National Adoption Month

For several days now, we have been praying that God would show us what to update in our blog. Yesterday, we felt that God gave us two things he wanted us to share.

First, November is National Adoption Month. There are 500,000 children in foster care. Of these children, 129,000 are "legally free" and waiting for a family. Many of you know that adoption is near and dear to our hearts. Not only because we are adopting is it so, but also because Vanessa comes from a family with nine adopted siblings. We know that adoption is not for everyone. However, we want to encourage each of you who reads this blog, to pray through the rest of the month of November. Ask God what He would have you do to support adoption. That might not mean fostering or adopting a child. However, maybe God wants you to come along side a family who is adopting, or who already adopted and support them in prayer and encouragement. As someone told Vanessa in a conversation very recently, "There is no greater show of what God has done for us, as His children, as what He does with adoption here on earth". Isn't that true? God has adopted us as his sons and daughters, and we can do the same for those here on earth who need that.

Secondly, we have had many people ask us where we are at financially for the adoption. So far, we have been pretty vague. However, after praying to God about this blog, we felt the Lord leading us to declare exactly what we still need. So here is the info. So far, through the support of so many amazing people, we have been able to pay for our home study. What does that cost? $3,000. How much does an adoption cost? Each adoption is different, but those we have heard about thus far, seem to average out to be about $15,000. We are asking, that you join us in prayer that we can raise this $15,000 to get this child home to us. Now, do realize that some of this money will (and we say will, because we are trusting God completely) come from grants. However, we have not got any of that paperwork out yet. We know, everything is in God's timing, yet every time we try to sit down to do it, something comes up. Pray especially, that we would have the time, energy, and that Vanessa would be well enough to do this paperwork.

The pregnancy is continuing to go by so quickly. Vanessa is still sick. However, there have been some good days amongst the bad ones. Pray specifically, that if this is not to pass soon, emotionally, Vanessa can keep her spirits up.

Lastly, our little baby girl Zoelle is going to be one and a half years old on Tuesday. My how fast time goes! We'll attach a picture of her at birth, and her now, just so you can see how much she has grown. What a joy to her mama and dada she is. We constantly are praying that God softens her heart to Him and that the plans He has for her shine through in everything she does.

Blessings to all of you for reading this long post. Thank you for your encouraging words and prayers. They mean the world to us!