A Bump on the Road toward Adoption

My wife and I have been sharing the last few weeks about our plans to adopt again. We’ve shared our AdoptTogether page and have been blessed by numerous people who have given toward our adoption related expenses. Through a friend in Maryland we had connected with a birth mother who is due in June and were making plans to welcome a little boy into our family. As happens at times with adoption, we have hit a bump in the road. Birth mother has decided to parent.

This is part of the update that Cheryl put on our AdoptTogether page.

As I write, we have learned that our birth momma in Maryland has decided to parent, we continue to pray for her and that precious baby boy. When our adoption failed in 2013, we grieved, much like what we are doing now, but remember how God used that situation to prepare us for Max. We know that God is up to something even better than we could have ever imagined. He simply wants us to trust HIM though this journey. So we wait for the child that God wants to add to our family, and we trust HIS plan through the grief. We will update you as we know more, thanks for walking with our family thought this roller coaster and prayers are appreciated (I, Cheryl, hate roller coasters!).

We know that adoption is not always a smooth road and we were as prepared as we could be for any change of direction that might take place. We learned through adopting our son Max that God sees further and farther than we do, so we continue to trust Him. We have been so encouraged by those who have supported us financially and through their prayer and personal support.

Just a week or so ago I was listening to a podcast and the speaker was talking about worry. This is not a totally accurate quote, but carries what he said in his message: What God originates He orchestrates. So, we continue to trust Him as we continue down the road.

Of Sickness and Schedules

photo credit: a.drian via photopin cc

This week has been an interesting one for our family. As with most people, we had in mind what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go over the holidays. It all changed on Saturday when we took our 15 month old son to the doctor.

He had not been feeling well and wasn’t getting any better. We decided it was time to consult our pediatrician. We were glad we did as he was diagnosed with Type A flu.

Then Saturday night came.

First my wife go sick. Then it hit one of the boys. Then it hit me. Then, the next day it hit the fourth (or actually) fifth person.

We missed church on Sunday and felt terrible all that day. Within 24 hours, we were on the upswing, although still dealing with some lingering effects.

Because we weren’t 100%, we delayed our departure for our New Year’s plans by one day, but we were ready to go.

We got up extra early New Year’s eve morning to begin our trek to see our friends in Illinois to celebrate the coming of a new year. Within minutes – literally minutes – of waking up our 15 month old and throwing him in the packed car to start the drive, we got a text suggesting we might want to wait.

It appeared the same flu that attacked our home (and many others we knew) landed in Illinois. One of our friends got sick. Then one of the kids in the house. At last report, it had spread to perhaps one other.

Our trip to Illinois was suddenly aborted.

While the discomfort we experienced is really nothing compared to what others have to deal with, it did remind me of a few verses in the book of James:

“Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. we will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? You life is like the morning fog – it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil” (James 4:13-16)

While our plans were changed, we are still grateful for a good year. God is in control of all things and we need reminded from time to time that we are not.

It made us grateful again for good health and access to doctors.  It was a subtle reminder that when we aren’t present, the world does go on without us.