It's "OFFICIAL!"

Today we received a phone call from our adoption agency's director to "officially" approve our application and welcome us into the "Helping Hand" family! We signed our international adoption contract and will prepare to pay the agency orientation fee. In January, they will arrange for our home study to begin, a process that usually takes around two months. Thus, our adoption journey officially begins on December 22nd, 2010...

Exciting News!

We have some very exciting news to share with our friends/family! As of today, December 21st, we have started the process to adopt a baby girl from China! We are so excited to begin this journey.........we know there will be many hurdles, much waiting, and intense anticipation in the days to come, but we know that our ultimate goal, to welcome a child in need into our home, will be worth the emotional investment.

Adoption has always been something our hearts were open to and an option for us as we discussed expanding our family. We have been richly blessed with Alexis in our lives, and it is our desire to provide the love, care and nurture for another child as we have - and will continue to do - for her. After much prayer, thinking, discussion and deliberation, we feel that, if we are able to care for another child, why not extend our love and time to a child who is in desperate need of a family?

International adoption was our first choice, primarily because of the stability, security and anonymity of foreign adoptions. After reviewing different options and speaking with various adoption agencies, we ultimately choice the China Special Delivery/Needs program for children with mild, correctable special needs. This program includes children in orphanages who may have needs such as cleft lip, heart murmurs, scars/burns, etc. After reviewing the different options, as well as researching the need and situation in China, as well as the timeframe, we felt that this program was the ideal fit for our family.

We know that you may have questions or worries for us, and we appreciate your interest and concern. However, we hope that you will rejoice with us in our decision and support us as we prepare to provide a new, fulfilling life for this child.

Please check back periodically as we will update our progress and share milestone achievements along our journey.

I have shared one of my favorite songs from Steven Curtis Chapman, "When Love Takes You In" below. It shares a beautiful message about adoption and the bond between adoptive parents and adopted children.