A Much Needed Update!

Hey Everyone,

Sorry for the long silence!  I am so excited to tell you that we are back in Georgia and busy getting adjusted to our new home and daughter!  Sadie is doing GREAT and gaining weight steadily.  She now weighs 5lbs 9oz!  She is really filling out!  I thought you'd like this updated photo of our little bundle of joy : ) Click on the picture to zoom in!

Our trip home to Georgia was pretty uneventful, but it sure was good to cross the state line!  I have never been so happy to be back in Georgia in my life.  As we were approaching Atlanta, the one weird thing for me was turning onto 285 to go to Alpharetta instead of continuing on 75 south to our old home.  It suddenly hit me that I was not going to see my old house again. Surprising to me, I became very emotional about it all!  I think I finally realized how much I had missed being away for so long and how much closure I missed out on during the move.  It was really hard for me.  We had a LOT of really great memories in our Atlanta house and it was definitely a labor of love.  I wish that I had been able to be here for the transition.  I never really got to say "goodbye" to the house since I left in such a hurry.  I still get teary-eyed thinking about it!  But, as we started up 400 north to make the trek to Alpharetta, I got excited about my huge master bathroom and closet : )  And when we got to the house, I was surprised to see how much my dear friend, Ainsley, had managed to unpack for me.  It already looked like a home when I got here!  

So, Jeff and I are still busy getting boxes unpacked and furniture moved into the right places.  It has definitely been a crazy time around the Scholen household!  But, the Christmas tree is up and the kitchen is organized.  We are so grateful for the big AND small things! 

I have spoken with Janie several times over the past few weeks and she and Michael are doing well.  They have done some much needed renovations to their home with the money they received from several generous people and have bought some Christmas presents for the kids.  I just shipped Janie a ring with Sadie's birthstone in it for a Christmas present and the book "What's So Amazing About Grace?".  I think she will really like the ring.  I bought the same one for Sadie as a remembrance of her birthmom that I will give to her at the appropriate time.  The rings are actually "stackable", so I will also get Janie's birthstone ring for both Janie and Sadie for a future gift next year.  I was excited to find them at James Avery!  I want some for myself now!

Here are a couple of pictures of time with family.  They all sure love Sadie!  Granny with Sadie and a BIG stretch after a long car-ride!   

My niece gave Sadie an "Ellie" - the same elephant stuffed-animal that she has had since she was little.  They had to find it on Ebay as they don't even make them anymore!  It was a big hit.    

My brother, Randy, and my sister-in-law, Starr, with Sadie.  Starr has been a great support and resource as we have been going through this ordeal.  She was quick to send gifts and food while we were in Kentucky!  

That is it for now!  We are grateful to be home and mostly through this ordeal.  Sadie is the most precious gift we could ever have hoped for.  Truly. I can't wait to get to know her better as she continues to grow!  

The Best Gift Ever!

I KNOW!  I haven't posted in forever!  I promise to post more soon, but until then... here is our best gift under the tree!

I hope you and yours are having a wonderful holiday season!  

Our New Home...A Residence Inn

Well, after thinking that we wouldn't be discharged until Tuesday, we got the boot yesterday afternoon! Sadie was doing so well and the doctor gave her a monitor to go home on "just in case" to monitor her breathing and heart rate. We feel very blessed to finally have her with us! We got into the car with her little tiny body bundled up in a BIG car seat and made the trek to Lexington, KY to a Residence Inn. We stopped along the way at a rest area to feed her in the car and I teared up over the relief of not having to scrub-in at the hospital to feed her anymore. It was truly a treat!

Jeff making our last breakfast at the Hospitality House.

Our first night at the hotel was pretty uneventful. It was our first night of late-night feedings and of listening to all of her grunts and noises as she sleeps : ) The monitor went off a bazillion times it seems like and they were all false alarms. Not sure that we will keep this wonderful contraption. The doctor told us she really didn't need it, but gave it to us as a security blanket for us. I think we will only use it in the car on the way home, when that day finally comes.

Here are a few pictures from the past week or so...

 Sadie in her new open-air crib.  Done with her incubator!
 Jeff and I went to visit with Janie and Michael and their family last Friday night.  Many of our friends contributed money to help buy the boys Christmas presents and a giftcard to Lowes for some of their home needs.  They were so appreciative!  The left picture is me and Janie and the other picture is of their boys, Isaiah and Jayden. 

  Daddy and Sadie.  She sure does love her daddy!

Sadie's Discharge

Well, we thought we were going to be discharged today.  Jeff and I got the whole car packed up, said our goodbyes at the Hospitality House and headed over to the hospital to pick up our baby girl.  We had to meet with an adoption agency worker at 9:30 and then Sadie was ready to go!  In fact, the doctor had been there in the middle of the night and had already officially discharged Sadie.  They were literally just waiting on us to take her whenever we were ready.  So, Jeff was feeding her one last time while we waited on Ashley, the adoption agency worker from Kentucky.  Because Janie is a KY resident, a KY agency also needed to be involved with the case.  Ashley was just stopping in to make sure that Sadie was alive and kicking and that (as she said) we weren't "serial killers"!  After Jeff fed Sadie, I was holding her waiting on Ashley and she had what they call a "brady".  A brady is technically bradycardia where the preemie just forgets to breath sometimes and their heart rate goes down.  It is very normal for preemies and Sadie has always self-corrected when she does it.  However, she had a couple of them somewhat close together, so we decided that we better call the doctor.  In the meantime, Ashley showed up and checked everything out with us.  I think she was literally there for 5 minutes.  We got the doctor on the phone and decided that we should keep her in the NICU for another day to make sure she is ok.  We also decided to get a monitor for her to go home with that keeps up with her heart rate and lets us know if she bradys at home.  I will feel much better about that.  

So, I think that the plan is now to be discharged either Monday or Tuesday.  The doctor said we can stay as long as we want.  It is really better for us to stay here at the Hospitality House because it is free and it keeps our hotel costs down.  Ashley went to meet with Janie and Michael after seeing us and got them to sign everything, so the adoption process will get started this weekend and we should hopefully get officially approved by ICPC soon!  What a huge relief!  Ashley was so sweet.  I only met this woman for 5 minutes this morning, but she told me that after she left Janie's house today, she called her husband and cried on the phone with him.  She said she was so grateful that sweet Sadie was being adopted by us and going to a good home.  She was so happy for us.  She went above and beyond getting to Sadie's birthparents this morning too.  They were all supposed to meet at a library in town at 11:30 and Janie and Michael didn't show up.  She waited an hour and finally called me.  I called Janie, who had just gotten home.  She felt bad that she didn't call Ashley, but she doesn't have long-distance and Ashley's number is long-distance.  Janie and Michael had been in town looking for car insurance and got tied up.  They definitely live in the "here and now" and don't really think much about appointments.  It is a totally different culture.  Anyway, Ashley then had to go and pick Janie up at her house which is not easy to find!  Then they had to go a couple of "hollers" over to get Michael, who was cutting down wood for the wood-burning stove that heats their house.  She then had to take them someplace to sign all of the papers and then drive back to Louisville 3 hours away.  I can't tell you how grateful I was for her perseverance!    The crazy thing is that something similar occurred when the attorney, Wave, drove 2 hours to meet with Michael to sign the relinquishment papers last Tuesday.  Wave was supposed to meet Michael at a gas station in town.  Well, Michael didn't show up.  So, Wave calls the house and Michael's mother tells him that he forgot that he had a drug class to go to for his parole.  His mother tries to tell him where the class is, which was difficult.  Wave then asks her what car he is in so that he could find him and she says, "A red KIA with the back windshield blown out".  So, Wave tries to follow directions to this class when he literally sees the red KIA going the opposite direction on the highway.  He makes a U-turn quickly and catches up with him.  Michael signals for him to follow him, which he did.  They arrive at the class and Michael tells Wave that it should only be 15 minutes.  So, Wave sits tight.  AN HOUR LATER, Michael comes out of the class!  They finally all get to sit down and Michael signs all of the papers.  It is all so crazy, even I don't totally believe it.  They all keep telling me that this is not atypical for birthparents, but it is just such a different world than what we are used to!  

