First, I want to make it clear that I am not bragging on us, or what we are doing. I am bragging on what God is doing, the people He has called to help us, the people who have said "yes" when He placed an opportunity in their life to bless us. We've had hundreds of these Wow stories, and I just wanted to share and celebrate some of them today. We've been wanting to share them as encouragement to others who are stepping out in faith to start a family, to thank those who have supported us thus far and to be able to look back on this with our children one day and remind them of all the people that have been praying for and loving them before they even met.
We have friends who were leading a mission trip to Uganda this past November. They took time out of their mission trip to purchase us handfuls of Ugandan paper bead necklaces to bring back here. They spent their own money to support us with them so that we could use them as a fundraiser for our babies.
Another family who has a lot of kids sold their house and prayed about what to do with the money they made off of it. They could have easily taken a vacation, spent it on their children or spent it on a shopping trip. Instead they sent us an extremely generous amount that helped us pay for our home study. Their children pray for our children on a regular basis.
A couple that doesn't even live here has made it a point to pray for us every night, share our story in their small groups and at their jobs, pray with us on the phone about our future babies, encourage us constantly and send us encouragement in the mail often.
People we just met offered to take photographs of us and donate photo shoots to contribute financially. Friends who own small businesses have hosted parties and given all of their proceeds to the adoption. Another friend who adopted two babies last year is teaching me how they raised their money so that I can do what they did. She's taking time from her children to help us get our children.
Our eGroup has supported us prayerfully for weeks. Sending us consistent encouragement through emails, phone calls and texts. They've had our backs when things on social media didn't go our way. They've helped at garage sales, making ornaments, purchasing items and sharing our story in various ways,
My cousins have been tremendous! Not only by praying for us but by supporting us financially. Cousins who are newlyweds, cousins who have lots of kids, cousins who we don't see often. I've never loved getting the snail mail as I have these past few months.
My friends from college have supported us in so many ways too. Sending us reminders and prayers about our future children, buying Christmas ornaments, making Christmas ornaments for our fundraiser, and just asking questions about them. Having people want to know more about adoption and raising their awareness is a huge deal to us!
Brian's employees completely surprised him at Christmas and collected money as a team to purchase the top ornament we had for our Christmas fundraiser.
Not that one story is more important, or carries more weight, but there is one that I know we will never forget and that our children will know the importance of. One family who was able to turn their tragedy into a blessing for us. A family who lost their son while his mom was still pregnant with him. These are friends who have known us for a while, have prayed for us to have our own babies, and have been blessed to have their own son. We've gone through a lot with each other and been able to support and encourage one another through the last (almost) three years. We've cried together over our future families, prayed for our husbands together, volunteered together, laughed together, shared many meals together and a love for The Walking Dead. A few weeks after their son's funeral, they blessed us with a part of his life insurance policy. They wanted to make his life and legacy a blessing for someone else. As someone who can't wait to be a mom and has prayed about it for years, I can't comprehend burying a child let alone being able to bless someone else because of that child's life.
Like I said, there are hundreds more stories like this that have blessed us these last five months and we know there will be hundreds more. Stories where we have said "how is this our life?!" and "we had no idea others were so excited for us to become parents!". Stories our children will hear and say "wow, how can we be a blessing to others like they were to us?" Stories that make you stop and just say, "Wow".
We don't take this calling to adopt lightly, and we are so grateful for those who stand beside us through this process (many whose stories we have not shared on here yet, but will eventually). We can't wait to help others on their journey and be a blessing for them.
As a little teaser also, here is a peak of our baby room so far!
