baby or wanting to be more informed about semi-open adoption.

Unplanned Pregnancy - Choose Adoption

God's way vs. My way

When does God begin His special plan in a life? Is it when He gives a promise or when He finally brings the promise to completion? Although it may not always be obvious to us, there seems to be one distinct moment when God begins a new story in each of our lives. He writes words on our hearts that long to be spoken and strain to be lived out. Then with His own hand, He begins to write the script. Experience by experience through seemingly ordinary days, He supernaturally orders OUR days! Only when we look back and reflect on what appeared to have been the ordinary events of life does it become very clear what a miracle the Lord has performed.
Adoption is a story of a journey. Our family isn't writing the story; we're simply given the privilege of living it out. Already, as I look back, I am comforted by the assurance that absolutely nothing in our lives has been wasted! Every moment pointed us in an already-established direction. Our only real choice was whether to surrender our hearts and lives to God's plan. This journey is one God set in motion for a very ordinary family! We are bringing along a few strengths and many weaknesses, a little faith and great fears! BUT, despite all of our inabilitiess, God is leading us day by day, one step at a time along a specific path that has been prepared specifically for us!

The bible tells us that the Lord wants to give us the desires of our hearts according to His will (Psalm 37:4). Sometimes we fear our desires and longings. As time goes by, we assume our dreams were not "spiritual" enough to meet God's approval. We doubt, we question. In reality, I'm realizing that our deepest hopes are often rooted in dreams that God has actually planted in our hearts. Without the pull of our emotions, that sense pulling us in the direction we feel we should go, I doubt we would ever have the courage to move forward.

I am learning a lot about the difference between God moving supernaturally to bring His will to pass and my own small attempt to fulfill His promises on my own! And I know I have SO MUCH more to learn! What happens when our dreams don't seem to fit with the reality of our lives? Our finances? What do we do when we feel that a promise God has given us will never come? I know one thing for certain - I have a promise, but my God has the plan! What matters to God is our trust and obedience RIGHT NOW in the midst of the situation.

So, what now? I still feel a stirring in my soul whenever I see a child, but I have stopped struggling!!!! And with that surrender - I have peace! I trust and wait on the promises of Jeremiah 29:10-11 "I will...fulfill My good word to you...For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for prosper and happiness, to give you a future and a hope." I know God's word to me, to us, is the promise of a baby, but right now it is just that - a promise! The fulfillment of that promise is still to come and as I've accepted that, a sense of hope quietly sits in my heart!!!!!

Legacy of Adoption

Once there were two women
with much love for each other
One you do not remember
the other you call mother

Two different lives shaped to make yours one
one became your guiding star
The other became your sun

The first gave you life
and the second taught you to live
The first gave you a need for love
and the second was there to give

One gave you a nationality
The other gave you a name
One gave you the seed of talent
The other gave you the aim

One gave you emotions
The other calmed your fears
One saw your first sweet smile
The other dried your tears

One made a choice - it was all that she could do
The other prayed for a child
and God led her straight to you.

Heredity or Environment - which are you the product of?
Neither my darling - neither
Just two different kinds of love.

-Anonymous

Prayer

We are absolutely amazed and grateful for all the support and commitments to pray we've already received regarding our adopting! It means SO MUCH to have so many people surrounding us with support and prayer. You have no idea!

A few people have asked how specifically they should pray for us - SO - Here you go!

1. Pray for peace and patience for me, Tiny AND the boys as we wait. It is hard not being in control!!

2. Pray for our baby's birthmother.
*pray for a healthy pregnancy
*pray for peace in her decision
*pray for strength both physically and emotionally
*pray for the birth father and her family as well

3. Pray that the financial end of adoption will not be an issue at any point throughout the process. Pray that we receive the grants that we need to make this happen!

4. Pray for our baby!!!!
*pray for the baby's health throughout the pregnancy.
*pray for a healthy delivery.
*pray for easy attachment to us once the baby's born.

5. Most of all pray for God's will! We know He already has our baby picked out! We don't want to do anything to get in the way of HIS plans for our family!

When Love Takes You In - Steven Curtis Chapman

While we're waiting

We are axiously awaiting to adopt an infant domestically. We are almost finished with the homestudy process and then can adopt at ANY time! We keep being told we're having a "psychological pregnancy", Strange, but true! Our caseworker told us last night that we're Pregnant on Paper :-)

We are working with an agency called Adoption Associates Inc., but are also networking to find our own birth mother. We are planning on having a semi-open adoption. A semi-open adoption means we want to meet the birth mother and birth father, if possible, spend time with them, go to appointments and if she wants us to, be in the delivery room. This type of adoption also means we will keep contact over the years as our child grows, sending letters and photos to the birth mother. We feel this is so important for a few reasons, but the main reason is for our baby! We want our baby to know she/he was LOVED and not abandoned. Cared for SO MUCH that her/his birth parents made a PLAN for them and their lives! When we adopt, we will be receiving the most incredible, selfless gift of love from the birth mother. We want her to know that she is important and appreciated - thus sending her pictures and letters over the years!

How can you help us? Well, keeping track of this blog will be great. This is a daunting process and while we so appreciate everyone's love and interest, it's hard to hear the "what's the update?" question every day. We will post every update and our thoughts and feelings throughout this process. Also, you can help us network! Word of mouth is the #1 way birth mothers and adoptive parents are matched. SO - if you know of anyone who is looking to make a plan for their baby, please let us know, or direct them to our blog. You never know where a conversation may lead and we need all the help we can get!!!

We're excited and "cautiously optimistic" that we will have a new addition to our family SOON!!!

and in the mean time - "We Wait Upon the Lord"!

~Tiny & Christie