More later.  And I have more pictures!  We also went to Janie's and Michael's house last night to bring some pictures and Christmas gifts.  They were very appreciative and Janie looked GREAT.  I will post pictures from that visit as well.  Love to all!!

Spa Day

My hubby is the most wonderful man in the world.  He is sending me to Lexington today to go shopping at the big mall and to get a spa treatment.  I am getting 20 minutes of hydro-therapy and a massage and facial!  Woo Hoo!  I wish I could take Sadie with me, but getting out of Ashland, KY for a day will do me a world of good!  

On another note, Sadie is doing GREAT!  She gained over 2 oz yesterday and now weighs 3lbs 13.1oz!  We are so very proud of her.  

He signed!!!

Hey Everybody, Thank you for your prayers and support through this whole process. Michael signed the papers and Sadie is now our full responsibility!!! The attorney just called us and the first thing he said (and I heard-Jeff) was "Congratulations". There is even a divine story behind the signing...unbelievable....we'll tell you about that later.....We are parents!!!!!

A few Pictures...

For some reason the blogger wasn't adding my pictures last night, so I am attempting again! This first shot is Grandpapa feeding Sadie her bottle. My dad came up by train to Ashland to meet my mom so that they could ride back to Georgia together. My mom has been a HUGE help. Not only was she there for me when I was crying hysterically after Michael wouldn't sign in jail, but she also brought meals from home for us and made cupcakes for all of Sadie's nurses and workers at the Hospitality House we are staying in. She is amazing.

Here is Sadie after her first tub bath. We thought we could get some pictures during the bath, but that proved more difficult than we thought! We were too busy trying to keep her calm. She sure is cute all wrapped up in this towel though!

After we bathed Sadie and read her her bedtime book that Wendy and Eric Blissett sent us, she went right back to sleep. We left the hospital to go back home and immediately were hit with a snow shower! Across from the hospital is Central Park and it is already decked out with Christmas lights, so we took this shot (below right) in front of the entrance. Sadie's first snow! Too bad she is in her incubator and can't see it! Here is Sadie in her Incubator Home (below left).

If all goes well today with the signing, we will still be up in KY for several weeks as the adoption paperwork can't be completed until Sadie is out of the hospital. Once the paperwork gets completed, it will take 5-10 business days for ICPC to push everything through the system so that we can cross state lines with her. That will be a GLORIOUS day!

Michael is Signing Tomorrow!

Yes.  All of our prayers are being answered!  And we are SO grateful for your prayers!  Jeff just got off of the phone with Michael and he told him that the attorney was driving back to Paintsville tomorrow to meet him at 2:30pm so that he can sign the papers.  I can hardly believe it!  We both thought that it would take forever to arrange a time with the attorney or that we would have to take Michael ourselves to Lexington to meet the attorney, if he was willing to sign.  We are so grateful that we don't have to be involved with this one!  

Jeff talked with Michael for about 1/2 hour and had a great conversation with him.  He is in need of a job in order to stay out of jail.  So, Jeff is doing a little bit of research online for him to see if he can find something in Paintsville.  There will be an extra challenge in that he obviously has been convicted of a felony.  Please pray that God provides a steady job for him.  We would be so grateful.  He would really like to work and provide for his family.  He told Jeff (when we met him in jail last week) that he accepted Christ while he was there.  We pray that his heart was sincere and that God begins His transforming work in and through this family.  

We are still planning on going back to their home at some point before leaving Kentucky to see what other house items we can take care of for them and to bring by a few gifts.  My mom got them a Walmart giftcard (very handy!) and I am buying two cross necklaces - one for Janie which I will give when I see her and one for Sadie which I will give her when she is able to understand the significance of her birthmom having an identical one.  I think Janie will really like that!  

I tried to post some more pictures, but for some reason the blogger is moving slowly tonight.  We will try again tomorrow!!  Be praying for the "close".  We love you all!

Michael is Out of Jail

Yes.  Michael got out of jail at 3pm today, but we still don't know much about where he stands.  I spoke with Janie tonight, but she hasn't gotten a chance yet to talk with him about it all.  It has been a big day with seeing the kids and having Michael's mother over (who doesn't know about the pregnancy and subsequent adoption).  I think they will not get a chance to talk until they go to sleep tonight.  Keep praying!  Tomorrow we should know something.  My mom and I watched 2 parts of the "Why Worry" series today from church which greatly helped our state of mind. 

In the meantime, Sadie has been gaining weight steadily and how weighs 3lbs 8oz!  We are so proud of her.  She also took a bottle for every feeding today!  That was a huge accomplishment.  

More tomorrow... 

Kangaroo Care

One of the things that research has proven is that Kangaroo Care is really good for preemies.  Kangaroo Care is a way of holding a preterm infant so that there is skin-to-skin contact between the infant and the person holding it.  The baby, wearing only a diaper, is held against the parent's bare chest.  It is labeled kangaroo care because this method is similar to how a kangaroo is carried by its mother.  Researchers have found that the close physical contact with the parent can help to stabilize the preterm infant's heartbeat, temperature, and breathing.  They have also found that preterm infants who experience kangaroo care have longer periods of sleep, gain more weight, decrease their crying, and have longer periods of alertness, and earlier hospital discharge.  We are all for all of that!!  So, after hearing about this kind of care, I asked the nurses about it and told them I wanted to try it.  Tonight was our second session and Sadie sure did love it.  Mom and I both thought she was extremely peaceful.  Her head rests on my chest so that she can also hear my heartbeat, which soothes her.  I think I love it as much as she does!

A Few Pictures of Bathtime

Here are some cute pictures of bathtime and getting all dressed up with nowhere to go but the incubator!  Her t-shirt says "This is my little black dress".  

