Baby Room: Part 2

Instead of using the wall decor that can be purchased with the bedding, I decided to make our own wall decorations. Pictured above is the bed skirt that served as the inspiration for the background of the wall art.

It is truly a deep desire of ours for our future child(ren) to know about Jesus and come to know Jesus. What better foundation for a child than to start learning God's Word at an early age! We selected several verses that have impacted us that we would like to share with the baby to come.

Eric recently ended a college Bible study series that examined who God is. The backdrop slide had God spelled out in baby block letters. This sparked the idea for the lettering. Then he later spoke about different attributes of God and names of God. This inspired me to include in the baby's room words that say what God and Jesus mean to us. The idea continued to develop. I took pictures of the baby bedding critters. Then I wrote down the names of the critters and what word went with each letter. It certainly wasn't difficult to come up with words, but it was hard to narrow the words down to just the letters I had. I could have gone on and on.

I wanted the pictures to be high-quality print, so I had them printed at Staples. You and I both know that these pictures got read. :) The lady who printed them told me they were cute and she liked them. I know she was encouraged by the words and verses. I know I am encouraged by the words and verses every time I enter the baby's room.

If you know of a shorter name for a dragon fly, let me know. I feel like this picture appears a little cluttered, but the longer the critter name, the more names of Jesus I can put!

We added a large area rug to the baby's room. This is a treat even for us because our house has wood floors, so carpet is a luxury (sounds opposite of what some think, but it's true for us). Going into the baby's room and reading each word and verse really makes the room feel like a safe haven - a sanctuary if you will. Some people have special prayer closets in their homes, and that's kinda what this room is for me. I normally spend my time with Jesus in our guest bedroom, but lately I have found it enjoyable to have my time with Jesus in the baby's room. Aside from the fact that I like to pray over the baby's room, the baby, and the birth mom, I also like how I can pray on the floor - face down before God Almighty! God and I have already had some great time together in that room.

Check back later to see where these pictures were placed.

Who is God to you?

Message from Covenant Care Services

Dear Friends,

All of us at Covenant Care Services hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the final week of 2011. We've been privileged this year to see 24 children adopted into two-parent, Christian homes. Our work continues as we are expecting several birthmothers to deliver in the first few weeks of 2012!

As the year comes to a close, will you consider a one-time, year-end gift to support adoption ministry through Covenant Care Services? You can give online by clicking here.

We have been praying that God would provide for our needs with $75,000 in new donations before the end of December. Your online gift of any amount will help us move one step closer to that goal. 

You can also drop your check in the mail. As long as it's postmarked on or before December 31, it will be counted for 2011. If you'd like your gift to be used for our work in a certain region of the state, just note that in the memo field.

Covenant Care Services

State Administrative Office

3950 Ridge Ave.

Macon, GA 31210

All gifts are tax deductible, and a receipt detailing your giving for the year will be provided by mid-January.

Thank you for all you to do support this Gospel-centered adoption ministry.

Happy New Year,

The Staff at Covenant Care Services

The Baby Room: Part 1

Eric's parents blessed us with the gift of a baby crib! We wanted to have the entire room set up before submitting our portfolio, but we were at least able to have the bed ready for the portfolio. Eric and his dad put the crib together.

During another visit to see us, Eric's mom took us on an excursion to locate the perfect baby bedding. We first went to this boutique place that was 45 minutes away! Cute bedding, but ugly prices! Our second stop was the safe choice of Babies R Us.

It's obvious from the cart that we found what we needed! We left the store with a baby mattress, 2 mattress covers, and baby bedding! We all had fun finally being able to pick out baby decor and supplies! I kept saying that I did NOT want any baby bedding that had animals on it. I wanted to have something more modern and contemporary. Guess what we left the store with? Animals! I was really surprised that I actually found critter bedding that I thought was cute!

After we arrived at home, we had fun assembling the crib decor!

Stay tuned for more baby room pictures!

Mis-excitement

I was sick yesterday so I wasn't thinking well. I was feeling so bad that I literally stayed in bed until I moved to the couch at about 8:00 p.m. While I was in bed upstairs, I heard Eric talking to someone on the phone. Then he came in the bedroom with a big smile and said, "So, what do you think?" For a split second I was excited, and then that excitement quickly turned to sadness when I realized what he was smiling about. He was really only wanting to talk to me about one of my Christmas presents. I thought that he had just gotten off the phone with our case worker. I felt so let down. I was so expectant of receiving the call that I overlooked what Eric's smile meant. That is the exact reason our caseworker said she would try not to call us so that we would not get our hopes up. This was just another reminder that God is in control and has perfect timing. I can't wait until Eric's face really does say, "So, what do you think about going to get our child this week?" It sure does make it all worth it to be able to rely on God and His best for us!

