Adoption Training.

We were able to attend an adoption training in Castle Rock, CO in April. It was emotional, realistic, hard, so good, and just what we needed. The State of Colorado has adoption training as a mandatory thing for people (like us) who are adopting. As I sat in the chair over the weekend though, I kept telling Dave that I thought EVERY person who is going to be a parent and bring a child into their home should be taking this training. It was enlightening.

Here were some of the highlights for me:

• We got to attend the training with Dave's parents. It was so good to have the grandparents of our child attend something like this with us. They were engaged and ready to learn right along with us! I think they learned a few new things as well. The conversations between the sessions with them were some of my favorite parts of the weekend!

• It was so lovely to meet other people who are in this process. We met couples who have adopted already, are just beginning the process and couples in the "waiting game" with us. So refreshing to know that you are not alone. 

• The director of our agency, Hopes Promise was the main speaker. Her name is Paula Freeman and she was the most eloquent, passionate, Jesus loving, knowledgeable woman concerning adoption. I wanted her to keep speaking so I could soak up what she had to say. She gets the Father's Heart for adoption and just to be in the room with her helped me to catch it too! 

• We received more information than my brain could handle at times. (Legal stuff, newborn care, attachment issues, adoption stories, understanding birth families, financial information, etc.)

• The conversations that were stirred between us and our parents in between sessions were so good and God used them to bring to light some things in me that He is working on. Yes, God is working on me, not just FOR me! Here I am, sitting in a training to adopt a child and God uses it to do some heart work on me!!!Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. His plans involve so many people, so many details and they are always plans of LOVE! He astonishes me at every turn. He is the perfect author and I love Him!

Am I fully trained for what lies ahead with our adoption? Not even close....

Diaper training.

          

I taught our little man how to change a diaper today. He was so gentle and did a great job. He will be a wonderful big brother! Another day closer...

Details of love.

I just have to give some glimpses of the room we have been working on in our home that is lovingly called, The Nursery. It is a combination of lovely things that I have purchased from some of my favorite shops: Target, IKEA, Craigslist, Thrift Stores, and Etsy.

Every time we walk past the room we have to stop and take in the warmth and beauty that it has added to our home. Dave even took the time to test out a nap on the floor and he loved it! I have sat in the room on the rocking chair, praying, and breathing in the fact that someday there will be a very loved little person making beautiful sounds to fill up the room. We will spend countless hours in this room, rocking, reading, laughing, soothing, feeding, playing, crying, teaching, and loving. I have such great anticipation!

This little guy was my first purchase for the nursery! He is handmade from Etsy.com.

I got a branch from the Powers family farm and hung our curtains on it. The branch was free and the curtains are reused and Target on clearance for $1.30!!

Our friend, Casree thrifted this lovely rocker for us!

This Craigslist antique dresser only cost me $40!! The diaper changing pad was from our friend, Jenny and the chevron fabric was on clearance at Target for $1.74. The three red baskets and pole are from IKEA and only cost about $15.00. LOVE IT!

My parents bought us this crib from IKEA and I got the Chevron bumper and crib sheets with a gift card to Target!

I replaced the knobs on my dresser with lovely little knobs that I found at Hobby Lobby and they were $1.50 each.

I can't wait to show you more as we prepare for this baby to come home. As you can see, I have had to keep it open to having a boy or a girl in this room. I can't wait to add details based on who we will be bringing into our beloved little room. Excitement is mounting!!

Adoption Photos.

I wanted to take some photos in preparation and celebration of the child that God is preparing for us!!
My friend, Ellie Pickett took the photos: www.EldeenAnnette.com & www.LilacPhotography.com

I completely stole the idea of the chair with balloons from another blogger that I follow who is in the adoption process. If you would like to read about her family and their adoption: http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog

*Special thanks to Jovan for allowing me to use her kid chair and baby shoes in this photo shoot!

My heart is stretching...

"Adoption means you grew in her heart instead of her tummy"

Waiting is.....HARD.

I didn't know how difficult this time was going to be. Everyone told me that this was the hard part but I think I had that absolutely optimistic thought that we would be one of couples that had the crazy story of adopting immediately. It has only been two months since we were placed on the website as a waiting family but I told Dave that it feels longer cause I've been waiting for a child for 5 years. I'm asking Jesus to continue to teach me about His heart for adoption and to teach me everything that I need to know during this time. One cool thought that keeps coming to my mind is that JESUS was adopted! How cool is that? 

I pray for every one of the other waiting couples on the website as often as possible. I pray for the birth family of our child. I pray for our child. I pray for us to know how to love this new little one that is coming soon to our lives!

Last night as I was lying in bed I was overcome with this fear of trying to love another child.  Not just ANY child, our child, our adopted child. I couldn't stop thinking about how we have been three peas in a pod for so long and that it was going to be so difficult to add another. I was bawling and saying out loud that I didn't know if I could do this! I had the coolest experience because the Holy Spirit totally came to my mind with the voice of MY Mommy! He brought comfort to me just like my mom so often does when fear strikes again!  He comforted my heart by reminding me that this child that will be added to our family will only cause there to be MORE love and joy. Our hearts will actually grow larger and have more room for love when our baby comes home! My heart is already stretching. And just like any muscle that is stretching, it feels good and bad at the same time!