Our Day at Janie and Michael's House

It is so hard to remember and journal through all of the events from only a week.  So much has happened.  It is pretty crazy!  The reason we ended up going to Janie's house last week was because she was still in ICU and her father had her boys.  She was highly concerned about the fact that her dad had the kids and kept saying that he wouldn't know how to care for them.  She asked us several times to go and get the kids and keep them after realizing that she was having such bad complications from the pregnancy. We originally told her we would.  Now, I have to tell you that I was scared to death to get her kids because I haven't parented anyone and having 2 toddlers who haven't been very disciplined in a hospital was going to be a major challenge.  Plus dealing with Janie and Sadie in critical condition.  God pulled through for us though and we were offered the Hospitality House for free and they don't allow kids to stay.  When the nurses heard what I was going to do - getting her kids - they convinced me that I was already overburdened with Sadie and needed to focus on her.  So, I spoke with Janie's dad to make sure that he was ok keeping the boys and he assured me that he was.  Janie started doing better by the time I let her know that we couldn't keep them and she sounded ok with it.  But, she wanted for me to pick her mother-in-law up to take her to the house to watch the kids until she could return.  She felt much better having her there as her dad had never changed a diaper nor given them a bath.  She also asked us to look at the plumbing in the kitchen because it had stopped up and she knew that her mother-in-law would not be able to wash dishes.  

So, that was how our hour trip to Paintsville began.  The intention was to go to the jail to meet Michael and to let him know that Janie had given birth, to pick up Michael's mom to take her to the house to watch the kids, and to take care of a few household items.  So, we made the hour drive in the morning after seeing sweet Sadie.  We met Michael and instantly liked him.  He was very friendly and seemed receptive to us.  We left him and went to pick up Jean, the mother-in-law, to take her on a few errands (pick up prescription at drugstore and to go through the Wendy's for 10, yes TEN, Jr. Cheesburgers for the family to eat) and then over to Janie's house.  

Once we got to Janie's, Jeff (super rockstar handyman) assessed the situation and figured out what we needed to purchase at Lowe's.  We decided to also replace the front porch light that continuously flickered on and off and to add a deadbolt onto the front door.  Janie had mentioned those items over our various phone conversations.  So, we made a trip to Lowe's and then Jeff got to work.  I should let him blog about the kitchen sink plumbing repair because he said it was the most disgusting thing he has ever done.  The leak was so bad that it had rotted out the entire subflooring in the cabinet.  And of course, you could see pacifiers and other items down in the rotted out area.  The leak was caused by what looked like cereal jammed in the pipes and so when Jeff opened it up, the smell was horrific.  It was a rancid milk smell and I could see Jeff about gag a few times.  But, my hero totally fixed them up with new plumbing that now is clog and leak-free!  Janie's boys helped out along the way.  

The boys, Jayden (7), Payton (2) and Isaiah(3), are absolutely beautiful kids (pictures above: Isaiah left, Payton right).  But, they are definitely not disciplined much and don't have a lot of structure.  We learned that the oldest, Jayden, puts himself to sleep around 2am after watching TV.  While there, Payton got into a box of nails and the mother-in-law wasn't paying a bit of attention.  He also stuck his hand in the fire that heats the house.  The front porch doesn't have a guard rail and has a 6 foot drop on one side yet Payton is not watched when he walks out there.  It was all very disheartening to us.  

The house is also in bad shape in various ways.  Mentioned above, the sub-flooring was rotted out under the kitchen sink.  You can literally see dirt when you open up the doors.  The linoleum floor is really shot and needs to be replaced.  A couple of windows are boarded up and need replacing and a guard rail most definitely needs to be added to the porch!  Jeff and I would like to go up in the Spring to see about taking care of some of these needs.  We are also in contact with a ministry called Christian Appalachian Project that serves families in need in this region.  The director, Harold, is WONDERFUL and wants to have Jeff and I over for dinner.  He has adopted 5 children and has 3 of his own.  I am hoping that they can also help this family.

Several people have asked me about helping out our family for Christmas and I am SO appreciative!  We plan on getting some presents for the boys, a Walmart giftcard for Janie and Michael, and hopefully also help them in purchasing a car (they will get some money after the adoption to go towards this purchase) so that they can work and go back to school.  Janie has some college education in elementary education and would like to finish her degree, but doesn't have the money.  She can get financial aid, but needs a quarter of school paid for in order to get her grades back up.  She always had good grades until the kids came along.  Once her grades are back up, financial aid will kick back in and pay for the rest.  

Jeff is busy at the new house moving in.  Thanks again to all who chipped in last night to help him move out.  We have amazing friends and feel very blessed.  My dad is coming this weekend and will drive back to the new house on Monday to help unpack boxes.  Jeff should be coming back to KY on Monday.  I am praying he can get here because I think that is when all of the adoption will go one way or another.  Michael gets out on Sunday.  

This morning I had a really good time with the Lord while rocking in a chair next to Sadie's incubator.  He put Matthew 26:39 on my heart... "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will."  I prayed that prayer that Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane as it relates to this situation.  I definitely desire to come home with Sadie in my arms, but I think I have come to a place of surrender and trust that God has the very best in store for me.  I can trust that if this adoption does not go through, He knows best.  I get some sense that there is much more at stake than just my desire to become a mom.  Ultimately, I desire what my Heavenly Father desires and if it isn't for me to be a mom to Sadie, then I can endure with His grace.  I have to tell you that coming to this point of surrender is the most peaceful place to be.  It has offered me so much strength.  I know this strength is only by His grace.  I am grateful for this situation in teaching me, once again, the power of His strength in my weakness.  

My First Bottle

Sadie has started eating from a bottle!  They gave her her first bottle the day before yesterday.  She was only allowed to drink from the bottle once a day because it wears her out.  So the first day she drank 10ccs, yesterday she drank 15ccs and this morning she finished the whole thing!  The doctor has now said that she can drink from a bottle more than once a day as long as she is awake and alert.  She is a trouper! 

Continuing on with the Story...

Thank you SO very much for all of your prayers and encouragement to me the past couple of days.  And for all of the friends who have helped pack up our house and get us moved.  It is simply amazing how many of you are involved.  Friends have always told me that in crisis it is so humbling to see the outpour of people surround you in your time of need.  I now know firsthand.  I literally cry through emails and voicemails from friends.  Thank you just doesn't seem enough.  Especially when I don't even have the energy to express my gratitude back to each call or email.  The way that I feel is really quite amazing in that on one hand I feel totally broken and weak and on the other hand God somehow gives me strength through His Word and your encouragement.  I feel like you are lifting my arms like in the story with Moses..."So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.  As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  Aaron and Hur held his hands up - one on one side, one on the other - so that his hands remained steady till sunset.  So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword." (Ex 17:10-13)  You all are my Aaron and Hur keeping me from losing the battle of hopelessness and despair!

Right now we are in a waiting phase.  Jeff and I both felt very unified in our desire to serve Michael and this family even if we don't get anything in return.  Yesterday the Lord gave me strength through Philippians 2:5-11 and Mark 10:43-45.  Both talk about Jesus taking on the position of a servant.  "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." (Mark 10:43-44).  As much as I desire to be a mother, my purpose and calling in all of this is much greater.  We are called to be servants and to put others first.  I am called to love and serve Michael and this family regardless of his actions towards me.  Jeff and I both agree that Michael has not had many people in his life who have really been there for him.  His father has never even met his other 3 children.  Janie tells us that trust does not come easy for him.  Our prayer is that we can love him with the love of Christ.  We know that Christ's love transforms lives!

