TN Bound!

And yet another cool God-thing!

For Christmas, I surprised Sam with tickets to a hockey game in Tennessee: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. the Nashville Predators.

The trip is scheduled for January 30 - February 1.

Only God could have had a trip already on the books. We are already planning to spend time hanging with Emily!

Yay God!

God's Intricate Tapestry

So now that I have had a chance to catch my breath...and pinch myself all day everyday to make sure I am not dreaming...I want to relay some of Emily's side of the story.

When I went to meet Emily in early December, she was thinking along the same wave length as me when I left. We got along great and instantly hit it off. She thought I had a great, healthy story of placing my baby for adoption, but wasn't sure exactly where our friendship would go from there.

Well, only a few weeks later (the day after Christmas to be exact) she went to her mother overwhelmed and simply said, "I don't know if I can do all this. I don't know if this will be what is best for the this baby. I think adoption might be something I should consider." (Let me just take a break here to say - WOW - what an amazing, mature, selfless thing to say and do.)

So Emily and her mother started the process of finding an adoptive couple. The cool twist in all this is that Emily is adopted! So they made an appointment with the same agency that placed her into her parent's home 18 years ago. Emily and her mom spent hours meeting with a social worker and looking at profiles. Nothing clicked.

On the way home from the appointment, Emily's mom casually mentioned that "that girl" you met in early December is hoping to adopt.  (Emily's mom knew this information from Yvonne). Emily shared with me that her first thought was, "I can't believe Jen didn't tell me when we met. How incredible that she left that out, that she was only there to see me and relate to me!"

Right away, Emily asked her mom if we had one of those profiles. Emily's mom didn't know, but thought a good place to start would be to call Yvonne.  (Quick sidenote - I had sent Yvonne our completed profile only weeks before!)

Yvonne literally had our profile sitting on her kitchen counter. She jumped in her car immediately and practically met Emily at home with our profile in tow.  

Emily sat down and started reading our story and looking at our pictures. She said she knew the moment she read our profile that we were the couple this baby was created for.  She said she carried the book around for days and read it over and over again. Each time even more convinced that this was God's plan. 

Two weeks went by before we talked on the phone. She wanted to be sure.  She wanted to be sure she had the strength to do this. She wanted to be sure this was absolutely the best for this baby.  She wanted to be sure she was setting Sam and I up for a future full of hope and excitement.  

I am speechless. 

What an amazing, amazing birthmom.

Answered Prayers

So I called Emily this evening.  With butterflies in my stomach, I picked up the phone and called her. 

All day I kept asking myself, How do you start this conversation?  A simple, "how are you?" seems so inadequate. I know how she is! She is pregnant. She is only 18. She is considering placing her baby for adoption...with us! Again, how do you start this conversation???

So with all the confidence I could muster, I picked up the phone and called Emily.

Within a matter of moments, I knew it was going to be the easiest and most natural conversation. It was like we were old friends catching up. She told me of all the things that had transpired over the past weeks. She shared her heart about wanting Sam and I to raise this baby...this baby BOY!

I stand in awe of God right now.  What an awesome God we serve. Sam and I have prayed for a situation like this.  We have prayed for our birthmom. We have prayed for our family. And He has answered our prayers with a girl named Emily and this precious baby boy she is carrying. 

Tears of joy, let them come!

Is Our World About to Change?

I received a phone call from our dear friend Yvonne this afternoon. At first I thought she was calling to just check in.  It was much more than that.

She first asked if I was at home and sitting down (my first clue that she was about to drop something big in our laps!).  

She began to share how God had been at work on our behalf.  Emily had made a complete 180 degree change since I saw her in early December. She had broken up with her boyfriend and was convinced adoption would be the best scenario for her baby. 

And to top it off, she was choosing us as the adoptive couple! Choosing us! Choosing us! Words that mean everything when you are hoping to adopt. 

I asked Yvonne if it would be possible for me to talk to Emily. I have so many questions. I want to know what has changed. What prompted her to place this baby. How did she know that Sam and I were planning to adopt? When can we see her? Is this for real?  Please, somebody pinch me.

OK, off for a very restless night sleep!  All for great reason of course!

A New Year, A New Beginning

This is what I believe the Lord has for us this year. I am claiming this word and this new beginning!

Isaiah 43:18-19

"But forget all that -
it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."