3 + 3 = 6

Where to start?

As many of you know, Christian and I have talked about adoption from the beginning…I think before we were even dating! We didn’t know what it would look like, but we knew that the Lord had called us to take care of the orphans and to adopt. After we got married, we looked into county foster care, but then we found out we were pregnant with Addysen which put everything on hold. A few months ago, we felt the call and urge all over again, so we started looking into different options. This time, we found an organization called Aspiranet. They are a private, non-profit foster organization. Their kids also come from the county, but there are a few minor differences when you go with a private foster organization. We really only started the process at the end of September, but everything went so smoothly, that we found ourselves almost certified by the first week of November! Pretty much that same week, they asked us about a prospective sibling group.

There are a few factors about these girls that affirmed in our hearts the choice we would make. There are three factors that make children considered “un-adoptable” (as horrible as that sounds). If they are a sibling group, if they are mixed race and if they are over six years old, their chance of being adopted is “slim.” It sounds horrible, doesn’t it? When they mentions the girls, our hearts were pricked…three girls, mixed race, ages 2, 4 and 7…our hearts began to melt just thinking about them.

We want to respect the girls’ privacy especially since right now, they are in a transitional phase. With time, we will be able to share more details, but for now we want to be cautious with what we share online. We were able to meet them on a Friday evening and it was everything we dreamed of…butterflies and anticipation. They came out of the room, one at a time and we curiously watched them. I think they bounced more than they walked. As of right now, we are getting to know them. We transport them twice a week, plus we get to spend other times just hanging out. This past weekend, we took a trip to a tree farm and picked out the most beautiful tree in the world. It was exhausting. 🙂 Next week, they will spend the night.

Yes, our family really is growing from 3 to 6 overnight…and yes, we are a little scared at time! But we know without a doubt that the Lord will give us just enough strength to do what we need to do! The girls are set to move in on December 21st, yes just four days before Christmas. We aren’t sure what our holiday plans will look like…for now we are just taking one day at a time. Please keep us in your prayers…we definitely need them!

Disneyland with Auntie Dora and Grandma Moo-Moo

Then just Grandma Moo-Moo, Auntie Sarah and I went back for an evening

In the middle of all the hustle and bustle, our friends Phil, Pook and Lalita came to visit (they are missionaries to Thailand). Lalita and Addy were born only two days apart!

Thanksgiving dinner with Great-Grandma Bell, Great-Aunt Debbie and cousins

Thanks to Grandma…we actually finished the stockings…seven of them!

Addy’s 1st Birthday

And finally, the pictures you’ve really been waiting for…