While we wait this week, Janie continues to improve.  I talk with her everyday and literally love her more and more each time we talk.  She is so concerned for me and my emotions with all of the drama unfolding.  Last night we had a few laughs together over various parts of this story.  She told me that the nurses in her hospital keep telling her that this story is what movies are made of.  I get the same thing on this end.  So, we joked about writing a movie for Lifetime and making millions when all of this is over.  We haven't figured out the title just yet, but give us time.  : )  She still feels certain that she can talk Michael into signing the papers.  And on another note, the social worker told us yesterday that if he didn't sign, then a case would be opened because Janie has already relinquished her rights.  Opening up a case would mean that a social worker would be out at their house and in all of their business really quick.  Michael is not going to want that because he is very fearful of losing his other 3 boys at home.  The social worker is going to talk with Janie about all of this and be available for Michael to talk to as well.  

Well, I thought I'd be able to catch you all up on our time spent with Janie's family at her house, but this blog has taken me too long to write.  But when I do, I will include some pictures of the visit as well.  Jeff repaired some plumbing and electrical work and added a dead bolt lock on their front door.  Her boys wanted to "help".  It was really cute.  However, the house was definitely in bad shape.  We would like to do a lot more on another visit.  

Thanks so much again for all you are doing for us!  

We need serious prayer

Hey Everyone,

We have had a setback today.  Michael (husband and possible birthfather) would not sign the papers needed for the adoption in jail.  I was with both him and the attorney and he told the attorney that he thought he would go through with it, but that he didn't want to sign everything in jail.  We really aren't sure what will happen.  He isn't getting out of jail until this Sunday, so I have about another week before I will know what will actually happen.  I would really appreciate prayers for God to protect my heart and mind through this incredible trial that He has let me face.  Two things that I am hearing from God:  1) Do you trust me, Tracey?  2) Will you give even when you aren't receiving anything in return?  In other words, will I continue to remain committed to caring for Janie, Sadie, and her family even if I don't get to bring Sadie home?  

I would so appreciate your prayers.  My mom and I have committed to staying up here with Sadie until we know what will happen.  She hasn't chosen this and she knows our voices and smells and we feel it best to not abandon her just to protect our hearts.  She is doing really well and continues to improve.  Janie (birthmom) is upset about Michael's decision and wants me to stay.  She feels that she can convince Michael of this adoption plan once he gets out of jail.  However, we just really don't know what will happen in the end.  

Jeff and I are so appreciative that we are not in this alone.   Thanks for your prayers.  

Long Overdo Update

Hi friends,

Thanks so much for being patient with us and praying for our situation.  For those of you who are new to our circumstances, we received a call from our birthmom last Wednesday afternoon and she said to me, "How soon can you get here?  They want to do an emergency C-Section"  Of course, I panicked and quickly started packing whatever I could find to throw into a suitcase!  Jeff came home and we took off for KY!  Along the way, Janie delivered a baby girl and we immediately called her Sadie Grace Scholen.  We finally arrived at 10:45pm and met Janie and Sadie for the first time.  Sadie was on a CPAP machine to keep her lungs from collapsing, but the doctors said that she was doing really well.  

I won't lie and tell you that I slept well that night.  I actually don't think I slept a wink.  I had so much swirling around in my brain.  Will Sadie be ok?  Will the adoption plan still go through now that it is in KY instead of Utah?  How will her husband respond?  How will we afford all of the hotel and food expenses?  I kept hearing God tell me, "Tracey, rest in Me and I will carry you."  I felt like He was trying to teach me how to rely on Him and how to ask Him to meet my needs specifically without me "helping" Him.  I had a huge sense that He wanted to care for me to a point that I absolutely knew it was coming from Him.  So, when we got out of bed in the morning, Jeff and I got on our knees by the hotel bed and began to pray.  I prayed specifically for 4 things: 1)  That God would provide a place for us to stay that wouldn't deplete our bank account 2) That we would have confidence moving forward with the adoption since it was now in KY instead of Utah.  KY adoption laws are horrible and birthparents can't sign for 3 days and then they have 20 days to change their minds.  Utah law allows them to sign in 24 hours and the papers are irrevocable on the spot.  3) That Sadie would get off of the CPAP machine quickly and 4) that we would have the strength to get through the day on no sleep.

After praying the nurses called and told us that Janie was not doing well and that she had moved to the ICU.  When we arrived, they told us that she was diagnosed with DIC and that in most cases it didn't turn out well.  We couldn't believe it.  So, we solicited as many prayers as possible.  Mostly from you all!  But inside, I could barely take the thought in.  It was devasting.  In the meantime, God answered my first prayer when the caseworker tells us about a place for families of loved ones in ICU or NICU to stay for free.   I cannot even begin to tell you how much of a blessing it has been to stay at this house.  It is wonderful!!!  And free!!  We have 2 full-size kitchens, free laundry, free internet and lots of donated food.  The bathroom is perfect for my mom who would be visiting with me when Jeff left (she is in a wheelchair).  We think God was just starting to showing off.  : )

Before we actually saw the house, God answered prayer #2 when our agency director called me to let me know that they had retained an attorney and that they got permission from the ICPC for a tri-state adoption.  Under this type of adoption, the birthparents could still be under the Utah law.  And since our agency is in Utah and the adoption would still be finalized in Utah, we could push the adoption through Utah law still.  GREAT news!  So, with Janie's dire condition they also got permission for the social worker to serve her the papers instead of the attorney who was unavailable.  All of the papers were signed at 4pm and Janie had relinquished her rights!  We could hardly believe it.  Later the agency told us that it was literally divine intervention that they got all of the permissions that they did.  It was only due to Janie's condition.  The wild thing was that Janie began improving throughout the day and was then re-diagnosed with HELLP syndrome, not DIC (which in the medical field is nicknamed Death is Coming due to its prognosis).  We were so relieved!!  

After all of this good news, Jeff and I were finally able to get back to Sadie to see how she was doing.  Prayer #3 was answered when we scrubbed in and the nurse told us she had a surprise for us.  Sadie was off of the CPAP machine!  So, we could hold her now for the very first time!!  It was so wonderful.  That moment was captured with the round of photos first sent out.  

Prayer #4 was answered throughout the day as I never really felt exhausted until the end of the day when I got to my bed.  We both slept SO good that night!  I honestly don't know how I survived this day with no sleep!  

OK.  So, this was the beginning of our adventure up here.  I will blog some more tomorrow to catch everyone up on the rest of the events... going to the jail to meet Michael, going to Janie's house and meeting her boys and family, Janie's turn for the worse and transfer to Lexington, the adoption and where we stand right now.  Right now I have a little girl over in the NICU who needs her mama!  

love to you all!

Tracey

We are Parents!!

I will journal about the crazy adventure we are on probably tomorrow, but until then here are a few pictures of our baby girl, Sadie Grace Scholen!  She weighs 3lbs 6oz and is 16 1/2 inches long. She is doing great for a baby born at 32 weeks and we can tell already that she is a fighter!  She is the cutest little glow worm we have ever seen!!

Thanks for praying for us!