A New Perspective

Many people are curious: "What's the latest?" "Have you heard anything yet?" "Any news?" . . .

Our answer is still the same: "We're one day closer than we were." :) It's still not God's time yet. God knows the exact day and time for us to receive news of a match or adoption placement, but He knows that it's not time to reveal that day and time to us yet . . . but He will later!!!

This adoption waiting time gave me a new perspective on Christmas this year. The coming of the Messiah was prophesied a long, long, long, long time ago. People were anticipating the arrival of Jesus for years and years and years! I wonder what it must have been like knowing that the Messiah would come, but not knowing when. I know that we are currently awaiting the Lord's second coming, but I'm on the other side of His first coming. Even though what we are waiting for is different than waiting on our Savior to come to the earth the first time, we have at least been able to have a small sampling of what it's like to await the coming of a child. God kept His promises then, and He keeps His promises now! I'm thankful for a promise-keeper!

Be a Gift to Birth Mothers

PLEASE READ - AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM COVENANT CARE SERVICES (the adoption agency we are using): 

At Covenant Care Services we believe that loving ministry to our birthmothers in the name of Jesus is one of the most important parts of what we do. 

 

This Christmas, we invite you to be part of our Birthmother Pajama Drive. Will you help us share the love of Christ by donating one or more pairs of new pajamas for us to bless our birthmothers with?

Christmas is a great time to find pajamas packed as a gift set at a reasonable price. Why not pick up one or two pairs for a CCS birthmother? Maybe your Sunday school class or youth group could even make this a project over the next few weeks!

You can deliver the pajamas to our State Office during normal business hours before Christmas, or mail them to us at:

 

Covenant Care Services

3950 Ridge Ave.

Macon, GA 31210

 

We'll share these gifts with our birthmothers in December and over the next few months. Help us show these women that we love them and care about them!

 

Serving Him,

 

The Staff at Covenant Care Services

The Waiting "Game"

One of our all-time favorite games to play is Settlers of Catan. In fact, we don't get to play it enough! One of our least favorite games is Waiting!

Although the "waiting game" is not our favorite, it brings more fulfillment than any board game we could ever play. Actually, waiting is not a game at all. Waiting is the patient endurance of confident expectancy and trust - for us, trust in God. I've heard it said that 3/5 of faith is in wait, and that is so true. Times of waiting and hoping in God is when faith can flourish.

Most adoption cases involve times of waiting, whether they be minimal or extended. Our 1st adoption journey began two years ago. This current adoption journey began eight months ago when the 1st journey concluded. Waiting . . . waiting . . . waiting . . . and more waiting is an adoption norm. The stage we are in now is nothing but waiting - no paperwork, no mandatory meetings, no nothing (except for continuing fundraising, baby room decorating, and praying). There's nothing to do that can speed up the process - it's all in God's hands and His timing. God already knows the end of the story, so we know it will be a good ending! Sometimes people think that God is late. He's never late . . . He's right on time, even if the time our prayers are answered is not OUR time. This is much easier said than done, but it's true. This trust in Him gives us peace, confidence, and encouragement in times of waiting. Other instances in our lives have given testimony to this truth.

Although waiting is tough, one of the blessings of this adoption process is that we don't know anything and can't do anything. This makes US get out of the way and depend completely on God - there's nothing else to do but depend on Him. That's where God wants all of us to be all the time in everything. Our case worker may know for a birth mom's entire pregnancy that we are the couple chosen for an adoption plan, but is not able to tell us until the 10-ten revocation period is over. That means that we could get a call one day and then go to Macon for a placement two days later. Since there's no way of knowing the date of our placement, because God alone is all-knowing, we just have to keep our faith in the wait.

October 14th Adoption Meeting Update

It's the holiday season, so imagine having encouragement, knowledge, overwhelming emotion, and relief all packaged together in three hours with a nice red Christmas ribbon to seal the gift. That's what October 14th was for us.

Covenant Care Services requires two mandatory meetings be attended before a couple can even turn in a portfolio. These are three-hour informational meetings. At least 15 couples were in attendance this time (less than the first meeting).

