Lots of Moving Pieces

Slow moving 

We had hoped to be sharing more exciting news and updates for our adoption process by this point in 2022. In fact, I did not even want to share any updates or post anything until we had some happy news to share. But here we are - in need of the prayers and support of our community as we face delays and discouragement in this process. 

We began our home study process in August 2021, and as a family who has already gone through this entire process once, we were ready to knock out the home study part as quickly as possible! We communicated with our home study agency (a contracted agency in Georgia that Holt International partners with) that we were eager to get everything done as soon as possible because we know how long the entire process will be ahead, and this is the one step that we have any “control” over as most of it is paperwork, education, and appointments that the adoptive family completes. So we did our part and worked our tails off to complete all of our responsibilities and we were able to turn in last items by the week before Thanksgiving. 

Without going into (all the frustrating) details, we have unfortunately been met with one delay after another in getting things finalized. And we are now faced with a new conundrum because of a life update that will cause new delays for our home study.

You see, we were hoping to complete our home study in our home.

But then we sold our house.

Smooth Selling

We started feeling prompted in November to consider taking advantage of the housing market and potentially sell our home in Athens for its highest value. By Christmas break, there was a FOR SALE sign in our yard, and on New Year’s Eve we had one showing followed by an offer and then we were officially under contract by the end of the day on January 1st! What a way to bring in the New Year…

We knew that renting was going to be our next step for a temporary season and that the provisions from the sell of our house would allow us to make some financial decisions medically, automobile wise, giving opportunities and a healthy savings for our next home. 

As we looked into the renting market in Athens, we were quickly discouraged by the options. We had resigned to the fact that (affordability-wise) a two bedroom apartment would be our likely next living situation, trying to remind ourselves that anything is doable for a temporary season! But just as we were about to take steps toward securing an apartment option, a “random” conversation at church one Sunday in December led to one of our missionary partners mentioning a rental home that he had on the East side of Athens. We were intrigued. He had long-standing tenants that were already set to move out the last day of the year! And renovations that would be completed by the first week of February!?? Wow. All in line with the exact timing that we were hoping and expecting to be closing on our home.

So all of the pieces fell into place accordingly. We were able to secure the rental house - a beautiful ranch home in an older, established neighborhood with a big yard and tall, shady trees, a cow pasture right across the street, and the perfect amount of space for our little family of three. And the price that he quoted? The same monthly rent that we were expecting to pay for a two bedroom apartment!

Only God!

So, we sold our home the first week of February, and we are now settling in at this lovely rental property. We are thrilled to begin a new season in Athens in a different part of the city, with the opportunity to meet and minister to a whole new community that we have been placed in for this new chapter. And we will be prayerfully considering what our next home (or property to build on?) will be in the Athens area! We are so grateful for the provisions that the Lord has given us through the sell of our home! And it honestly sold for “abundantly more than we could ask or imagine.”

Only God!

It was the sweetest blessing to live there for the past 2 years- truly our pandemic home, and now we are looking forward to a little more space and privacy on this rental property and being on a peaceful side of town that is more rural and quiet!

We remain about the same distance from our church plant that we were before! Just a different route now. Things are going AMAZING at Phoenix Athens, praise God! And we are SO excited about the ways that God is moving in our church family and in the city of Athens! We are preparing for and believing for Revival! And we have already begun to see signs that it is very, very near! 

Specific ways to pray for our Adoption:

We fully expected to wrap up our Home Study while we lived in our previous home, and now with the move, we will have more delays as updates will be needed in accordance with our living situation.

Please pray that the additional updates needed for our Home Study will be finalized quickly so that our agency can submit the changes and we can complete this process soon.

Please pray that the clearances that we are still waiting from at a state level would come back quickly as they have been the main culprit for halting our movement in finalizing.

Please pray for the next steps to move quickly and smoothly as we will be able to get in line to wait to be matched with a child after the Home Study and our Dossier is submitted to Thailand.  

Please pray that God will prepare us now for the decision of matching with a child. We are still hopeful and prayerful that there is a little girl younger than our son, Aaro that we will be matched with in this coming year! We can’t wait to be matched and finally know who God has planned for our family.

Announcing a new Fundraiser!

*The Pink Link Drink*

Check it out! Our beloved Phoenix family created a fun and creative way to help us fundraise for our adoption! The "Pink Link Drink" is a delicious and refreshing drink that SPARKLES!! It's a raspberry lemonade + sprite refresher with a touch of edible glitter for a fun girly glow!!

Now Available at the Phoenix Athens Coffeehouse. Monday-Friday 8am to 3pm. All profits will directly benefit our Pink Link Adoption!

For other ways to donate to our Adoption Fundraiser check out our AdoptTogether page!

Comforting Words

The Lord has used His Word, His people, songs, and circumstances to encourage and support us in this challenging wait. The words of Isaiah 55:8-13 have lifted my eyes to the One who is in control of all things:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”

I heard the song, "Wasted Time" by Unspoken for the first time last week and resonated with its heart cry:

You're the God who makes up for wasted time

You're the One who makes straight the crooked lines

Every promise broken

Seconds that were stolen

Years that have slipped on by

You're the God who makes up for wasted time

You're healing my heartbreak

You cover my mistakes

Dreams greater than mine You bring to life

You make a new way

Take me to a better place

You can turn it all around in the blink of an eye

As we wait on the Lord and His perfect timing, we may never know why He has allowed these delays at the very start of our Thailand adoption process. But as we pray and trust Him to be our Defender and Deliverer, we know that His purposes will prevail and no good thing will He withhold from us!