Jeff and Tracey

A Possible Trip to KY

Hey Everyone,

I really haven't had much time at all to post on the blog.  Things seem to be going a mile a minute around here.  Jeff and I have been in the final negotiations over repairs, etc... on our house and the one we are purchasing and we have been packing up our house one room at a time.  Plus, my wonderful, WONDERFUL friends threw a shower for me this past Saturday (picture included).  I was so appreciative and it was so much fun to celebrate this journey with friends and family.   

In the midst of it all, I spoke with Janie and it is looking more and more like I may be going up there at the end of this week to take her to see her doctor.  I tried for about an hour today to try to find someone to get her there, but I come up against a brick wall every time.  She lives in a very remote, poor section of the Appalachian Mountains.  There are no cab companies that service her area.  I tried to find an independent driver and a medical cab to take her, but neither ended up panning out.  I really feel at my wits end here.  All I can think about is that she is the mother of my future child and I need to do what I can to protect both of them.  After talking with her tonight, I just broke down in tears.  I feel so helpless at times with this situation and completely out of my league.  It made me realize, once again, how much I need God.  I am helpless, but He is definitely NOT.  

I haven't gone into detail about Janie's condition on this blog yet, so let me tell you what is happening.  Janie has 3 boys - 7, 3, and 18 months.  With 2 of her pregnancies she developed pre-eclampsia.  For those of you who don't know, pre-eclampsia can lead to eclampsia, which can be very dangerous for both mom and baby.  Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure.  The last time she went to the doctor, her blood pressure was elevated and they wanted to check it the next time she came in to make sure she was doing ok.  Well, Janie missed her next appointment and hasn't been to the doctor now in about a month.  And her symptoms seem to be getting worse.  The problem is that she has no way of getting to her doctor to get checked out and she needs to get into see the doctor!  So, short of me going up there to take her to the doctor, I really don't know what else to do.  Please be praying for a solution!  If I go, I will have to leave Thursday after work, drive for about 5 hours, spend the night, and then pick her up in the morning to take her to the doctor.  Then I would be driving 7 hours back home.  Not fun.  The good news is that I would meet Janie, her family, and see where she lives and how I can help.  It would also be nice to take her to the doctor and experience all of that with her.  I see a great benefit in doing all of that with her.  Please pray for wisdom for me and if you have any words of wisdom, I'd love to hear.  

Lastly, Janie sent me the last sonogram of the baby (picture up top).  It was so thoughtful!   And yes, from what Janie tells me, what you are seeing in the picture is the baby's foot!!  

A Short Update...

I bet you are wondering what has happened to us!  It has been a whole week since I last posted.  It is only because we have been so crazy busy getting a contract on another house up in Alpharetta and taking care of the paperwork that follows with that!  We are scheduled to move on November 14th after closing on the 13th.  Woo hoo!

I haven't spoken at length with Janie since last Saturday.  She had her mother-in-law in town this past week and she doesn't know about Janie's pregnancy (she hides it in her extra pounds and large shirts).  Therefore, we couldn't talk with her very much. I did find out that she got the Bible I sent to her and we got her telephone service working completely so she can now call our toll-free number, the agency, and her doctor when needed.  I feel very relieved about this.  She has missed a few doctor's appointments due to the fact she doesn't have a car and has a friend who can be unreliable at times.  It is all I can do to not drive up to KY to take her myself!  

Jeff and I are so grateful to God in His timing of allowing us to move before the baby comes along.  It is a huge blessing in this economy that we are not taking for granted.  Thanks so much to all of you praying for us!

Our Birthmom

I talked with Janie for about 1 1/2 hours on Saturday night.  For so long that my battery died on my home telephone.  It was a great conversation.  She started off asking me questions about the Bible and about forgiveness of sins, etc...  It sounds like she became a Christian when she went to jail for a few days.  It was where "God got my attention."  Anyway, when she and her husband weret separated for awhile, she began really reading her Bible.  It sounds like she reads it quite a bit, but has a lot of questions.  She has also been reading the King James Version and so I told her that I would mail her a different translation that she could understand better.  So, today I mailed her the NIV Life Application Bible and can't wait until she gets it!  We are going to read through a book together and talk about it.  It is so absolutely wonderful getting to invest in her in this way.  What a HUGE privilege!  

Janie seems like a very thoughtful, goal-oriented person.  She has attended some college and was working as a GED tutor helping high school dropouts get their GED.  She was majoring in elementary education when she needed to stop school due to her financial aid running out and having 3 kids!  But it sounds like she would really like to go back to school to finish her degree. 

Janie lives in a very remote area in the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky.  She does own her home, but it is very modest and is heated with coal!  As she says, "It is a pain to have to add coal to the burner in the middle of the night when it is really cold!"  I bet!  Talking with her has made me appreciate so much more what I have.  It is so easy to look around and not be content, but talking with her makes me realize just how much I have been blessed with.  She doesn't have a car, the town doesn't have taxis or buses and so she has to rely on friends to take her to get food, etc...  She doesn't have a phone that she can call out on (she can only receive calls), so Jeff and I are trying to take care of that for her so that she can call us when she wants and call the doctor when needed.  She has high blood pressure and so that scares me for her.  I just want to make sure she is cared for!

Because of her high blood pressure, Janie has given birth to all 3 of her kids around week 37.  With this in mind, she will be traveling to Utah the first week in December (her very first plane ride!).  At that point, she will see the doctor in Salt Lake City and he will set a date to induce.  It would be great for her to hold off until week 38, but we will take 37 too!  At week 37 we will be home for Christmas probably!  She said that all 3 boys were healthy at 37 weeks, so that put my mind somewhat at ease.    

We have decided to have more of an "open" relationship with one another after the adoption.  I'm not sure exactly what that will look like, but am very happy that she is open to it.  She told me that she just wanted to make sure that I was comfortable with anything we decide on.  It is such an amazing experience getting to know the birthmother of my child.  I count it as one of my biggest blessings in life.  I really can't even communicate with words how all of this feels, but I am so grateful that God is allowing me to experience it.  Adoption is such an amazing thing - maybe because it mirrors our adoption by God.  Or maybe because I am getting to experience this beautiful life through someone else's sacrifice.  All I know is that every time I ponder it, I well-up with tearful gratitude.  And to think that I may not have experienced all of this if the China adoption had just come sooner or if we had been able to have our own children.  It is times like this when I just KNOW that God is in control and desires good things for His children.  

We are Under Contract!

Well, we decided to move forward with the buyer's best offer on our house and feel pretty good about it!  We are moving out November 14th.  Obviously, the task at hand is now to get a contract on another house!  We found one that we really like in a neighborhood off of Waters Rd in Alpharetta.  We are planning on putting an offer on it tomorrow.  We'd love your prayers that it would go smoothly!

I spoke with Janie again tonight for about 1 1/2 hours.  I just love her!!  I want to tell you more about it except that it is now 11pm and I am exhausted from being in Chicago all week and just getting home.  I will let you guys know more about it tomorrow.  One thing (to hold you in suspense. ha)...she let me see her My Space account and I got to see a picture of her youngest son, Payton (above).  A TOTAL cutie!!   

