A Little History

If you don't know the history leading up to our adoption, here is a very brief summary for you...

Chapter 1
5 years ago, Kevin and I believed that the Lord called us to adopt.  Wanting to follow His plan for our lives, we began working with an agency to adopt from Russia.  It would take a week to list all of the details of what happened here, but the bottom line is that after traveling to Russia and meeting a precious little boy whom we named "Corbin", a new judge arrived in the region.  This judge had a very strong dislike for Americans.  Because of this, he refused to allow any Americans to finalize adoptions in his region.  That is still true today.  We fought him for nearly 2 years after traveling to Russia, but finally there was nothing else we could do.  We pray that this litte boy found a Christian home with parents who love him. 

Chapter 2
We decided to work with the agency that wrote our international home study and to adopt from the US.  Again, there are too many details of things that did not go as they should have.  Some of the stories are so bizzare and amazing you wouldn't even think that they were true.  How could so many things happen to one family that was just following instructions from the Lord?  But it was all part of his plan. 

Chapter 3
We left that agency and started completely over with DePelchin Childen's Center in Houston.  They have been around since the mid-1800's and started as an orphanage like you would see in an old TV movie.  We completed our paperwork and training quickly.  After all, we could teach a class on this stuff by now.  As soon as we finished the paperwork, we started submitting our home study for consideration as the adoptive family for some children that our agency told us about. 

In early June 2009, we submitted for a sibling group of 2 very young boys.  There was no photo and only 2 brief paragraphs of information.  One of the details was a bit concerning, but a the same time seemed as though it could be a mistake....based solely on our interpretation of one word...."had".  I can't share more than that, but based on the word "had", we decided to throw our names into the hat with the understanding that if we were selected, we needed more information. 

Friday night just before Father's Day in June, we received a call from our agency.  We were chosen to adopt the two boys.  That sounds great, but we wanted more information.  Plus, this is NOT how this usually works.  There is normally a process.  What happened to that?! Within 2 hours we had all of the information we needed.  When have you ever heard of CPS responding in that kind of time?!  We thought and prayed about it over Father's Day weekend; we already had plans to go out of town.  It ws the perfect opportunity.  So, we decided to move forward. 

The next weekend we drove 4 1/2 hours one direction to meet them.  The second we saw them, Kevin said "Oh oh.  We're in trouble."  We both knew they were our boys.  After returning home, we set out a visitation schedule over a 1 month period of time to transition the boys.  Because of the distance, CPS decided it would be too hard on the boys and they asked if we would just take them.  That was 5 days after we met them.  So July 3rd, they moved in permanently. 

A lot has happened since then with paperwork and court processes.  All of it amazing and not in the typical fashion.  It's all going quickly and smoothly so far. 

The most incredible thing could be yet to come.  CPS has actually offered to support us finalizing the adoption early.  They suggested that we could go to court on Friday, November 20th.  That is National Adoption Day.  They didn't know it, but it is also Donavon's birthday.  How UNBELIEVABLE would that be?  Please pray with us that the Judge will agree.  If he does, then that will be our date.  Our adoption attorney is currently preparing a request to ask for just that. 

So, now you are caught up without all of the painful details.  All I can say is that when God has a plan for you, and you know it, you just have to keep on going and praying about it.  When His timing is right, it will all happen just as he has planned and it will be more wonderful than you could have ever imagined.