October 14th meeting schedule:
- director of the agency spoke about the process overview and adoption details
- another agency worker spoke about the Biblical meaning of adoption
- adoptive family testimony
- birth mom testimony
- question/answer time for adoptive family and birth mom
- meet with case worker

The adoptive family testimony was a true encouragement. The couple that spoke lived out in the sticks in a really old trailer with chickens in the yard. They already had biological children, too. They thought that no one would pick them, but they said that them being chosen just shows that where you live doesn't make a huge difference. In fact, the birth mom that chose this family for her adoption plan of her twins liked the chickens pictured in the portfolio. This couple was very honest and transparent. They shared about the challenges and joys of the adoption process. Waiting was the hardest part for them, which is the part we are in now. It is hard! The wife suggested finding other adoptive families to stay in contact with for support and encouragement. This couple was so sad that they had not received a placement phone call by their six month waiting point, but it turns out that that was actually the date their adoptive kids were born (they did not find out until several months later). Their testimony was truly an example of God's perfect timing and perfect plan!!!

The birth mom testimony was extra special and insightful. Some people have the misconception that with an open or semi-open adoption that the birth mom will change her mind. Although this does happen sometimes, this birth mom expressed that receiving pictures and information about her children actually reassured her that she made the right decision in making an adoption plan for her girls. Receiving periodic pictures allows the birth parents to see that their child is being well-taken care of and loved for life. We definitely gained more confidence through her testimony. Having a face with a story makes a huge difference because many people have negative ideas about birth moms. Regardless of the situation that led a birth mom to make an adoption plan, she is a beloved creation of God who shares the same needs as the rest of humanity.

There are various perspectives about adoption. Some people see adoption as Plan B when they cannot have their own children. Others see adoption as waiting for God to bring along a child. For others, adoption is a desire acquired within one's heart to parent those without the current state of family, regardless of fertility or infertility. Some view adoption as a calling. One perspective shared at the meeting is that adoption is ministry. It is about the adoptive family being available to receive a child in a time of need or crisis. Adoptive families are also available to reach out to the birth parents. Unfortunately, birth parents are often left by the wayside. Thankfully, Covenant Care Services supports birth parents well after a placement has been made. 

Erin signing the agency financial form.

Although the meeting was extremely informative, our awaited time came after the meeting was over. The close of the meeting meant that we were able to meet with our case worker. That is when we signed our financial form in agreement of the adoption fees. The signing of this notarized form was followed by the surrender of our portfolios that you have viewed in previous posts. This was a BIG deal, because we were told in early June that we had to wait to do anything until the 1st meeting in August. Then we were still not able to begin our portfolio until after we met with our case worker in late August. In addition, we were not allowed to turn in the seven portfolio copies until the October meeting! We completely understand the reasoning for this, but waiting is hard! We were so excited to finally have the portfolios submitted!

Relinquishing our portfolios into the hands of our case worker and hearing the testimonies of God at work in adoption were both worth the long drive to Macon on October 14th!

Portfolio: Page 11

This is the last page of our portfolio. As you view it, remember to pray for the birth moms who will see our portfolio. Pray that God will give them wisdom to know whether or not we are God's choice for them in their adoption plan.

Portfolio: Pages 9-10

The following two pages have been left the original size like the previous pages. If the page is too large for you to view, you can either scroll the page over or zoom out. Enjoy!

Portfolio: Pages 7-8

The pages below are little hard to read when small, so I left them the original size. Depending on your monitor, you may have to zoom out or scroll over to see the entire page. The grandmother-to-be notes are really sweet.

Portfolio Pages 5-6

The following portfolio pages have been left in their original size for reading ease. If you cannot view the entire page, you may change your view setting or scroll over to see the rest of the page.

Portfolio Pages 1-4

THE FIRST PAGE
The first page of our portfolio contains our basic profile. The basic profile has basic information about us and is the very first page of information that birth parents will see. All portfolios have this as the front page, so we had ours printed on green paper.

PAGES 2-4
The next pages of the portfolio contain our birth parent letter. If you would like to read it, click on the following link and select the "Letter From Adoptive Parents" link. The birth parent letter is also printed after the web address. In addition to our profile page and birth parent letter being in our hard copy portfolio, they are also posted on Covenant Care's website (the waiting families list page).

http://www.covenantcareadoptions.com/Pregnant/Adoptive-Family-List/ctl/Detail/mid/1595/xmid/3354/xmfid/10.aspx