Eternal Perspective

Right now I am in Chicago for a church conference at Willow Creek Community Church.  I am having so much fun getting some "hang time" with my team here in the windy city.  However, it is probably the best and worst time to be here.  Worst in that we are still trying to negotiate the sale of our home and our buyers just declined our last offer.  Best in that singing praise songs to my God and being in His Word in the midst of this turmoil is the best place for me to be.  Jeff and I have so much to think about in this declining real estate market and it is next to impossible to predict how things will go.  We could take our house off of the market and wait until Spring/Summer to try again, but who knows if the market will be better then?  And not getting out now leaves us little financial margin for me to work part-time at my job.  We just hate giving our house that we have spent years renovating away for such a lower price.  All I know is that while I was in the middle of worship today,  these issues seemed so very small.  In the grand scheme of things, I know that God is totally in control and that none of this really matters in eternity.  What does matter is how I respond in this situation - with faith, trust, and love or with fear, control and doubt?  I am not an orphan and do not need to live life like I need to provide for myself somehow, someway.  I am a daughter of the King!  He is using all of these circumstances to continue to refine me into who He desires me to be.  And becoming an image-bearer who reflects His glory to the world is much more important than Him giving me an easy sale of my house.  Thank God for eternal perspective!! 

I Spoke with Janie Tonight!

Yay!  I finally got to speak with Janie, our birthmom, tonight!  The agency director got her phone number to give to me so that we could start talking more regularly.  It was a great conversation that gave me a lot more clarity about her life and this child.  We are really excited!  She also told me that she gave birth at 37 weeks with the rest of her boys and so she felt that she would probably give birth at 37 weeks again.  She said that all 3 boys were healthy weights when born even though they came so early.  At 37 weeks, it would put her at the beginning of December, which would be so great for us!  Maybe we would be home by Christmas then!  We will see.  

The other piece of news is that we are getting our counter-offer from the couple interested in our house tomorrow morning.  We pray that it is an offer we can accept!  We also found a couple of houses this weekend that we are very interested in, should we get a contract.  Keep praying for us!  

Lots of excitement at the Scholen household!  

Need a Covering

We need prayer. Most of you know we want to sell our home and move into a better situation that would allow our family to grow and provide for an opportunity for Tracey to stay home with the kids. We did receive a contract on Wednesday and we countered yesterday. We are not desperate by any means; just want to get the best value out the house. I believe it is priced with a discount in mind with the current market, but you know, everyone always wants more including this buyer. I just got off the phone with the buyer's agent and the buyers seem stressed out. They plan on coming by Sunday to see the house again and maybe talk about the details. Please keep us in your prayers as we negotiate some sort of win-win. -Jeff

We Got an Offer!

Yesterday the realtor working with our interested couple emailed asking us if we could show the house to her couple and their parents this weekend.  She was going to be out of town.  We said sure thing and thought, "OK.  Well, I guess we won't be getting an offer until at least after the weekend."  Well, this morning an offer was waiting in Jeff's inbox!!  We are thrilled!  We THINK we can work with this couple, so keep praying that the negotiations go smoothly.  They want to move in November 15th!  

Thanks team!

Our Profile

Hi everyone,

I know that showing you our family profile now is a little out of order since we have now been matched.  However, the consultant who did the design did such a great job, I had to show it off and finally figured out a way to put a couple of pages on the blog!

On another note, Jeff and I secured a toll-free number last night so that Janey can call us a couple of times a week.  We can't wait to talk with her again!  We have also been looking into flights to Utah and hotels/condos to stay in while in Salt Lake City.  If you know of any great places, we would love to hear about them!  We will need to be there for a couple of weeks and would love to keep it economical.  With adoption costs so crazy, anything we can do to save money would be helpful!  

One last thing I almost forgot!  We have a couple who will potentially be placing an offer on our house!  They have the seller's disclosure list and are reviewing it now.  Please pray that we will receive an offer and be able to negotiate a contract with them.  It would be SO great to move before the baby comes!

That's it for now!  Thanks for all of your support and prayers.

We are officially 6 months pregnant!

Hey everyone,

So sorry to keep everyone in suspense about how things went on Friday night.  Jeff and I were actually up in Virginia celebrating our anniversary (Oct 2nd) and his birthday (Oct 3rd!) with my parents, my aunt, and cousin.  We were out to dinner at one of my parents' favorite restaurants in Charlottesville, Virginia when we were scheduled to speak with Janey, the birthmom.  We had to leave the restaurant to go out to the car to have the conversation!  A little chaotic, but worth the effort!  

It was a good conversation.  A social worker mediated the conversation and we told her a little about ourselves and then she told us a little about herself and then after about 20 minutes it was over!  After talking with her, I found that I had a bazillion other things that I really wanted to ask her, but I know that I will have plenty of time to ask her more over the next 3 months.  We will get the chance to talk about 2 times a week until she delivers. 

Jeff and I went back to the table after the conversation to wait for Jane, the agency director, to call and let us know if Janey liked us, etc...  And after about 1/2 hour, we got the text above!  We had a big celebration and Jeff videotaped our first message to our unborn child at the dinner table letting him or her know that we were matched!  Very exciting!!

The next day, Saturday, we had a bit of a hiccup with the process (we will spare you and us all of those details) and weren't sure if we were going to continue to move forward.  It was an upsetting day to say the least.  Another reason why we hadn't updated our blog sooner.  But after getting a lot of really good counsel from my parents and friends, Jeff and I felt unified in moving forward last night.  So, it is official!!

The other good news is that last night we found out that Janey will actually be induced on December 15th!  This agency tries to make it as easy as possible on both the birthmom and adoptive family and so they induce at 38 weeks so that everyone can plan and feel a little more in control of the situation.  We think in this case, we will probably be stuck in Utah for Christmas as it takes some time to push all of the paperwork through the system and to get a clearance to bring the child home.  But, you never know!  We may get home in time for Christmas, which would be so great with a new child in hand!!

Keep praying for us.  Specifically for:

1)  Our baby that Janey is so lovingly carrying for us and placing with us to raise as our own

2)  As we finalize the contract with the agency that all will go smoothly

3)  God to give us comfort in our fears that this adoption will fall through somehow

We've only got 10 weeks to go!!! 

We should be "officially" matched tonight!

Hey Everyone,

Thanks so much for praying for us!!  I believe we have a birthmom!  I can't tell all of the details only because I don't have the time at the moment, but I promise to fill in all the gaps tonight after we talk with Janey, our birthmom!  Yay!  Jeff and I are going to be on a conference call with her at 7pm tonight.  I can tell you that she is from Kentucky and that she is due December 31st!  Happy New Year!!  We don't know the gender and won't know until she gets a sonogram 3 weeks before she gives birth, but she is getting regular prenatal care.  

Ok.  That's it for now, but promise to tell you all everything once we talk with her.  

love you all!!

We may have a match VERY soon!!!