Dear Baby,

We are getting prepared. Even in our doubts and fears- Father is reminding us how you absolutely fit, like a puzzle piece, with the Powers family. Praying for you, dear one.

Love,

This heart stretching Momma. <3

I'm adopted. You're adopted. We're all ADOPTED!

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."

We are God's kids. He adores us, He protects us, He provides for us, He prepares a place for us, He loves to be around us, He speaks over us, He gives peace, He brings joy, He gives GOOD gifts, He laughs with us, He cries over us, He thinks about us non-stop,
HE CHOSE US and HE ADOPTED US!!! 

i. am. grateful.

I love you Daddy,

Tara

$$

I HAVE to give you an update on where we are with saving and raising the money we need for our adoption. God has been so wonderfully good to us and HE definitely deserves the Glory!

The last update that I gave you was when we still needed $18,130.00!! Well, I'm honored to tell you that OUR GOD provided 9,175.00!!! (through people giving, us saving, and miraculous things!!) Which leaves only $8,955.00 needed. Do you SEE how good He is? Be encouraged that He provides when you are obediant to do what HE has planned for you. 

TO ALL of you who have prayed....You know who you are. I hope you know that I KNOW it is priceless and I cannot give enough thanks to you for speaking to God on our behalf!! How is it possible that God would use you to speak out for us?! I am unable to comprehend that kind of love but my gratitude is HUGE!


I have to give thanks publicly, to the people in our lives who have given toward our growing tribe. (financially or in some other helpful and cool way) I am honored and humbled...
Our family-Mary Jean Powers, Phil and Debbie Powers, Dave and Jeanie Rhoades, Rocky and Jovan Rhoades, Tredessa and Ryan Faaland, Stormie Rhoades, Tristan and Stephanie Kelley, and Jon and Holly Powers. Our Friends-Judd and Ellie Pickett, Michael and Stephanie Simants, Felix and Ashley Gilbert, Chad and Joanna Hoffman, Cody and Mandy Bohall, David and Casree Holland, Mike and Jennifer Orenstein, Todd and Kimberlee Herbic, Tom and Rushelle Hathoot, *Anyone who played Skee ball at the Christmas Party and payed to play=), Dale and Patti Paris, Scott Souther, Bruce and Mary Ellsworth, Matt and Leslie Richard, Scott and Jill McCollum, Daniel and Christina Miles.

O-F-F-I-C-I-A-L

 We had a second Christmas yesterday when the FedEx "Angel" dropped off our long anticipated Photo Books. These books include our Birth family letter, tons of pictures of us, and stuff about us for the Birth Families.

Hunter patiently waiting to open our Photo Books

Dave got to open the box and be the first to hold one!! We "oooed and ahhed."

 6 Photo Books 
+ 1 Check for $8,375 all mailed on 12/28/2011 = 
OFFICIAL status with the Adoption Agency and Dave, Tara & Hunter on the "Waiting Birth Family" list on their website!!

Me at the Post Office mailing our precious books to the Agency.

*ahem* I have an announcement.

WE 

ARE

APPROVED!!!!!

We found out yesterday, Tuesday, December 20th at 3:02pm that our home study was approved. 

Am I freaking out? Yes, I am! Did I scream when I got off the phone with my caseworker, Emily? Yes, I did! Did I have butterflies ALL day waiting to hear if they would approve us to have a child in our home? Why, of course!!

Finding out yesterday that we are approved was like going to the Dr. (when you're pregnant), getting an ultrasound, and finding out that you are pregnant for sure and not only relying on the pregnancy test anymore. We officially have the HOPE of a child entering our lives soon. We don't know when, who, what, etc. but we KNOW. 

Now, I'm off to wait......

First Trimester.

You know how I said before that adoption has some similarities to pregnancy? I feel like we just finished the first trimester. I'm serious too. You know, exhaustion, sickness (So weird, but I actually was sick for an entire month!;)), excited, eager to tell everyone and secretly hoping that noone else will tell so you get to, talking about it non-stop, praying a lot that you can actually raise this child, kinda freaking out a little, reading every little website or book about where you are in the process....

One of the main differences is that instead of feeling a lot of the physical stuff, you go through a lot of brain work. Lots of paperwork and finding the right pictures and trying to convince someone that you are credible and would make a great parent for someone's child.

We had our third and final Home Study interview today at our home. We walked through our home with our case worker and she had to check on smoke alarms, water heaters, etc and make sure we were sanitary. (not a hard one to pass for this clean freak!) She had an interview with Hunter that went so well. She kept quoting him to us during the last part of our interview. That's my boy!;) She asked him what he thought Adoption was. His answer, "It's when a kid is part of one family and then they get to be a part of another family." WOW! I'm still thinking he knows more than I do. She approved the home inspection part and didn't give us anything to do for our home. Yea! We should find out within the next week if we are approved officially for the complete home study and I'm so ready and very excited.

The Home inspection part of our Home Study, Approved.

4 Thumbs up for a good last interview. The flash really liked my face!