I think we will be matched in the next couple of days!!! I got a call from another person we are networking with to find adoption opportunities and she tells me that she called her agency to see if they got our packet and family profiles. She left a message with the agency director in the morning but thought that the director probably wouldn't get our stuff until Thursday because that was when the UPS man said it would be there. Well, she then got a phone call from the director at 6pm tonight and she said the director told her, "OH MY GOODNESS! I LOVE YOUR NEW FAMILY!" (meaning us! : ) "And I have the PERFECT birthmother for them!" The birthmom wanted a couple to place her child with who didn't have any children yet and who put God at the center of their lives. I think we literally may have put something to that effect in our family profile! Crazy! The birthmom is due in January. So, basically, with this agency the director sorta "matches" families together and then tells each party about the other and then if each are in agreement, we set up a conference call and the match is made! From what it sounds like, the birthmom already wants to set up the call and we just need to talk with the director to get all of the specifics on the situation and then set up the time to talk with the birthmom! And then voila! The match is made! We hear that the birthmom is a great birthmom - no drugs, etc... and is very committed to the adoption plan. So, we think it will be good! We don't know the gender yet - we think it is unknown, but the director will let us know tomorrow.

Oh yeah! And on another note a realtor emailed Jeff today and told him that her clients who just recently saw the house are leaning on putting an offer on the house! They just wanted to see a recent seller's disclosure form. Double good news today!!

Please be praying for us!! We will be SO excited to finally be matched and have a birth mom to talk with and get to know over the next couple of months while preparing. We love you all!

We are being presented tomorrow!

Hey everyone,

We just got a phone call about the boy due October 22nd.  We found out all of the information about the situation and said that we would like to be presented to the birthmom!  Holy Cow!  (what does that mean anyway?)  We really need prayer for patience in this process of waiting if we are not selected tomorrow.  We desire for God to choose the perfect child for our family and want to be patient during our journey.  We appreciate you all!!

Update

None of the previous situations have panned out so far.  We decided to not pursue the baby girl who was already 8 weeks old and we have yet to hear if we were matched or not with the other 2 situations.  Our consultant told us that when we are presented to the birthmom, she looks at the family profiles for a week or so and then picks which couple she would like to place her child with.  At that point, the matched couple will get a phone call from the agency.  We don't get a phone call if we weren't picked.  I guess we just have to assume that if we don't hear any news after a couple of weeks, then we weren't selected.  

On another note, our baby's room is coming along nicely!  Jeff and I found a deal at the Pottery Barn outlet on a dresser and brought it home yesterday.  We also got our glider/rocker and new bedding.  It has been fun to get the room situated!  We have also been getting Babies R Us boxes in the mail from lots of friends and family.  I can't tell you how good it feels to be a little more prepared!   

Lastly, I met with a friend, Susan, on Friday who is adopting two children from the foster care system.  I can't even begin to tell you how encouraged I was meeting with her!  It is amazing how God has orchestrated every last detail in their journey.   Jeff and I are so glad to have her as a resource for the future as we would love to go that route once we get this and our China adoption through!

One more!

So another situation is for a baby due at the beginning of January.  I just contacted the agency with that one.  Hopefully, we can get presented.  Keep praying!  We appreciate you all so much!

More situations

Well, today feels like a lot of progress is being made!  One agency that we weren't even sure had approved us yet just called and presented us with a situation for an 8 week old girl who we would be picking up Sunday if we want to be presented.  I am trying to get in touch with my husband to see what he wants to do on that one!  Another situation is for a newborn boy due October 22nd.  We aren't sure if we can be presented in the boy situation yet, as our application hasn't been fully approved at this agency.  I feel much better after talking with them though and it seems that our application will be approved next week sometime.  And another situation was presented to us yesterday for a baby due in March.  The mom wanted a Christian couple with no children, so it seemed perfect for us!  But, in thinking about it further we decided against it because it is so far out and if the birthmom changes her mind, we wouldn't have much time to pursue another adoption before our China referral came in.  

Lots going on!  It makes me feel like "OK!  This is definitely going to happen!"

The Heart of Adoption

"Throughout history, an authentic faith has been marked by a compassionate response toward those the world tends to forget." Gary Thomas, Authentic Faith

One of the women who works with Christian Adoption Consultants, Tracie, has such an amazing heart and has really challenged my thinking about adoption. She and her husband are in process of adopting a little boy they are calling Aiden with Down Syndrome from Eastern Europe. An excerpt from her blog...

"If all goes well and the Lord brings him into our family, we will name him "Aiden Joseph"- Aiden means "little flame" and Joseph means "he will enlarge"- we believe the prophetic destiny over Aiden's life is that he will be a little flame that will grow. We believe that his life will be a light to many and will set the hearts of others ablaze with the true spirit of adoption and a heart to live out James 1:27." Check out her full blog here.

James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." I can't begin to tell you how much this family's faith has stirred a new conviction in me. She and her family have a heart to adopt harder-to-place children and are in communities where other families are doing the same. On another blog, her brother-in-law showcases the Koth family who have adopted 10 children from all over the world!! You can see this family on the September 7th blog here.

Jeff and I are both inspired and encouraged by these families' compassion and faith in allowing God to love through them in this way. Both of our hearts have been stirred and are wondering what God could have in store for us in the future. While reading these sites, we both teared up multiple times at how God is working through these amazing families. We know we have a desire to adopt older children, but don't know the when and where just yet. My friend Susan told me about a 15 year old girl in Albania who is in an orphanage waiting for a forever family. This little girl needs a home before she is sent out to the streets on her own at 16 years old. The orphanage wants to find her a home because many of girls on the street get caught up in sex-trafficking. This thought disgusts me! I seriously could go on all day about that issue. It is one of those issues that at times I literally lose sleep over just thinking about.

To help give you a better picture, in Cambodia there is a street called the Street of Little Flowers where young girls, sometimes five and six years old, are offered to Western men for a mere $300 a night. I am in tears just typing this sentence out. I wonder all the time what we could possibly do about it. I don't know just yet, but I CAN tell you this: if I had the opportunity to adopt a handful of those girls, I wouldn't even have to pray about it. So why don't I feel the same way with other children here in the States that also need a home?  There are so many children in foster care that need a home.  I just looked online at 978 pictures of children needing homes in just Florida alone.  I know that God desires for each of us to advance His kingdom here on earth and often times in many arenas I feel like I am sitting on the sidelines. NO child should be left alone without a family to care for them. Right now I feel so alive just talking about these issues and seeing families who are doing something about them!

Please be praying for Tracie and her family as they ask for God to provide the funds to adopt their sweet Aiden Joseph. I know that Aiden has definitely set our hearts ablaze!

Fun friends

A wonderful friend of mine, Candy, met me at Babies R Us and helped me to navigate through the crazy world of baby supplies. She is the bomb! She shared with me that the first time she came to register at Babies R Us, she cried it was so overwhelming.  I totally related!!  I seriously had no idea there was a whole other world out there that I knew nothing about!  Anyway, she helped me to finish registering by filling in the gaps that I had on my list.  It was such a HUGE help!  And to top it all off, she bought me this sweet argyle blanket that matches the bedding I picked out.  I am so blessed by such great friends.  Thanks so much, Candy!!  

On another note, the situations I posted a couple of days ago have not panned out so far.  I did end up talking with the mother who called the church, but it is not sounding like it will be the best situation for us.  It sounds a little risky as I am not sure the birthmom will go through with the adoption.  And I spoke with the agency who posted the baby girl due in two weeks, but they can't seem to find the application and profiles we sent to them back in August!  Not good.  Glad I called!  However, they were trying to locate them and see if they could still present us.  Hopefully, we will hear back from them today.  One thing is for sure:  this adoption could literally happen any day.  Last week we heard that a couple was called to be presented to a birthmom who had just delivered a baby girl at the hospital.  That couple had no idea (even the day before!) that they would be flying to Utah to meet their new baby.  Crazy!  We can't wait for the phone call that will change our lives forever! 

Surprises

Well, two situations have presented themselves today. I got a phone call from work letting me know that a mother called the church asking if we had a list of people interested in adopting. It turns out her daughter is pregnant and wants to place the baby for adoption. So, I have called her and am waiting to hear back.

In the meantime another situation came up at one of the agencies for a baby girl due September 23rd. Two weeks!! So, I have let them know that we would like to be presented. Since we are adopting a girl from China, we would both like to adopt a boy, but have resigned ourselves to being open to whatever may come available and seems like a good situation. We both know that we wouldn't be able to pick the gender of a baby if we were able to get pregnant!

Please be praying for us as these situations unfold. We will keep you posted!

Waiting...

Now that all of the grant and adoption agency applications are sent in, all we have to do is wait on the right situation.  I think that waiting will be the hardest part.  There haven't been any new situations in the past week.  The agencies have said that it has been really slow recently and hope it will pick back up.  I am learning that patience is definitely NOT my virtue!  

With all of the unknowns in our life right now (house selling, finding a new house when it does, when the adoption will be), it has been a bit hard for me to truly rest.  God is definitely teaching me how to wait on Him and His perfect timing.  I KNOW that I can trust Him and that He works all things out for my good and yet sometimes I live like an orphan and believe that I have to make things happen myself.  It is so convicting to see how little faith I actually have.  I so desire to grow in my faith and learn how to trust with obedience.  I want nothing more than to be a Godly woman who glorifies her Savior.  And yet it is yucky to see how little I do that at times!  As hard as it can be, I am truly grateful for this new opportunity that is refining my faith and allowing it to be stretched.  

Slow Down Tiger!

Well, after hearing more about the situation out in Oklahoma, we decided against pursuing it.  I think that one factor for both of us was that we were feeling like it was all happening just a little too fast!  I think it will be good for us to be a little more ready (nursery-ready and mentally-ready!) before jumping right in.  We would like to have a few things settled first.  One of the things that I wanted to have worked-out in my mind is about adoptive breastfeeding.  (now you know that Jeff is not the one posting this one.  Ha!)  Sometimes it takes a little preparation to accomplish this feat.  I'm still collecting info and hoping that it can happen for me.  At any rate, my wonderful mom talked through a bunch of this stuff with me yesterday and assured me that she will help get everything ready if the need arises and we aren't there yet.  So, I am feeling much better about everything.  Thank God for supportive moms!  So, we are now waiting for the next available situation that matches us and we will let you know when it happens!  

On another note, we finally got our family profiles finished and sent off to the 4 agencies.  Getting that completed was a load off of my mind.  And the profile is amazing!!  The consultants we are working with did a GREAT job putting it together.  Wish I could post it somehow, but haven't figured out a way to do that yet.  

We are so appreciative of all of you who are praying for us and sending us emails of encouragement.  We are so glad we have such supportive friends and family!

We Will be Presented to Our First Birthmom Tomorrow!

Hey Everyone,

Please be praying for us!  A situation just came up with a birthmom in Oklahoma who is expecting on September 19th!!  Oh my goodness!  Our consultant, Amy, just emailed to let me know and to ask if we wanted the birthmom to see our profile.  They are going to email it and our homestudy (a document from our case worker stating that we are approved as adoptive parents) over today since we haven't gotten a chance to send all of our applications out yet. Craziness!  We know that God has picked out the perfect child for us and that He is working on our behalf behind the scenes with all of the timing.  Jeff and I are definitely learning how to rely and trust in Him for the outcome.  We know that He knows what is best for us as individuals and as a family.  So glad for God in our lives!

Our House Needs to Sell!

As most of you know, we are in the process of selling our home.  This house has been a labor of love.  It is somewhat hard to sell because we have lived here since getting married and have put so much work and effort into it.  It has somewhat felt like our own "baby" for the past 4 years.  We attached a few photos for those who haven't seen it since Jeff's bachelor days! : ) Feel free to check out our entire home tour here.  Now it is completely finished and we need to move!  Hopefully, we will be in our new house for a long, LONG time!  

We would love to be able to sell and move before our baby arrives, but this may not be a reality.  Once our house does sell, we are considering moving to the Roswell/Alpharetta area since they have such a great school system plus great friends!  It will be quite the change from living so close to downtown!  We would love to buy a house with a big backyard and a guest room on the main for my mom to get around easily.  But, step number one is to sell this house!  

The Crib is in the House!

My wonderful mom came into town on Saturday and she went with me to Babies R Us to begin the registry process.  While there, I also checked out a crib that I found in the book "Baby Bargains".  I loved it!  So, Jeff and I went back after lunch to buy the crib.  It turned out that the crib was in stock, so voila!  We now have a crib in the house.  Sure, it is bare right now, but soon enough, it will not only have a mattress and sheets, but a baby too!

Our Family Profile

Jeff and I are waiting on our family profile to arrive and then we are ready to send off all of our adoption paperwork to the 4 agencies we will be mainly working with.  A family profile is a creative way to share with a birthmom your life as a family and couple.  When Jeff and I are interested in an available situation, our profile is then presented to the birthmom for her consideration.  We can't wait to get our profile out there!  There are a lot of available situations right now on the websites of the agencies we are working with.  One situation is for a baby to be delivered next month (yikes!), gender unknown.  We have been thinking about adopting a boy (since we will have a China girl), but we may be open...  We will keep you posted!

Applications: A Necessary Evil

It's easier to get pregnant if you can....if not, then expect a mountain of paperwork and a need for openness (bordering on intrusive) in the giving of personal information and your life history. After about three applications, it becomes tedious answering the same questions over and over again....what are your hobbies, what are your talents, what is your marriage like, what is your partner like, what is your salary, what is your net worth....you get the point. Anyway, the end justifies the intrusiveness and it will all be worth it when we can finally hold a little one in our arms.  -Jeff

China Adoption Detour

Some of you may know that our Chinese adoption has balloned to an undefinable timeline. Our best guess could be our worst, but it could be 2010 before we get our little girl (who is likely not to have been born yet). We submitted our dossier in October of 2006 and the timeline keeps getting longer. So, Tracey and I have decided to pursue a domestic adoption in tandem with our China adoption.

Having met with our adoption consulting agency, Christian Adoption Consultants, we could potentially have a referral in 4 months! WOW! This timeline is based on their experience with those couples starting from scratch. Since we are pros at this (Home Study done), it potentially could be in the next month! Double WOW!

We created this blog to help our friends and family understand where we are in the process and to document our adoption as things progress and new members are added to our family! We definitely need your prayers as we are in the process of a lot of change. Thanks so much for keeping in touch!- Jeff